Oh thanks Facebook Memories. I saw a pic today from seven years ago of me holding a tarpon from Belize.
There it is. Amazing.
That fish capped of a really wild day of fishing out of El Pescador with my friend Shane from The Fly Shop in Redding.
That tarpon was the final piece of my grand slam, made even more special because it was with my first (and only) permit and my first tarpon.
What a wild day that was. I know, looking back, and I knew at the time, that the biggest factor in all of that coming together was my tremendous skill luck. Really, I had no business tying into a grand slam. My friend Shane certainly did have a claim to one as he’s one of the best anglers I know. He actually hooked both a permit and a tarpon that day (as well a mess of bonefish… it is Belize after all). He already had a grand slam to his name and he is good enough to catch a grand slam on skill.
The permit. Not a big permit, but a permit.
Me? I needed luck.
Now I’m a much better angler than I was back then. I’ve put the time in. My casting is better. My understanding is deeper. I’ve now been spurned by a few permit and understand on a better level than, basically, permit are jerks. I’d be more likely to catch a grand slam on skill now, but back then, it was luck.
I’m OK with that.
Bone
