12OCT17-


We were virtually unaffected by hurricane Irma that passed 150 miles to the south. Naturally the storm killed tourism and forced a lot of cancellations post the storm. Fear of the possibility of "more to come" mostly generated by the media had many people trying to hold off their plans in October.

In short-we lost many days/trips over this time period-some justified-some not. For those who continued with their trips-we produced the GiantTarpon on nearly every trip.

The best fishing of the year is going on right now and will last-at minimum for the giants-at least another month.

Here is a video and some still shots taken last Sunday.  There is pleny of hotel space available. The mornings have cooled off considerable. The hours of light to dark are noticeable decreasing. This all triggers the tarpon to stage and gorge.

Inshore the redfish have been everywhere.  I am able to still produce big livebaits for those looking for trophy snook.

Let's gooooooooo!

Screaming Drags and Tired Arms!

www.GiantTarpon.com

28AUG17
Monday-

A low system ( unrelated to Harvey in Texas) has been parked over us for several days now. That's kept me in port.

I've been busy in the office trying to catch up on life. Thank you for the notes and gifts of gratitude. That goes along way with me !

High pressure returns mid week. Snook season opens September 1st. Sc hool is back in session-college students seem to be back during the week. That's a slow period for all of us in our state's industry-tourism.

The autumn equinox falls on 21`SEP17. The change in light to dark ratio is a biological timer to the fish to move and gorge.

Let's gooooooo!

Enjoy the images!

www.GiantTarpon.com

Friday-
11AUG17-

We weathered a tropical storm ovewr a week ago. While its be3en a full year of atypical weather-the cycle of tarpon has been it's best in several years.

So what to do when Mother Nature throws you a curve? Keep fishing! Father Time always prevails.

Here are some images from the past week.

Screaming Drags and Tired Arms!

www.GiantTarpon.com

1AUG17
Tuesday-

Sunday morning started out wet. As I suspected, weather conditions had moved the main body of fish. On the hunt we went-but not for long. Next we dodged storms. Finally-I got the baits out at a spot of speculation. 10 minutes later we were tight with a 200lb giant (image above).

Once we landed and photographed the beast-the "bucket" was filled and we headed back to higher ground. One and done-smash and dash.

Weather was not avoidable on Tuesday. The day was spent preparing for the rest of the week.

I anticipate the rivers to be draining recent rain waters for the next few days. Last night-I did see that the tide went out-that's a good thing!

I'll be fishing hard the next few days and will be back here after I make this strike.

Screaming Drags and Tired Arms!

28JUL17

Friday-

High winds and general inclement weather in April and May set the spawning cycle of tarpon back several weeks. while that offered many challenge back then-t5oday reap the reward of an over-abundance of an already exceptional cycle of fish.

When is tarpon fishing best? Now! The crowds are gone. The fish are returning from spawning with the sole purpose to regain lost body mass. In short-they're biting!

Not only is now the time to fish-now is the time for the giants. By fishing the bottom, we can specifically target the giant females.

Giant permit are moving in as close to shore as they'll be all year. We've been catching some brutes to 35 lbs. The fish hold tight to structure. Some finesse accompanied with pure physical strength are staple to landing one3 of these lifetime fish.

Enjoy some of the images from the past few trips!

Screaming Drags and Tired Arms!

(727) 597-0957
www.GiantTarpon.com

Friday I came to Louisiana for a week to recharge my batteries.

30 years ago I was a young man fresh out of the United States Marine Corps. I love the water and the 'draw' to it has existed all of my life. Then I dreamed of a life that would keep me at sea. I got what I wished for.
 
Through the decades, times have never been easy in making that choice. Love is often difficult and consuming. Through the decades, fishing became work and that work will forever be my passion and my love.

It took many years of listening to many people questioning what I do to escape. I chuckled at this. This is my escape-I thought anyways. When I was young, I knew everything.

I had a special client who later has become one of my closest friends. For years I had enjoyed looking at his images of trophy animals taken in hunting. I expressed an interest in trying it "one day". Then, I found myself saying "one day" to everything and too, progressively often.

I think it was 7 years ago that I received a call from my friend. I picked up the phone and I heard a stout toned question- "are you coming or not?'' I sat up in my office chair as if a king was on the other end of the lined. "Yes" I stuttered. A week later-off I went to Missouri to hunt world class whitetail bucks.

What happened next will remain within me for eternity. I found myself sitting in silence and immensely enjoying the outdoors. I found solitude and utopia. I came to realize I had made reconciliation and accord with myself.  Somehow when I took those first dollars to share my passion to fish, I had lost my "great escape". That, I have come to learn, is a mistake.

I've never been much of a "killer". Like fishing, sometimes I harvest, sometimes I don't. There is actually little harvesting in both my hunting and fishing. For me, it is the "sanctuary" of the sea and forest (to include those I choose to do it with) that is everything in finding a inner peace.


I sat on a fence for awhile regarding this current invite from a sacred soul. Just like the very first time- "one day". Then I "heard" the echo of a wiseman in my head. He said,
"God often repeats a lesson until it is learned.".

For 3 days now, I feel as if I have been through an military "debriefing." First I gave myself to the
trust of two sets hands. Men. Special men. Each day they treat me like royalty and offer me without condition-seemingly everything they have. Next I slept and slept hard. Today I took a nice siesta. By mornings I sit entrenched in a dike overlooking a wet rice field. In the dark I listen. There must be a million geese here. I feel hearts beating as vibration through my boots. Everything is new and fresh. I learn from that observation and want that for myself. 

So now, I get that. Serenity.

No one every promised us tomorrow. I am learning to "handle success". "One day" is a mistake that none of us can afford.

Let's gooooooo!

Screaming drags and tired arms!

Robert McCue

www,GiantTarpon. com

cell (727) 597-0957

2JAN17-


The site is undergoing some annual-routine maintenance---I'll have it completed within the next 10 days or so.

New will be this blog page. For 8 years we used Facebook to micro blog--often live reports from the boat.

I believe transparency is a good thing. Facebook offers two challenges:

1. Millions of people do not have or want accounts
2. My personal page has acquired a strong following. However- it's private. If a request looks "legit" I let them in. However--now the spammers have found new ways to send bulk requests filled with fake profiles.

I'll continue micro-blogging on both my personal and business Facebook pages. New is this blog page that will be open to all on the Internet.

Bent Rods and Screaming Drags!

The Captain

www.GiantTarpon.com