Baby time, baby! By Day 3, we were ready for a change of scenery. With the wind gusting, we head for cover. Our adventure to new water is quickly rewarded when Cope hooks a baby tarpon 5 minutes in. The hunt is on! After a few false turns we start to figure out what the tarpon want. The fishing warms the soul. Walking on firm bottom, sun at our back, knee deep water, sight fishing to cruising baby tarpon that absolutely annihilate flies. Incredible.
We pivot back to bonefish for the afternoon and Cope lands his first. First tarpon AND first bonefish on the same day. Ya baby!!
We head to a favorite roadside flat for sunset. Heavy cloud cover reduces the vis to a mere 20 feet. We sit and wait on patches of light bottom. We spot bonefish at the same time they spot us a few times. Its a bit heartbreaking.
As the sun dips to the horizon behind us, I spot a massive pufferfish. I cast and cast and cast. Nearly out of range, I feel tension. Yes! The fight is amusing. The fish inflates twice. I can't recall if the spikes are poisonous or not. I know with certainty to casually eat this fish would be a death wish. I grab a few poor, in the water pics, unhook with pliers and let the fish ride. Better safe than sorry. My first big pufferfish on fly! I'm stoked. A lovely end to a great day.
