Tarpon like the one Capt. Mike Smith is hoisting are common in Captiva Pass during a summer "hill" tide. Photo by Polly Dean.

In offshore waters of the westernmost portion of the Panhandle, big brutish amberjacks can bend even the stoutest of rods. Farther down the Gulf Coast around the passes and beaches of Captiva and Sanibel islands, huge tarpon make their appearance this time of year and for those throwing a line in the southernmost waters of our state, the bonefish of the Middle Keys can make a reel sizzle this month.

SANIBEL TARPON
The month of June traditionally marks the end of school and the welcome arrival of the laid-back lazy days of summer that lie ahead. But to the southern Gulf Coast fishermen of Pine Island Sound, lazy days of summer are not a reality. Here, tarpon fever prevails in full force and there is nothing laid-back about it!

No angler is immune to the rush of adrenaline that flows when one of these monster silver fish inhales a bait or lure, making the line go tight and then performs its acrobatic series of jumps. During the excitement, the lucky angler on the other end of the line must know when to hang on tight and most importantly, when to lower the rod and "bow" to the mighty fish.

Captains Mark Westra and Mike Smith are native to southwest Florida and between them have over 65 years of experience fishing the waters throughout Ft. Myers and Pine Island Sound. They are good friends and by combining their resources and knowledge, the two captains know how and where to put anglers on fish. Locating big tarpon is certainly part of their expertise.

The two captains met our party of four anglers at the Punta Rassa public boat ramp at the east end of the causeway to Sanibel Island. It was early morning and showing signs of being another blistering day. The captains had already been on the water filling their livewells with threadfin shad.

I boarded Capt. Westra's boat with Florida Game & Fish editor Jimmy Jacobs and within minutes, we were heading to the Gulf of Mexico, just outside of Sanibel Island in search of rolling tarpon. Capt. Smith and his anglers Ken Freel and Ron Sinfelt were following close behind.

The island's white beaches were still well in sight when Smith radioed to let us know that they had spotted some tarpon. Westra had just turned our boat around when we saw that Ken Freel already was hooked up! The huge silver fish gave one leap and Freel bowed to it, but in a flash, the fish was gone. We all got a good look at the fish that weighed at least 100 pounds!

In quick succession, we hooked up and lost three more big silver kings. In each instance, one of the anglers held the fish for several jumps before they threw the hook.

When Ron Sinfelt got a second chance that morning to hook a big tarpon, a battle was on. The fight lasted well over an hour with dozens of leaps and Sinfelt bowing each time. He got the tarpon close to the boat several times, but each time the big fish was able to make another run.

Finally, Capt. Smith tightened the drag slightly to aid the angler, but instead the tarpon took advantage and with its last break from the boat, the line went slack and the fish was free. Sinfelt fought a long, hard battle, but the silver king came out on top again.