This could be my last post.

[Louis Rossignol]

I hope the hell not, I won't let them drag me to the depths, but this weekend I am going out to mess with big dangerous game. Big silver fish weighing over 150lbs., hopefully breaking the La state spearfishing record. We will have an underwater video photographer capturing all the action, Toby Armstrong, an old personal freind of mine videoing us as we go after natures fury, Tarpon. All non-spearfishermen need not watch. I'll let you people know the results after this weekend.

Rok out

[Steel Shootin']

That is some ballsy stuff, man. Talk about a strong fish. I would not personally want to be holding a gun teatherd to a tarpon, especially around an oil rig. Best of luck....be safe. I'll look forward to hearing about this one.

[WreckDiver]

Man those thing are monsters

[Mobile Diver]

I saw some giants at Main Pass 22 Apr. Awesome sight. Good luck.

[kitefisherman]

Sounds like you will need a riding rig! Maybe tie it off to the rig before you shoot?

Got to agree with Mobile Diver on Main Pass 22. It was wall to wall 100-200# tarpon stacked up in 30 feet completely unafraid.

[chuam]

Just wondering but are tarpon good to eat? I love spearing fish but only ones I can eat. This is not meant to be a slam or a flame in any way, I'm just curious.

[Bill McIntyre]

Just wondering but are tarpon good to eat? I love spearing fish but only ones I can eat. This is not meant to be a slam or a flame in any way, I'm just curious.

I think most people consider them inedible. I have heard of a tribe of Indians in a primitive area of the Brazilian coast who consider them a delicacy, and when I caught one at the Rio Colorado Lodge in Costa Rica, I wanted to release it but the guide insisted on keeping it for the village.

But I doubt you will find many Americans eating them. My father was a tarpon guide in the days when they brought them in and hung them up to attract charter business, and we always towed them out and cut them loose the next day. I am sure that there was not a single instance of anyone asking him for the fish.

[drsmileybee]

Lets see...... Bill McIntyre vs. Louis Rossignol..

Bill you might not want to start anything with this guy, His reputation speaks for itself over here in the Gulf. Just some diver to diver advice.

[capteider]

my wife shot a 35 lb pound tarpon this winter in Belize. We were poking around ther reef after snapper when a school swam up the channel. she shot it with he 75cm on a float line. anyway, to make a long story short. it kicked her ass. Leaped out of the water , wrapped the line all around her ,and generally refused to go peacefully. every time it seemed to expire it would have another crazy run My point, I would think twice before sticking a big one. still more power to you if you want to shoot one. if your geared up right it should be a blast. my advice,if your sure it's dead shoot it one more time.
P.s. We BBQ it with some local friends it wasn't that good. Dry and really fishy tasting with lots of bones to choke on.

[chasintail]

Good luck Louis.I am going to shoot one for the rodeo freediving (if i can find them).Let me know where the sweet spot is. ;)

[chuam]

Lets see...... Bill McIntyre vs. Louis Rossignol..

Bill you might not want to start anything with this guy, His reputation speaks for itself over here in the Gulf. Just some diver to diver advice.

UUMMMMM, no where in Bills post did I see him going after Louis. He was just answering a question I posted. It did seem like he had good information in it.

Sometimes people need to lighten up on Bill and not jump on him for everything..........

That being said if its being eaten cool. I just can't see the point of shooting a fish to kill it and not eat it. Seems like a waste to me.

Marcus

[Bill McIntyre]

Lets see...... Bill McIntyre vs. Louis Rossignol..

Bill you might not want to start anything with this guy, His reputation speaks for itself over here in the Gulf. Just some diver to diver advice.


OK, God forbid I should start something with a Gulf icon, and just in case I should ever wish to do so, I am glad to have been warned.

But wtf made you think I had started something with him or wanted to start something with him? Someone asked if tarpon were good to eat, and I answered with my opinion. I doubt my opinion is out of the mainstream of American taste. I have never seen tarpon on a menu. Have you? Have you eaten tarpon? Do you like them? Does Lou like to eat them? If so, you and Lou can eat high on the hog with little competition for them.

If you have eaten tarpon and disagree with me, please say so. And please, everyone else on the board, particularly those who have live around the Gulf and have ever even seen one, please let me know if you like to eat them. I won't be insulted. People in Hawaii, for instance, like parrot fish, but I don't, but so far none of them have offered to duke it out with me over the question of our differing tastes, and I have not been accused of "trying to start something" with Hawaiian divers who eat parrot fish. But then maybe the Hawaiian guys aren't hypersensitive about what I like to eat, and are willing to let me have my tastes and let them have their's.

Please give us your recipes for tarpon. And please get the chip off your shoulder and permit people to express their likes and dislikes in fish

If it somehow makes you feel better, here are photos of me with tarpon that I didn't eat, taken when I was 15 years old. They were killed, dead as a doornail, and then taken out and cut loose the next day. I didn't eat them. I hope that's OK with you.

[deepstops]

I've heard tarpon are netted in Central America for making cat food and fertilizer. Nuf said......

[capteider]

being new to the spearbord community I would like to ask a question about the theme of "starting something" in the posts of this thread. So in the future if i ever need to "start something" with some body over something. (this something being aspect of the starting and not the "something" which would be started ) How exactly is this done?? Is it purely "mano y mano" say spearguns at dawn or a battle of words like a presidential debate or is it more a battle of lore like John Henery vs. the steam drill??
also if someone should "startsomething" with me, even if it's a misunderstanding , would i be considered "yellow" if i backed down or refused a challange. This is important i don't want to be branded a coward.

[drsmileybee]

being new to the spearbord community I would like to ask a question about the theme of "starting something" in the posts of this thread. So in the future if i ever need to "start something" with some body over something. (this something being aspect of the starting and not the "something" which would be started ) How exactly is this done?? Is it purely "mano y mano" say spearguns at dawn or a battle of words like a presidential debate or is it more a battle of lore like John Henery vs. the steam drill??
also if someone should "startsomething" with me, even if it's a misunderstanding , would i be considered "yellow" if i backed down or refused a challange. This is important i don't want to be branded a coward.

I will PM you and explain. :)

[Dave Ness]

Lets see...... Bill McIntyre vs. Louis Rossignol..

Bill you might not want to start anything with this guy, His reputation speaks for itself over here in the Gulf. Just some diver to diver advice.


I'm surprised you didn't start another poll :cool:

[chasintail]

I'm surprised you didn't start another poll :cool:

How did a thread about hunting record tarpon turn into yet another pissing contest. :rolleyes:

Good luck bro.I can't wait to read the story.

[Dave Ness]

How did a thread about hunting record tarpon turn into yet another pissing contest. :rolleyes:

Good luck bro.I can't wait to read the story.

You are right Nick,

Louis, can't wait for the story, good luck and dive safe. Sorry for the derailment of your thread.

But to answer Nick's question -

Lets see...... Bill McIntyre vs. Louis Rossignol..

Bill you might not want to start anything with this guy, His reputation speaks for itself over here in the Gulf. Just some diver to diver advice.

If that's not a troll post I don't know what is, especially seeing how things have gone around here lately. Just don't see the reasoning behind it.

Peace

[chasintail]

Peace my brutha. :cool:

[Louis Rossignol]

LMAO, The title of this post must have piqued everyones curiosity, I've even had several phone calls on this one. Best part about it, I was drunk last night when I posted this and forgot I even did it,, but I will have pictures. Unfortunately, we lost our video man, any takers? We have an open spot on the boat.

And HELL NO, I AIN'T EATIN EM'.

Rok out

[ROCK BOTTOM]

But I heard you'd eat anything?

Zz

[Louis Rossignol]

I hope it looks like this out there. BTW that's me in there, just before I shot my first 142 lber.

Just pick out the biggest one you can find, cause second place sucks!

Rok out

[Dave Ness]

I hope it looks like this out there.

Rok out


that is a crazy ass picture. Nice!

[Rig Magician]

Yeah Rok, I thought us Coona$$'s were suppose to eat everything. Don't let the reputation die.

[Grunt]

Bill's the man...and he's helped me many times when I had questions. Shame everything has to be made into someone trying to down another. Surely people have better things to do.

[Mutt]

you might want to try that Freediving :D

[WonderBoy]

Holy crap that picture is wild! I'd like to hear from any of you guys that have actually shot them! I never even realized you COULD spear them. I didn't look at the regs that closeley, I figured they were in with snook and redfish and that you couldn't spear them. Good times! I would imagine that would be a hell of a fight and me being the relative pansy that I am, I wouldn't shoot one! Jaizzen, this sounds like one for you! You guys are nuts! I would like to hear some stories though.

[kill shot]

Shot one that was 54lbs one time wondering what it would be like to be towed around by a fish before really trying to blue water hunt. Wasn't what I expected, STONED him dead cold. Go figure!!!! Although that first wahoo didn't give up as easy.

[bgbill]

Holy crap that picture is wild! I'd like to hear from any of you guys that have actually shot them! I never even realized you COULD spear them. I didn't look at the regs that closeley, I figured they were in with snook and redfish and that you couldn't spear them. Good times! I would imagine that would be a hell of a fight and me being the relative pansy that I am, I wouldn't shoot one! Jaizzen, this sounds like one for you! You guys are nuts! I would like to hear some stories though.


In Florida you can not shoot them.

It takes big balls to shoot a large Tarpon.

[Steel Shootin']

That photo above is awesome (and crazy). BIG sharks follow those pods of Tarpon around, and it is amazing to watch a bull or hammerhead rip into a 150 tarpon. A wounded or distressed Tarpon would be especially attractive to a shark. Ever hear any stories of a shark eating a speared Tarpon. Man, even if you stoned the fish, just surfacing with one of those giant silver Tarpons would be the equivalent of attaching a large ham to your ass.

[Bill McIntyre]

Scott makes a good point. My Dad was a tarpon guide, and he often had hammerheads after his hooked tarpon. My favorite story was when a school of hammerheads ran a school of tarpon up to the beach at Anna Maria and the tarpon were jumping out onto the sand.

I saw one tarpon hung up that had been bitten off cleanly right at the dorsal fin, and that front portion weighed over 100 pounds.

So I think sharks could be a real concern if you shot a tarpon.

[Steel Shootin']

Robert McCue is a friend of mine, and is one of the top guides in Boca Grande (as is Ed Walker). Anyway, here is a link from Rob's site: A pack of bullsharks getting into a Tarpon. http://www.gianttarpon.com/sharkbroad.htm

[LSUBigL]

Rok, so how did it go? I'm assuming that you went the 14th and 15th.

[Louis Rossignol]

We got side-tracked, we were able to dive rigs that we haven't been able to dive in 5 years cause of the low river. I shot into an 80 something amberjack, landed a 54 amberjack, and a 56 cobia, but we didn't make the extra 24 mile run to the tarpon zone. We have that in our intentions this weekend, seeing as we only have to shoot 7 fish for the SBO, we should be able to get a little tarpon action in as well. We deffinately have the gulf scouted enough. Now it's just on to winning Rodeos.

I will send pics,,, tarpon are always on my Hit-List!!! ARRRGGG!!!!

Rok out

p.s. Scott, why are we going to be missing you for the HDR!!!!, I'm so dissappointed.
I wanted to party with you.....

[Steel Shootin']

Louis, I am really disappointed to be missing. I have to attend an annual Rotary Meeting (installation banquet). I would miss that in a second, but I am being installed as an officer so my absense would be too obvious. I want to support the Hell Divers Rodea, and wrote to Steve last night telling him I am assembling some prizes for your tournament. Next year for sure!

[Louis Rossignol]

Don't sweat it dude,,,,see ya this weekend.

Nothings more scary that an RV load of Hell Divers traveling through state lines with a sh!tload of fish coming to the SBO!!!

I'll try to make them behave, but then whose gonna watch Me???

Rok out

[Steel Shootin']

I mentioned this to Rok, but just in case anyone else is interested, if you are bringing an RV, you are welcome to hang out as long as you want on Sunday, or even spend the night there at the pavilion and leave Monday. My wife and I will be staying in our RV there at the site on Sunday. There are NO 30amp hook-ups, so your AC may not work. I noticed that our AC does still work when we use a 15amp converter, but not every AC will, so it could be a problem if you do not have a generator. Anyone is welcome to crash in their vehicle, RV or otherwise.

[ROCK BOTTOM]

Scott,

I was there last year and vaguely remember the layout. Where will I be able to park a 31' Allegro with a utility trailer behind it?

Steve

[Steel Shootin']

Steve,

We are organizing the layout right now, but there is plenty of room to get you guys inside the gate near the pavilion. During my Rotary Clubs annual "wild game dinner", we have about 600 people at the event, and around a dozen or so RVs inside the gate, so it is very doable. Bring a long extension cord if you do not have a generator.

Scott

[ROCK BOTTOM]

Will do. Thanks, Scott. We want to arrive early and get our boxes in line early. Then many beers and other intoxicants will be consumed in honor of the fish deity. Anyway you could set up a tote board with totals as you go along?

Zz

[Steel Shootin']

I'd like to have a board, and am looking at some solutions. Not sure it'll happen this year.

[TroubledWaters]

Rock, Let me know how's the set up with the Mobile Home (RV). I hope it works out the way it should. Oh, and keep Louie from driving. Still in San Francisco, I get home late on the 23rd. Call me Monday as y'all are driving in. I'll meet with y'all to se how bad the trip home was.

George

[Louis Rossignol]

Dude, I can fix your avitar, you have 10x's as many veins popping out of your head in that pic as you do at the HD meetings, plus you look like your about to sh!t your pants, George.

Rok out

[TroubledWaters]

Rok, I f--ked :mad: with that avitar for over an hour. I'll get with you when you get back.

G-

[stainlessdeath]

Just wanted to throw out that in south and central america the locals harpoon tarpon to harvest the roe, which they consider a delicacy.

[fast97rs]

Just wondering but are tarpon good to eat? I love spearing fish but only ones I can eat. This is not meant to be a slam or a flame in any way, I'm just curious.


I know im chiming in late... but i have heard and seen this... even tried them and they are good... if you beat the fish with a bat after you gut it, that should crush up all the bones... you then make "croquetas" out of it.... i've had lady fish this way... but have never had tarpon, only seen it done... but then again, im a crazy cuban... we eat anything! LOL.... enjoy


Jorgy

[Louis Rossignol]

if you beat the fish with a bat

I like any Mo Fo that beats a fish with a bat!!!

I beat them with a bat even if they are already dead, just to watch the blood fly.

You're my hero......dude.

The big scaley bastard have to and will die......... I promise!!!!!