2002 Recent Catch Reports

Tarpon, tarpon, and more tarpon was the theme of our springtime months! They bit quite well through April and May, but slowed down more than usual for June. Perhaps our early success back in February and March was to blame for this...the water warmed up a little faster this year, and the bigger fish left early.

Hal Webb, Scott Leon and Jim Kalishman (all from the Miami area) fished several trips with me in May. They went 3 for 5 on tarpon one afternoon. The following morning the gang enjoyed great light-tackle action with snapper and grouper out in Florida Bay. This made for a nice mix...doing the gamefish thing, then catching a nice mess of fish for the cooler.

About the photo: Hal Webb of Miami with two of his fishy friends.

David Bowerman of West Sussex,  England made his annual trip to the Keys in pursuit of tarpon on fly. In two days of fly fishing for the Silver King, he hooked 10 tarpon, landing 4 of them between 75 and 100 pounds.

Just weeks before, another English angler, Andrew Dales (also from West Sussex) caught two out of three that he hooked on fly. All of these fish weighed between 75 and 100 pounds as well.

John Madden, Warren James, Don Kane, and Gordon Cole (seen in photo) were all college buddies from the University of Illinois. Now they're Chicago area fishin' buddies, and do they ever love tarpon fishing here in the Keys! In one afternoon/ evening trip, they caught and released 5 decent tarpon up to about 80 pounds, and jumped off at least another 6 or 8. It was wild!

About the photo: Sally DeVries of Downers Grove, IL was fishing for tarpon when she nailed this big snook back in May. She wasn't unhappy though, and neither was the tasty fish, which was released.

About the Photo: Larry Fenster of Manhasset,NY, with a 16 pound snook caught in Everglades National Park in June 2003. He was drifting a live pinfish on light spinning tackle. The fish was released.

About the photo: A nice looking permit gets released after a noble fight back in May.