World Record Tarpon, Boqueron, Puerto Rico

This story deserves a lot more attention that it’s received over the last two years, so I’m posting it here once again.

The tarpon pictured here was caught back in January, 2007 in the waters off Boquerón, on the main island of Puerto Rico. Capt. Francisco Rosario, on the right, was guiding angler Greg Gibson who hooked and landed the fish with a 10 weight Temple Fork fly rod.

Before releasing the tarpon they measured its length at 78 inches and its girth at 48 inches. Using the established mathematical formula, those measurement show that this tarpon weighed in at 225 pounds. That’s 23 pounds heavier than the current world record.

If they had chosen to kill and weigh this tarpon on an IGFA certified scale, Capt. Francisco and his angler would be able to claim one of fly fishing’s greatest achievements. It also would have put Boquerón on the map as a top destination for chasing huge tarpon on fly. Even without this incredible catch, Capt. Francisco routinely posts reports of days with over a dozen or more tarpon caught on fly. You can read his first hand account at the link below.

http://www.worldwidefishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13055&sid=fbe7be38e2eae734688fccead18b422a

The Keys and west coast of Florida are already well established as tarpon fishing hotspots. If you’re looking for somewhere off the beaten path but still accessible to Stateside anglers, give Boquerón, Puerto Rico some serious thought.

Snook Fly Fishing, Lovers Key, Florida

Snook are probably the most popular game fish on the entire Gulf coast of Florida. When the temps start to drop in November, it can be a great time to look for them around the Lovers Key State Park area. This is a great area for fly anglers in the fall. For starters, the beaches are practically empty. You won’t have to worry about snagging a drunk spring breaker with your backcast in the fall.


Lovers Key State Park is located just south of Ft. Myers Beach on Estero Blvd. It’s unbelievably pristine and you can easily spend and entire day fishing its shoreline and mangroves. Lovers Key is also where you’ll find Dog Beach, which is located just before the bridge that takes you to Bonita Beach. This is one of the very few off leash areas for dogs on this coast and very popular on the weekends. Even if you don’t have a dog with you, stop by and watch. It’s incredibly entertaining.

The snook in these photos were caught off Dog Beach on a very low, incoming tide. They were stacked up right where the shallows drop off into the current and were hitting Clouser Minnows, one after the other. The water temps were in the lower 70’s and the waters had just started rising. There were no obvious bait schools but a good amount of bird activity indicated that something was happening under the surface. None of the snook I saw landed were keepers but they were perfect size for an 8 weight fly rod.

Vieques In November

I made a quick trip down to the island last week to get things ready for the upcoming season. It was good to get back after spending the last four months Stateside. The one thing that always strikes me the most about Vieques this time of year is how perfect the weather is and how few people are there to enjoy it. The winds were flat calm every morning and this means perfect tailing conditions for bonefish. I caught the fish pictured above on my favorite flat at the end of Encampment Beach. I hiked down to this spot four different times last week and saw bones each time. Anyone with a light fly rod and a few Crazy Charlies could have caught them just like I did.

That same morning, after catching this bonefish I drove down to Blue Beach on the other side of the island and landed this baby tarpon. That was two-thirds of a Grand Slam within an hour on the exact same fly. Once again, I was the only person on the beach. I tried looking for a permit but gave up after a few minutes. That was something I just knew wasn't going to be in the cards that morning.

If you live near a major airport on the east coast, a weekend fishing trip to Vieques is only two plane rides away and prices are actually dropping. What a shame this is considered the off-season.

Blue Marlin Off Vieques

If you jump off the pier in Esperanza and swim out two miles, the water will be over your head. In fact, you‘ll need to swim about 1500 feet straight down in order to touch the bottom. This is where some truly big stuff lives.

Since all my fishing on Vieques is done in the ankle-deep bonefish flats, I’ll jump at any chance to head offshore and try the Hemmingway thing. I got the chance last week when my buddy Dr. Pedro Watlington, our San Juan based vet and avid angler, ran his twenty two foot Robalo over to the island from his marina in Fajardo.

Pedro brought along his father-in-law Luis, who has spend a lot of time fishing the famous striper grounds off Montauk on his own boat. Rounding out the crew was Capt. J Fergeson , our offshore expert who runs Amity Charters right here on Vieques. Since we had a lot of blue water experience on the boat that morning, I was pretty confident that we’d be able to hook something interesting.

Pedro picked J and I up in Esperanza at 8AM and we had baits in the water thirty minutes later. We were running about three miles from shore to avoid some rain showers when we spotted a flock of diving birds. This is a sure sign of feeding fish under the surface and we could see some impressive splashes from a few hundred yards away.

Just before we reached the feeding zone, J spotted an incredibly fast rooster tail of water slicing across the surface. I couldn’t see what was causing this but the speed was amazing. Luis swung the helm to the right to get in front of the wake but the fin shot ahead of us before it could see the bait spread. In that quick moment I hung myself over the bow to get a better look. The unmistakable shape and glowing stripes of a seven foot blue marlin shot past us like a torpedo. I’ve never seen anything move so fast under the water.

We were trolling at seven knots but the birds and bait kept moving to the west a few knots quicker than that. J and Pedro decided to pull in the baits and run down sea at speed to cut them off. We started cranking in the four rods for the short, full throttle run when the water exploded about fifty feet behind our stern, right beneath the skipping ballyhoo that J was cranking in at full speed. He instantly threw the big Penn reel into free-spool and let the bait fall back. A split second later, J was pumping the short rod furiously, setting the hook into something solid. The same blue marlin launched itself through the surface right in our wake, now firmly attached to the thirty pound line.

J quickly handed the rod off to Pedro, who would fight the fish. As the most experienced marlin angler onboard, J would need his hands free to manage the line and leader once the big fish was close to the boat. Unhooking something with a yard long dagger for a nose can incredibly dangerous, and screw ups have killed people. Luis stayed at the helm and I stayed out of the way, snapping photos every few seconds.

In this part of the Caribbean, blue marlin can grow to over 1000 pounds and several of these “Granders,” as they’re called, have been landed off Puerto Rico in the last few decades. Fighting something like that can take hours on the heaviest of lines. The fish that Pedro was attached to was much smaller but still a handful on thirty pound stand-up gear.

Luis kept the boat right behind the fish as Pedro fought it from the bow. Unlike most marlin, this one wasn’t a jumper, which meant that it was saving a lot of energy and might not tire quickly. Fortunately, we were on a smaller boat that could chase the marlin and not let it rest. Within half an hour, Pedro was able to reel the mono leader up to the surface. J grabbed this heavy length of line which made the catch official. Just as he started sliding his gloved hand down the leader to get control of the fish and remove the lure, the hook pulled loose on its own. This was a perfect release and we watched the seven foot, 175 pound marlin swim away unharmed.

Blue marlin are the most beautiful and exciting offshore species in the world and catching them usually means hiring big yachts and spending big money. There really aren’t many places in the world where a small boat can run a few miles offshore and tangle with one like we did here on Vieques.

Stuff I Like: "Tarpon" The Movie

Director Guy de la Valdene's “Tarpon” is by far the best movie ever made about saltwater fly fishing. It was shot in Key West in 1973 and captures the town on film as is existed back then the same way that Jimmy Buffett did on his albums of that era. And if the movie’s instrumental soundtrack sounds familiar, that’s Buffett’s work there, too.

“Tarpon” follows a handful of guides and anglers, including author Tom McGuane, chasing these giant fish off Key West well before the rest of the world discovered the sport. It’s fascinating to see how much things have evolved since those days of thick fiberglass rods and flats boats with wood trim. And the sheer numbers of tarpon that these guys practically had to themselves is jaw-dropping. The slow-motion footage here has never been topped.

While the fishing scenes are stunning, my favorite thing about the movie is that it serves as a time capsule for a Key West that no longer exists. The island was my home for over a decade but I arrived too late to see it like this. Duval Street of the early 70’s was a place were you could sit in an open air bar and shoot the breeze for hours at night with your fishing buddies, hammering out the plan of attack for the next morning over cheap long necks while the hippy in the corner sang songs about Nashville. That Key West is so far gone these days that I almost get choked up when I see it in its natural state here in this movie.

The real payoff when you watch “Tarpon” for the first time is its perfect portrayal of fly fishing as a sport for conservationists. In one single scene it drives that message home better than anything that’s ever been written or filmed. I won’t give it away, but when that scene comes, without any narration, you’ll be stunned at the subtle brilliance of it all. It’s the movies entire focus and foundation delivered in one quiet moment.

After it was filmed, “Tarpon” went into limbo. It was shown a few times on TV and then went into Valdene’s vault. Somehow, a primitive video tape was made and started getting passed around by guides and fishermen. Over the last three decades “Tarpon” gained a cult following in the Keys and we used to play a grainy, pirated copy all day long in the fly shop where I occasionally worked. We were pretty sad the day the VCR finally ate the worn out tape. When I heard last March that a remastered version would be released on DVD, I was thrilled. Seeing it for the first time in its original state makes Guy’s achievement even more brilliant than I ever realized.

If you’re a tarpon fisherman, or want to be, owning this movie is a must. This is the “Citizen Kane” of fishing documentaries. If you’re a Jimmy Buffett fan then you’ll also need a copy. Jimmy’s instrumental soundtrack with the early Coral Reefers gives the movie a perfect atmosphere of the Key West that he knew in the 70‘s. If you just appreciate good filmmaking, then pick up a copy, too. Watching it never gets old and you can’t wear out a DVD.

Vieques Humane Society

I spent this morning fishing for marlin here on Vieques with my good friend and veterinarian Dr. Pedro Watlington. I’ll have a lot more to say about the fishing trip later, but hanging out with Pedro reminded me of all the great work they do down at the Vieques Humane Society. Stray dogs and cats are a serious problem on almost every Caribbean island, and we’re really lucky to have a small but dedicated group to care for them here on Vieques. Our Humane Society runs on a shoe string budget and most of their support comes through individual donations and semi-annual fundraisers. If you’re coming down to the island this season, do yourself a favor and stop by to see them. Amanda and I did three years ago and adopted our beloved dog Maggie. We can't imagine life without her these days. A lot of visitors have come to Vieques and gone home with a new best friend. Maybe you’ll be one of them. Check out this page for some great stories: http://www.viequeshs.org/Success%20Stories.htm.

Maverick Mirage For Sale

Click here for the full details. The boat is in Key West, FL.

Getting to Vieques, Part 2

In Part 1 we dealt with taking the ferry to Vieques, the most economical way for a group of three or more people to get to the island from San Juan. For one or two travelers, flying is less of a hassle and will cost nearly the same depending on which airline you choose.

Vieques is serviced by several commuter airlines but my favorite is Vieques Air Link or VAL. You can download their schedule here: http://www.vieques-island.com/val/Schedule.htm. You’ll see that VAL flies out of three different airports but Isla Grande airport offers the most flights from San Juan to Vieques. Flying from Isla Grande is just over half the cost of the same flight from San Juan international. I just paid $92 for a round trip ticket.

If you choose Isla Grande you’ll want to pick a flight that departs for Vieques at least an hour after you arrival in San Juan from the States. Isla Grande is a $20 cab ride from the International airport. The cab stand is right out the door from International’s baggage claim. Depending on traffic the ride should take no more than twenty terrifying minutes.

Isla Grande has a very small terminal and the VAL counter is right inside the door. This is a very low key operation but be sure you have your ID and confirmation number with you. It’s always a good idea to call them a day or two beforehand to double check that they still have your reservation. I’m not sure they actually have a computer for their scheduling. I always see them rooting through a box of 3x5 cards to find my info each time I fly with them. You’ll need to check in thirty minutes before takeoff.

You’re allowed twenty five pounds of baggage and will be charged for anything over that. The VAL agent will also ask for your weight. Don’t lie about this. Smaller aircraft must be properly balanced. You’ll be seated according to where you fit best with the rest of the payload, so don’t magically shave off a few pounds when they ask.

The terminal has very greasy but inexpensive café that serves surprisingly good food and beer. VAL runs a fleet of three different aircraft; very old British Islanders and Trilanders, and new Cessna Caravans. If you’re flying on a Trilander, you’ll want a beer or two. These are not the most comfortable aircraft, they’re actually very loud, but their three engines make them exceptionally safe. The newer Caravans are much quieter and just as safe.

VAL rarely leaves on time but they’re usually in the air within thirty minutes of the scheduled departure. The trip from Isla Grande takes about twenty minutes depending on the headwinds. They fly at 1500 feet and it’s an absolutely beautiful flight along the northeast cost of Puerto Rico. You’ll pass the famous El Yunque rainforest flying just below it’s cloud covered peak.

The airport on Vieques is also small and located two miles from the town of Isabel Segunda. There are several publico vans parked right outside the terminal that will take you to your guesthouse or car rental locations for just a few dollars.

VAL is a great little airline and I’ve never been disappointed with them. For the extra effort of getting to Isla Grande in San Juan, this is my favorite and most cost effective way to travel back and forth from the island.