Lizardboy Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 (edited) Its been a long time coming, I've lost count of the number of times I dragged myself out of bed at 4:30am just to be there at dawn or kept casting poppers until long after dark. I certainly have spent a lot of hours down at the goon over the past two summers in search of the elusive exotic. I was getting very frustrated and really starting to doubt their existance despite seeing the occasional photo and the tell tale explosions...you really don't believe it 100% until you see one with your own eyes! Being a nice afternoon with a light nor- easter I decided to head down to the local goon for a relaxing hour or so. The session started ok with a small bream on a berkley tournament grub, soon followed by another on a buggi pop casting to my favourite snag, which rarely lets me down. It was starting to get dark as I neared completion of my lap around the lagoon, so I tied on a berkley blade dancer for a few casts just for something different, before changing to a popper. I experimented with various retreives from flat out to slowly blooping but there didn't appear to be any significant predatory activity about and I was starting to lose interest. I flung another cast out as far as I could letting the popper settle, before giving it a short pull and leaving it to sit , the next thing, I see the lure gets smacked, the capricorn starts to sing and my heart starts to pump as the fish goes on a short burst, the fight continues with the fish powering off towards a mangrove, but I'm able to turn it and start to work him towards the shore, next thing he takes to the air with a flash of silver before running up and down parralell to the bank as I ease of the drag and fumble for my head lamp. After some thrashing in the shallows, I was able to trace the Tarpon and haul it onto the bank and I realised how much I'm shaking.... I finally cracked it! Edited January 31, 2005 by Lizardboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Great stuff Lizard! Looks like a decent size too. Did he get the Lie Detector test? Swoffa will be happy about this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clutch Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Awesome stuff Lizardboy being persistent pays off! clutch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Well done Lizard Thats a nice looking Tarpon as well. They are a lot of fun to catch & go well for their size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slider Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 At last! Well done mate, you have been working hard to get one and now its paid off, nice looking fish . Cheers Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narralakes Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Good stuff lizard, excellent report and a great looking poon from the goon. Havnt been there for awhile, have to give it a go soon after that exciting report. I know how you feel with that catch, I felt the same after I scored a nice tailor on fly a couple of days ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizardboy Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 Cheers Guys Jocool, what's the lie detector test??? It ent about 33cm to the fork. Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken A Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 You've got me all motivated now Lizard I better go down the Poon Hole tonight & see if I can get another Tarpon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jocool Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Cheers Guys Jocool, what's the lie detector test??? It ent about 33cm to the fork. Lizard 30031[/snapback] Tape measure mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slider Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 I felt the same after I scored a nice tailor on fly a couple of days ago. 30015[/snapback] I'm not quite sure that catching a Sydney tailor would feel quite the same as catching a sydney tarpon, but hey, as long as your both happy Cheers Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizardboy Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 Ah, Got you Jocool, No guess it didn't, but I measured it roughtly and photographed against my rod. Ken, Glad to see it inspired you, I thought I'd hooked a giant herring, until I got it on shore and it didn't look quite right and remembering the recent pics you posted about the poon hole it did look quite similar, but I wasn't sure they came this far south, upon returning home I was able to use your photos from the poon hole to confirm it was indeed a Tarpon . Cheers Pedro, Pete and I hit up Queenscliffe lagoon at dawn last saturday from the canoe, but only managed a couple of bream and a flattie, I might be meeting up with him for an arvo flick at my local lagoon tomorrow, but knowing the number of casts I had to put in, I doubt I'll be hooking another Tarpon out of there in a hurry. Gus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombora Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 G'day Lizard great stuff mate. That's a damn fine goon exotic. Good to see effort rewarded!!! You've inspired me to renew efforts at the goon. Recently it's been giving me the total tom tits with few results and no exotics (then again maybe that's why I like it. It rewards effort and is so unpredictable) cheers and great stuff again, Bombie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ankles Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 well done there lizard boy i caught a few about 100mil long in lake macquarie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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