1990, florida keys, watching a pod of tarpon march towards our boat from 150 yards out. readying a live pinfish on my TLD-15 on a penn slammer loaded with 20 pound test. as the school is less than 20 feet from the boat i toss my bait to the lead, and largest fish. he sucks it down and runs, and runs, and runs until my spool is closed to empty. after setting the hook this silver king leaps, dives, leaps, head shakes and the chase is on. after about 45 minutes the sun is setting and we are basically playing walk the dog with a 100+ pound fish. in and out of the bridge struts of bahia honda bridge, back out into the channnel. now its dark, the fish is tired, i'm shot too. the sheer weight of fish and current is still making it a game. then all of the sudden, line goes limp...nothing...my griend kevin gets out his Ibeam and holy %$%$%$%$, there is a huge fin swimming where my line is leading to...big mo, the legendary 16 foot hammerhead of bahi honda channel is looking to eat my tarpon!!!!
...i only guess the tarpon is playing dead or is dead! my friend says cut the line, let him go, give the fish a chance. NO WAY. i reel like hell, the SOB is there, so is the fish....end result is the picture now hanging to my left of the tarpon being held up on a lip gaff in the bow of the boat, over 6 feet long, 100+ pounds, me smiling like the happiest guy in the world... and on the other wall a 2 shot frame another guy took of big mo chewing a tarpon in mid air...that was a great moment and telling it just now was a blast!
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