Tarpon Chronicles 2014 Day 6 (Final Day)

May 17, 2014

We called it a day at around 2:00.  It started out windy and just kept getting worse.  Don had one excellent shot that we all thought would get bit but the fish refused the fly at the last instant. I've included a video at the end of this post.

This was a really tough trip for us.  I really feel for Don, who's been here three consecutive years in May with me.  For Don the heavy winds are all he has ever known.  He will be taking the 2015 trip off. I hope this isn't his last trip to the Keys.  He's a great fishing partner, and I'd love for him to experience tarpon fishing when it's "right".  For me, I've had three consecutive tough weather trips and four in the last five.  I won't be coming back for a second trip in late June/early July as I've been doing for several years.  It's probably a good thing, as I'm not sure I would come back after a fourth bad weather trip.  At least this way I'll have a year to let the sting fade away and I'll be hungry to chase tarpon again next spring.

I feel bad mostly for Scott Collins, our guide.  It has been a tough run for Scott, and looking at the forecast, it doesn't look like things will change any time soon. I'd hoped to post glowing reports accompanied by pictures of massive silver fish.  I hope you enjoyed the Chronicles just the same and perhaps next year there will be more pictures.  For now, I'm going to take my summer break from fishing, eat too much barbecued red meat, drink my share of wine, try to improve my handicap on the golf course, and spend time with my wife, Lisa.
I've had a long, tough run myself and am ready for this.  I'll post a pic here and there and maybe write a blog or two but the next big thing I'll be doing is a report from our eight day king salmon trip to Skeena River in British Columbia.  Until then, Good Fishing!

Click on the pick below to see the You Tube video.