Headed back down to SW Florida for an exclusive 4 day Tarpon on Fly trip. I fish down there 20-30 days a year but have since picked up the Fly Rod and been practicing for catching Tarpon on Fly. I've caught and landed them every other way but wanted to achieve what I think is one of the pinnacles of angling, along with Permit on Fly. The last year I've been practicing at home and on water to simulate what it's like to fly cast to laid up or cruising Tarpon. Obviously nothing beats time on water but practice makes perfect. Day 1 was a bust… Too windy and too muddy. Couldn't see any laid up fish or cruising fish. Day 2 wa insane. Perfect light E winds which made for dead flat calm waters. Fish were stacked everywhere in the Salt. Once you step on the casting platform and face 11 o'clock you can't move your feet. You've got to be able to cast in all directions 10-60 feet without moving or you'll spook fish. Having to roll cast your fly, with a maximum of 2 false casts and shoot line up to 60 feet with dead on accuracy to a laid up fish or lead a cruising Tarpon. If I was perfect I would have hooked 100 Tarpon this trip but day 2 I was lucky enough to hook 11 fish in the 80-150# range. I hooked 2 on a 30 foot back cast to fish sneaking behind me. I hooked fish laid up facing away from me by putting the fly right on her head. She practicially stood on her tail to turn around and chase fly down and eat it 10 feet from boat. Fishing was so spectacular that I was purposely breaking fish off after 7-10 min fight cause why waste an amazing activity period to catch one fish. I wanted to see how many I could hook in 1 day and got up to 11. Day 3 had the wind picking up a bit out of the salt and got 4 to eat. Fish everywhere!! Everywhere!! Day 4 was really windy. Winds continued S blowing at 25 and we started in a lagoon in the backcountry. The moment we arrived there was happy rolling giant Tarpon everywhere in this bay. Stacked with fish. The only problem was the damn clouds!! They made fly fishg super tough and kept spooking fish by not being able to see them laid up. Saw a few and screwed up my casts. Finally had a good shot at a beast 30 feet away. Made a perfect cast 3-4 feet past her head, slowly stripped a big ole' purple death fly a foot in front of her face and he lunged on it and absolutely smashed it!! Perfect strip set as I watch her side profile destroy the fly. Cleared fly line and she started putting holes in the bay coming 4-5 feet out of water. It. Was a big true battle on both sides. Neither of us were giving up. I'd whip her fast and get her to boat only to see her peel off 100yds with ease again and again. All while jumping constantly. The fight would have been over sooner but had to deal with a "jet ski tour" of 6 skis come through this bay and spook the fish even more. They were clueless and got way to close to us and Tarpon. What's so hard to figure out?? You got a guy on the platform on bow of boat with a rod buckled over and a Tarpon leaping out of water, a guy on poling platform poling over to keep the fish in front of me…how hard is it to figure out to get the hell out of way?? Then just as I get her to the boat for the 4-5th time and she's just about to give up we get a "pleasure" boat see us from a distance and decide to come over and watch the chaos with their engine running!!! Tarpon HATE the sound of engines! Hate it! These "boaters" almost ran over the fish which didn't help the fight and then backtracked to watch as she came out of water and almost ran over the backing of my line on reel. I was furious. I've got my biggest fish ever on a fly rod and these yahoos are gonna cut the fish off. Finally they got the point and the battle continued. After 30 minutes, an 11wt Rod and 60# shock Tippet, I landed my biggest fish on fly. A stout 130# gorgeous fish that I was in awe of. All in all an amazing first "Tarpon Fly Trip". Hooked 15 fish, fought or landed and was beyond thrilled. I've caught Tarpon on plugs, live bait, sight casted soft plastics to them in the 100-185# size but nothing compares to catching them on fly. Having to make the PERFECT cast and its all in your hands. Sight casting, reading fish and what we call "fishing the fish" to make them eat. Nothing is more rewarding in angling!! Again another great trip down there. I've yet in 3 years, 20-30 days each year been disappointed with the guys I fish with! If anyone is willing to take a break from Muskie fishing let me know. Get down there and chase these fish. Any questions or info. Feel free to PM me.