Poonfecta 2021
In this time where so many of our veterans are struggling with current events: Here is a feel good story for ya!
The story starts about a year and a half ago at an Operation Home Shores get together. We gathered several veterans in a local park for barbeque, fly tying/casting, and comradery.
A younger Navy vet from the Orlando area showed up with a fly rod he had recently purchased. Having already gotten the flats fishing bug, he decided that fly fishing was the next obvious step. Over the next year James and I developed a very cool relationship. I had the pleasure of putting him on his first adult tarpon on fly.
When Gian from Operations Home Shores called and asked if I would fish Poonfecta, the world’s only micro tarpon tournament, with one of our veterans James Torrey, I was honored.
TJ Saunders, an athletic trainer for the Atlanta Braves and fly guide outside of baseball season, couldn’t fish this year. I spoke with TJ because he had fished the tournament every year, but he just couldn’t make it with work this year. He and I discovered we had one thing in common, while neither of us wore the most honorable uniform on earth (U.S. soldier), we were both sons of Vietnam veterans. We both felt compelled to get involved helping some of our new veterans through fly fishing. Because of this, and because he couldn’t fish this year, TJ generously donated his entry into the tournament to Operation Home Shores so that a veteran can take his spot.
James and I started talking almost daily about micro tarpon. Then the red tide hit Tampa Bay.
I knew placing in this tournament fishing out of Tampa Bay would be tough, and now we needed to change our plan. James said he would start figuring out his baby poon estuary. I immediately started receiving pictures and videos of the stuff he was finding. We may actually have a shot at this!
10 days prior to the tournament my son came home sick with what may be COVID… This sucks! 4 days later it was confirmed. We got ‘Rona in the house! Now to cancel some more charters for this year, but on the more emotional side of it, I was letting one of our veterans down.
I made the call to James. “Is there anyone else you know that fly fishes that you would want to fish with?” That’s tough because we are all pretty hush about where we find these fragile creatures. Creatures that grow to be one of the most majestic animals, in my opinion!
James called me back and said that he had a Navy buddy that had recently purchased a fly rod, and has been practicing casting. And, Corey signed on even though he hadn’t actually caught anything on his fly rod yet. If nothing else he would be able to cast better after 3 days of non-stop fishing. Over the 3 days they had some struggles, setbacks, and a close alligator encounter.
After only a few minutes of sleep in three days and hundreds of miles by truck and skiff, they pulled over and slept. 15 minutes later they woke up and drove to the weigh-in at Bar Fly, in Safety Harbor.
So far this story is pretty cool! One Navy veteran learns to fly fish, shares his knowledge with another- that he actually served with, and they spend three days chasing tiny fish and having a blast.
But here is the icing on the cake: They placed 3rd among some of the best anglers in the state! I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts and couldn’t be more blessed to be even a small part of this story.
Have a great week, and take someone fly fishing! You never know how it will affect their life and yours.
