OUTDOORS

20 THE SUN OUTDOORS JUNE 22, 2022

Fishing with Capt. Kevin Wessel

Reel Time

RUSTY CHINNIS

My pliers were in one hand and a fly was in the other as I prepared to cut the leader and change flies. Pausing, I looked up to check with Capt. Kevin Wessel before committing.

“Tarpon coming at 11 o’clock,” he said. When I asked if I had time to change the fly, he shook his head “no.”

Stepping up to the bow, I saw the fish about 50 feet away and made a cast, leading them about 10 feet. After pausing to let the fly sink, I put the cork handle under my arm and started stripping with both hands to bring the fly to “life.” Three strips later and the line came tight as the second tarpon in the string broke ranks to inhale the worm pattern. I set the hook with a quick, sharp strip strike and moved the rod to my hands as fly line leaped from the deck, wrapping around my left hand in the process. Luckily, I was able to shake it free just as the fish bolted away from the boat.

This was a big, hot fish and his first run took all my fly line and about 150 yards of backing. The run was interrupted only briefly as the tarpon made a spectacular head shaking jump just feet from Mike Adno, a friend who was fishing to the north of us. After the jump, the fish went around Adno’s anchor line and made a hard left, heading west. Fortunately, he was able to disconnect and release the line as I slackened my drag to prevent a possible break-off.

Looking back at Wessel I suggested we chase the fish as I noticed that half of my backing had disappeared from the reel with no sign of the run ending. Quickly releasing the anchor, he started the motor and we followed as I furiously reeled in backing. When I had the fly line back on the reel, I started to work the tarpon, swinging the rod right, then left, applying maximum pressure trying to throw the fish off balance.

This trip was turning out to be very rewarding on many levels. My friend Andy Grosso had won the trip in a raffle at the Compound Boardshop in Sarasota during the annual FlyFishing Film Tour event. Hosted by The Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers, the funds raised went to the environmental group Suncoast Waterkeeper.

After about 20 minutes and several jumps, I had the leader in the guides (considered a catch) for the fourth time when I applied additional pressure, parting the 16-pound class tippet (the weakest link). After high fives, I cracked a celebratory beer and Grosso - who had jumped and broken off a tarpon earlier - stepped to the bow. Moments later, a distant rain cloud obscured the late afternoon sun, making spotting fish impossible until they were right under the boat. It was after 6 p.m., so we decided to call it a day.

Although it’s always hard to leave tarpon when they’re feeding, we had experienced a great day of fishing. Capt. Wessel had correctly guessed, based on over two decades of experience, that it would be an afternoon bite, coinciding with a strong outgoing tide. We had started at 1 p.m. and found schools of fish everywhere in super clear water. It was beautiful to behold and good target practice, but it wasn’t until the tide was in full retreat that the fish began feeding.

In five hours, we had thrown at hundreds of tarpon, jumped two, landed one, and had multiple looks, leans and follows. Capt. Kevin Wessel can be reached for charters by calling 941-9159514. Check out his website and book online at http://barefootfishin.com.

CAPT. KEVIN WESSEL | SUBMITTED Capt. Kevin Wessel, an accomplished photographer, captured this awesome image of a leaping tarpon.

Good start on summer fishing

CAPT. DAVE WHITE

Fishing has been phenomenal for us here at Anna Maria Charters this last week, from tarpon on the beaches to wahoo offshore.

The summertime weather is here and we are getting some good patterns in the fishery.

Inshore, we’re targeting mangrove snapper, gag grouper, Spanish mackerel, snook, sharks and tarpon. We especially enjoy targeting tarpon when they’re here. Using crabs and threadfin as our primary baits, we’ve had good success on the beaches and in the passes so far.

Offshore, red snapper, gag grouper, red grouper, mangrove snapper and yellowtail snapper are filling the cooler. We also like to do a bit of trolling to see what we can come up with. Last week we booked a couple wahoo and landed one, with the occasional blackfin tuna and bonita as well. All around, fishing has been great. Hopefully we continue to see things remain strong.

SUBMITTED Mike Kaleta, of Holmes Beach, shows off a tarpon caught last week with Capt. Johnny Mattay of Anna Maria Charters.

No swim advisory for Palma Sola South

A no swim advisory remains in effect for Palma Sola South, located along Manatee Avenue West at Palma Sola Bay. The advisory indicates that water contact may pose an increased risk of infectious disease. Officials at the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County report that test results from water samples taken at Palma Sola South on June 6 and June 8 and again on June 13 and June 15 showed elevated levels of enterococci, or fecal, bacteria. The advisory will be in effect until the water meets Environmental Protection Agency safety guidelines. Other beaches in Manatee County are not under an advisory. The Healthy Beaches Monitoring Program provides residents with up-to-date information about water quality to protect the health of Manatee County beachgoers. For more information, call 941-714-7593.

Dinghy dock replaced

Duncan Seawall, Dock & Boat Lift has completed the installation of a new public dinghy dock near the foot of the Bridge Street Pier. The dinghy dock replacement project was funded by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), but Manatee County will reimburse the CRA for 50% of the project costs. The same funding partnership will apply to the larger portion of the project that pertains to the expansion of the floating dock next to the pier. The dock expansion project will include the installation of perpendicular finger piers and the potential expansion eastward of the existing floating dock to provide more space for finger piers. The dock expansion project is currently being delayed by a permitting issue pertaining to the use of state-owned submerged lands east of the existing floating dock. The new dinghy dock was completed last week.