Monday, September 26, 2011

Atomic Number 47


SILVER

Not to be outdone by Adam's recent jackpot and the gold rush at Lago X, I checked out some rumors of absurd numbers of tarpon that were gorging on a huge supply of fry that had flooded a local bay. I found the Comstock Load of caribbean silver.



Arriving at 5:30am, the surface of water was just visible as light slowly illuminated the bay. In about two minutes time, all hell broke loose. As the first rays of light hit the water, an uncountable number of tarpon began simultaneously bum-rushing fry. I was standing in knee-deep water only 5ft from shore and there were tarpon breaking the surface on all sides of me, including between myself and the shore. It was surreal.




Over the next hour, I landed one nice fish and broke off two others. 40lb tippet just wasn't cutting it. The tarpon were so keyed in on the fry that they wouldn't even notice most of what was thrown at them. I landed and hooked up on white tarpon bunnies that were skinny enough to mimic the silhouettes of the fry. Toads were ignored, as was most else.





Within an hour and a half, the fish noticeably began to chill out. There was enough food for everyone so they continued a more leisurely feeding method. Instead of hurling their bodies completely out of the water, they began to school up and engulf mouthfuls of fry like whales would. I put down the rod and picked up the camera for the rest of the morning session.



Fish that broke off my white tarpon bunny, still happily feeding hours later.






Short video of the scene that greeted me that morning.

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