Fisherman Fights Monster Tarpon into The Night From The Beach





Around South Florida the hard core locals have a special term for the Mullet Migration, they call it Happy Bait. Its the time of the year that just about everybody can get bait, and if you can get bait, there is a decent chance of catching a nice sportfish off the beach. Most of the Happy Baiters are getting a few dozen pilchards to flip into the waves for Jack's and Snook, but there are a few guys that are just a little more selective about what they are going to be fishing for. You see, in Fort Lauderdale you can't really fish the public beaches until after the lifeguards leave for the day, so that leaves a pretty small window to get in some sight casting.  Tim O'Connor has established himself as a Happy Bait legend. O'Connor won last years highly contested Happy Bait Championship by Catching a Huge Tarpon infront of a huge crowd in front of the World Famous Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale strip.



This year Tim O'Connor has again captured the Happy Bait Championship and is the first Back to Back winner since Lamont Jones won back to back titles in 1996 with a slew of massive Snook releases. This year O'Connor was able to fight this monster Tarpon on a quiet piece of sand on Halloween evening without much fanfare. O'Connor uses what many fisherman would consider to be extremely sporty tackle for fighting a 100lb fish of any kind from a shoreline. He uses an 8 foot heavy action surf rod with 30lb class Shimano TLD and a fair length 100lb leader.



With just a camera phone, longtime O'Connor friend, Michael Grimm got whatever video he could get while the sun was setting, but this fish was going to put up a fight that extended well into the evening. It was dark by the time O'Connor, Grimm, and another fisherman were able to leader the fish in shallow enough water to get a few flash photography pics which appear at the end of the video.





- OT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prepping The Mullet Run Gear

The mullet run is gonna be here soon, and you gotta keep your gear tight if you expect to have success over the length of the season. We will be traveling and following the mullet pods down the coast so we will have (3) working nets, the nets needs some attention and now is the time to do those repairs and tweaks so you dont end baitless when the pods are in your area. It happens fast and if you aren't ready you miss it. . Once the nets are in order, we will turn our attention to the buckets and wells. That includes pumps and plumbing. The biggest struggle is always separating 5 gallon buckets that are stuck together. The rods and reels were just overhauled but I will go over them anyway, and get anything fixed that is questionable. New line and leaders and hooks. The point here is to have your gear ready so you can get bait and whack some trophy fish. Tarpon, Snook, Jacks, and Sharks. The Old Timers call it Happy Bait, I call it The Run, either way dont show up with gear that don
Read more

Charter Fishing Captain's Viral Meltdown: Lessons in Customer Service Gone Awry

Image
  In the age of viral videos and instant internet notoriety, the actions of a few individuals can quickly become the talk of the town. Such was the case with a recent video that captured the shocking behavior of a charter fishing captain, leaving viewers both flabbergasted and concerned. The Meltdown Heard 'Round the World: It all started with a seemingly ordinary fishing trip. Families and friends embarked on a charter fishing adventure, eager to enjoy the beauty of the sea and the thrill of reeling in some catches. However, what should have been a memorable outing quickly turned into a nightmare when the fishing captain's behavior took an alarming turn. The video, which has since gone viral, shows the captain in a heated, profanity-laden tirade directed at his customers. What's more distressing is that children were on board, witnessing this shocking display of anger and hostility. Their expressions range from fear to confusion, a stark contrast to the joyous anticipation
Read more

Horsecranker Todd: From Kingfish Expert to the King of Entertainment

Image
In the world of fishing, every angler carries a nickname that tells a story, and for Todd, it's "Horsecranker." This moniker isn't just a quirky title; it's a testament to a memorable day on the water with Captain Jeff, the Lunkerdog, where reeling in dreams turned into an epic battle of willpower. Picture this: the sun painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, the tranquil waters gently rocking the boat, and Todd, a spirited angler, standing at the helm. With the anticipation of a big catch in the air, Todd cast his line and hooked into a formidable adversary. As he cranked the spinning reel with an unmatched zeal, the fishing gods must have looked down with a mix of awe and amusement. Todd's enthusiasm was undeniable, but the spinning reel couldn't keep pace with his fervor. The line tightened, the rod bent under the strain, and in a moment that seemed to defy all laws of fishing, the rod snapped clean in two. The silence that followed was broken by C
Read more