Now this is where having one of the finest boat captains I know as your best friend comes in handy. Quick as a flash Dylan had our 42ft jet boat started and undocked on his own, no small feat taking into account the 4 docking lines and boats tide up everywhere and a 150 pounds fishing screaming away from you. But he saved the day that boy and I am eternally grateful to him for it. He backed that boat down that canal like an F1 driver in the chicanes dodging boats and moorings and enabling me to get a ton of line back on the reel and get around that ominous line-cutting corner. From then on it was a straight out slug fest. Tarpon have an incredible dogged resistance and are stubborn to the maximum. No matter what we did that beautiful beast just kept taking line. I pushed my tackle to the limit and learnt a lot about how far one can push that kind of tackle and what size fish you can take on with the right techniques. About an hour into the fight of her towing us up and down all over creation we got hit by one of those amazing late afternoon summer squalls. 40knot winds and driving rain soaking us to the bone but with me on the back platform and Dylan on the bridge upstairs, our smiles never left our faces. Happiness is a tight line and your mates there to enjoy it. The squall passed and about another hour and a half into the fight we were getting closer. Dylan had been doing miraculous things with the boat enabling me to stay attached to our prize and if he hadn't been there or been as skilled the fight wouldn't have lasted more than a minute.

The hardest part was yet to come though. Landing this puppy. We had a gaff on board but as there was no way we would ever stick a gaff into a tarpon, as the whole thing for us is to get a picture and release our prize, things got a bit tricky. The problem is that the boat was never designed for fishing, it's a dive boat, so landing a 150lb fish on bass tackle with only two of us on board and the helm upstairs with the wind blowing a steady 15knots and with boats all around us moored up making it now a very tight space, meant we were not going to get many shots at this. Neptune was smiling on us that day and Dylan's gaffing skills were in top form. I managed to get the fish alongside the boat a Dylan took one slow smooth shot with the gaff in the mouth and through the bottom jaw.

She kicked around a bit soaking us again in the process but Dylan hung on for all he was worth and I dropped the rod and both of us, exhausted but ecstatic, managed to slide her gently onto the back platform of the boat. What a magnificent creature. Tarpon have huge metallic scales that go from a deep green on their backs to brilliant polished silver on their flanks and belly. We were awestruck by this fish and the high fives and hugs for a fish we both caught, as it was a team effort, went on for a goodly while. Exhausted as we were, we had to get a picture and get this baby back in the water.

Dylan grabbed the camera and I summoned the last of my strength to hoist her up for two quick shots before we eased her back into the water. The fight took a lot out of her and she was nearly spent. There was no way we were going to let a fish that had fought so bravely and given us so much pleasure not swim away safely so I jumped into the water with her and cradling her in my arms swam her round and round in circles and then grabbed her by the bottom jaw. Holding her like this and spinning myself around in the water with her mouth open rushing water over her gills. After a couple minutes she started getting her kick back and I held onto her till she was too strong for me to hold and I let her swim off. With a strong kick of her tail she cruised away into the depths towards the open ocean.

I climbed out of the water dried myself down and we jumped into the truck and made our way home. The whole drive home we never said a word to each other. We both knew that we had just experienced something very special and were both reflecting on it in our own way. The smiles never left our faces. To catch what was our ultimate fish, on an artificial lure, on bait-casting tackle, overcoming all the obstacles during the fight, to experience the raw power and sheer beauty of such an amazing fish and in the end to watch her swim away healthy and strong to fight another day was an awesome and humbling experience. We got home sat down opened a beer and both just started laughing. We talked and analysed the fight into the wee hours of the morning and both agreed on one thing above all else. Fishing is an experience that enriches ones life beyond anything that I know. To be able to share that with a good friend, a family member, or a spouse is what it is all about. All I can say after my experiences is this: Get out there and let nature humble you. Let those fish kick your ass. Don't go catching, go fishing, if you catch, fantastic. If not smile and enjoy the sunset. And in all things, Live Life and Love It!!!!!!!

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