Trying To Prevent That Last Surge...

The important thing is to release as many fish as possible to win the release division. Here Craig is putting the pressure on a small tarpon of perhaps only 20 pounds as Capt. Dave Kostyo reaches out to grab the leader. Tarpon can use their air bladder as a lung, and when they're fighting you they'll try to come to the surface and "surge", getting a gulp of air and replenishing their oxygen supply. This gives them renewed energy and prolongs the battle. Sometimes the angler will thrust the rod tip deep into the water to keep the fish from getting that gulp as he nears the boat.

In this photo Capt. Dave is reaching out to get a wrap of the leader around his gloved hand. Then he'll stick his thumb in the tarpon's mouth, the other fingers under its chin, and lift it out of the water. Sometimes they swallow the shrimp quite deeply and you want to get the hook out. In recent years so called "circle hooks" have become popular. They don't tend to grab into anything until they get to the lip. You rarely get any gut hooked fish with them, but ten years ago we were still using J-hooks.

There'll be more photos and story over the next few days. Whether you want to do a night trip for tarpon or a day trip for sailfish, kingfish, amberjack and a host of other fish Capt. Dave is The Man. To book a charter call 305-620-5896 or his cell at 305-965-9454. A fishing trip on the Knot Nancy will be both fun and exciting for you and your family or fishing buddies.