False we plotted our game plan. We would work other parts of the lake and NOT return to this fish until the timing was perfect. As our day progressed, the Edge was indicating a small window of activity just before sunset. So we worked down the system all after-noon, hitting spot after spot with no real success. We had a few sightings of smaller fish, but nothing to write home about. Then, at about 5: 45 pm we started to identify fish movement. Larger fish started to follow our M& Gs, Grandmas and Jackpots. Problem is they still weren’t eating. At 6: 15, things began to swing into action. We were starting to experience aggres-sive behavior from some very large fish. In fact, at that precise moment I was bring-ing back my M& G when I sighted a solid 50- inch class fish closing fast at the end of my retrieve. I dove into a figure eight and got this fish to follow three times. However, I was brought to my knees and almost to tears when Curt told me to leave that baby alone so we could head to the really big fish we had seen the prior day. I quickly protested that this was a big fish, but was immediately informed again by Curt that the big fish was miles away. And, he was right; she was big-ger, much bigger. During this part of the season the day lengths become very short and seem to disappear very fast as the end comes near. The last thing I wanted was to be miles away, get messed up in a smaller fish and not be able to make our date with the fish ALL OF US dream about. So we moved up the system to an area where we had seen a 48- 50 incher. It was now about 6: 35 pm and the cloud cover was really impacting our light. Unlike midsum-mer shoots, we had not packed our accessory lighting for the broadcast camera and that meant we might have to move a bit quicker from spot to spot than we had accounted for. Our first casts over the spot yielded noth-ing. The second cast wasn’t even back to the boat and Curt and I were already talking about leaving this spot to head to the big fish. The third cast was long and hit perfectly. I could make my Jackpot work right along two defined weedlines and over a pronounced boulder pile before having to make another cast. Just as I started my retrieve, the An-gler’s Edge sounded an alarm indicating the barometric pressure was changing. We were actually discussing our next move when this very nice 48 inch class fish charged my Jack-pot, coming out of the water only a few yards from the boat. She had the Jackpot sticking straight out the front of her mouth as if she were smoking a Havana. That was enough for Curt. These fish were on the move, we had what we figured to be less than 45 minutes of daylight left, and he was not about to be de-nied a shot at the monster form the day be-fore simply because we might have to remove the hooks from the mouth of something much smaller. So, we were off. And I can actually say I was leading the parade. He was right. We had located the fish of a lifetime and this was no dress rehearsal. We shut the boat down more than 300 yards away, dropped the trolling motor and pro-ceeded with caution that one might not have otherwise used. Both Curt and I stood armed and ready for any possible sighting, peel-ing away layers of water with our eyes, and hoping to see some indication she was in the area. Then, about twenty feet and no more from where I had first seen her, I recognized a shadow. It appeared to be a fish but under no circumstances would I have said it was her. The presence I was seeing was long, but I couldn’t judge the depth or width. I tried to tell Curt where she was so he could get a shot off to her but quickly realized he could not see her. What to do? As any hunter will tell you, you only have one shot and it better be perfect. So, that said, I determined which end of the object I was looking at was her head. Trust me, this was very difficult and even more necessary. My shot had to go past her and my retrieve had to be perfectly placed in relati-ship to her line of sight so as not to spook her. If I messed this up I would be the laugh-ing stock of the muskie world, and further-more, not very happy with myself. I loaded the rod, trying not to alarm her to my presence, I pressed forward my cast and “ Havana Jack” continued from page 50 “ Havana Jack” continued on page109

False Threadfins, pinfish and crabs are the bait of choice when beach fishing tarpon. Match the hatch when the tarpon appear to be feeding on baitfish throw them baitfish, if they appear to be slurping crabs, then crab should be your bait of choice. Tackle used for this style of fishing usually consists of a spinning reel with at least 300 yards of line. Be sure to use several feet of 80 to 100 pound test shock leader. Rods are usually 6 ½ foot to 7 foot heavy action rods. Hooks are usually 4/ 0 to 7/ 0 circle hooks and they must be razor sharp. Guides will tell you keeping the hooks sharp can and has been the difference between a trophy day and a fishless day. Guides spend as much time on preparing their equipment, as they do taking guests out. That is in part of why you hire a guide. They will indeed become your friend and your coach. On a typical summer morning the air is still and the water is as slick as glass on the beaches. You can hear the birds awakening and everything seems to be coming alive. Generally the best time to beach fish for tarpon is first light. Being able to get your boat positioned and ready to cast to a happy pod of fish that has not been stalked or harassed by other boats will be your best bet of hooking into a tarpon. The tarpon can be sight cast to, right on the beaches in 15 to 25 feet of water. When you locate a happy bunch of fish it is best to get up ahead of the school with your outboard, taking care not to spook them. Then after shutting your big engine off, work your electric motor to where you need to be in order to get that perfect cast to the lead fish. All goes well, your cast was properly placed and it’s now time to hang on! The hits are usually quick and powerful, there will be no doubt in your mind whether you have a “ Flight Of The King” continued on page 110 “ Flight Of The King” continued from page 71