Massachusetts angler Bill Downey celebrated his 75th birthday in style by hooking and landing this beautiful 20 pound tarpon with me this afternoon. Bill was using a 10-weight Sage rod and casting a green and red Toad pattern. This tarpon was part of a huge school we found rolling in Matlacha Pass and feeding on big schools of threadfins and glass minnows.
All you fly anglers out there should look closely at the first two photos. They show Bill executing a flawless "Bow to the King" technique when the tarpon was jumping. Throwing them slack is crucial when tarpon are in the air and it takes a bit of experience to do this every time. Way to go, Bill.
