Tarpon Season, Memories, and a Legacy on the Water

There’s something special about tarpon season on the Nature Coast — the way the water warms, the bait shows up in clouds, and those silver kings roll across the surface like ghosts. For me, it’s more than just an exciting time to put clients on fish. It’s a season full of memories and meaning — especially now.

Every time I fire up the motor and chase after migrating tarpon, I’m reminded of my late friend and mentor, Capt. Dan Clymer. If you knew Dan, you knew tarpon were in his blood. He lived for it — the chase, the bite, the explosion at the surface when it all came together. He taught me more about these waters and these fish than I could ever put into words, and every season, I carry that knowledge with me.

I’m proudly running Dan’s legendary black Proline — the same boat he ran charters on for decades, the one locals and repeat clients knew as “Dan’s rig.” It’s not just a boat; it’s a piece of local fishing history. And now, it’s part of mine.

There’s something poetic about running that boat during tarpon season. It’s like a piece of him is still out there — gliding across the flats, tucked up in tight mangrove edges, waiting on the perfect tide. Every move, every cast, every eat — it all feels a little more connected.

We’ve had clients this year come from across the world to chase tarpon, and every one of them gets to fish from a platform that’s held more memories, stories, and trophy fish than most will in a lifetime. And for me, every fish landed is a quiet tribute to the man who paved the way for so many of us young guides.

If you’ve ever dreamed of catching a tarpon on the fly — or just want to experience the thrill of sight-fishing one of the most powerful fish that swims — there’s no better time or place than now, right here on the Nature Coast.

And there’s no better way to do it than aboard a boat that’s seen it all.