Which One Of These Saltwater Fishing Magazines Is Your Favorite? [Poll]
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
- Found In: Product Reviews, Salt Strong
The Tarpon That Made Me Famous In A Popular Saltwater Fishing Magazine… Well, Sort Of…
Yep, that is Luke and I with a monster Tarpon that we ended up landing right on the beach in front of the Boca Grande Pass (Florida).
We actually hooked the tarpon while we were fishing from our boat, but it only made sense for us to become “Salt Strong” and jump out of the boat into the shallow water where we could land it with the spectators on the beach cheering us on…
If you can believe it, this beast of a tarpon (you can’t even see his dorsal fin in the picture he was so long) was caught on 20lb test line with a small bait caster and medium-heavy action 7 ft rod that most saltwater anglers would use for snook.
Certainly never something you would bring to target 100lb+ tarpon.
In fact, the day that my brother, myself, our dad, and our uncle Kenny headed out of the Boca Grande area, we were actually going for cobia and snook when we saw a school of tarpon roll about 50 yards from out boat.
And it was too good of an opportunity to pass up…
Not having any bigger rods or reels on the boat, Luke and I both gave it a shot and threw out two live pinfish on our 20lb test line reels.
Within minutes, both Luke and I were hooked up with 100lb+ tarpons…
With our lines both sizzling out, we were screaming and cheering at the top of our lungs as both tarpon were doing their amazing aerial displays (trying to toss our hooks).
And then it happened…
Why This Tarpon Picture Is Funny…
The quick backstory:
This tarpon picture above actually made it in the Florida Sportsman Magazine way back in 2000 (if my memory serves me correct).
I still recall the week after that particular magazine issue was released because I started receiving phone calls (yes, this was before everyone was texting) from many of my old friends and fishing buddies congratulating me on my awesome catch.
You see, the reason this pic is so funny is even though I am holding the fish (because Luke literally couldn’t move his fingers into a grip after fighting this tarpon for close to an hour on light tackle), it was not really my fish…
In other words, I didn’t catch the fish… Luke did!
There I said it… now the truth is finally out.
But it was well worth the 10+ years of many people thinking that I caught the fish. However, I am not returning the gifts you all sent me… haha
Wondering what happened to my tarpon that I had on?
Well, after just 5 minutes of fighting my tarpon side by side with my brother, my fish made a jump and shook the hook. Lesson learned on bowing to the king as soon as you see them break the surface!
Note: (For those of you familiar with the Boca Grande Pass in the summer)…
If you are wondering how we ever managed to land a tarpon 100lb tarpon on 20lb test line in the very popular and crowded Boca Grande Pass…
Thankfully it was on well past the main tarpon season (September) and Hurricane George was potentially going to make landfall close by later that day… so we were just one of a few boats out that day.
The Best Saltwater Fishing Magazines
I tell you this funny fishing story because it was the only time I was ever featured in a fishing magazine… so far…(so thank you Florida Sportsman).
Now in regards to fishing magazines, I have been a subscriber to pretty much every single saltwater fishing magazine out there over the years. In fact, today I still have 5 annual subscriptions to some of these popular saltwater fishing magazines in the poll below.
And I have either had a full subscription (or have individually purchased) to every single one of these saltwater fishing magazines over the years (even the Texas fishing magazine when my wife and I lived in Texas for 4 years).
Why Do I Want To Know Your Favorite Fishing Magazine?
Well, the other weekend, I had dinner with some angler friends of mine here in Tampa, and the discussion of fishing magazines came up over some beers.
What I found interesting is that every one of us had a different favorite magazine… which leads to me ask you…
Which Saltwater Fishing Magazine Is Your Favorite?
(Poll Below)
After doing a small survey from anglers, here are the nine saltwater fishing magazines that seem to be the most popular (in no particular order)
- Saltwater Sportsman Magazine
- Florida Sportsman Magazine
- GAFF Magazine
- Guy Harvey Magazine
- Florida Sport Fishing Magazine
- Marlin Magazine
- Coastal Angler
- Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine
- Sport Fishing Magazine
P.S. – Please Share with your angler friends after you vote. It would mean a lot to me. You Rock! Pa-POW!
P.P.S. – I will keep you all posted with the results once we have enough submissions. And let me know in the comments if I missed one of our favorite saltwater fishing magazines.
Related categories:
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I love Fl sportsman but If Karl wickstrom doesn’t find something else to talk about besides us sugar I’m gonna look hard elsewhere
I was the first Sportfishing Mag subscriber, but dropped it when a self-righteous writer took over the insider back page. I now read Marlin and SaltWater Sportsman.
Fishing Neosho River near Twin Bridges OK. On 22′ pontoon boat Four of us fishing Spoonbill with big treble hooks casting and hooking I hooked a Big one 5′ 4″ in length and it cleared the water like a Marlin jumping and I said WOW I’ve got a fish , it had 10 lb. black caviar eggs and was guessed to be 75 lbs. WOW what a memory Photo of it is old 1980’s era. Memory is yesterday Ha . What fun I shared that day we brought in 5 big ones that day and mine was biggest.
By far my favorite magazine is (even though I don’t live in Florida) the Florida Sportsman Magazine. Oh, and I’m working on changing the first part. :^)
went on a deep sea trip with Capt .Kenny and the sea trek crew .Capt, Jay was instrumental in me woopin some but with an old inheiritated penn rod and reel modle 704 spinfisher 1966 I fished with in the chesapeak bay as a child .the old timers regulars on the boat were snickering and carrying on about it till we got back to the dock . THE FUN AND LAUGHS WERE OVER