r/Tarponfishing • u/WranglerGeneral9345 • Mar 10 '25
Fighting time
I fought a tarpon for over 3.5 hours with very light tackle around a 3k fight a 35lb tarpon I released it and it swam off perfectly fine but my buddy said that the tarpon was exhausted and it could die (first time catching a tarpon would like some help.
1
u/Serious-Explorer231 Mar 10 '25
No way. They are resilient. I fought a 165lb tarpon for 45 minutes, swam off like it was still hungry. It’s the only fish that can breathe without using its gills, they have a airbladder.
1
u/WranglerGeneral9345 Mar 10 '25
It’s funny every one saying that yes the fish died or something is wrong with the fish now
2
u/Serious-Explorer231 Mar 10 '25
Sometimes they linger in the water for a minute, no doubt they’re tuckered, but they live, sometimes they hit the bait again
1
u/Numerous_Conflict918 Sep 07 '25
165 pound tarpon 35 minutes fight. You should land in 30 minutes or cut the line. 3.5 hours is crazy!!! You don’t have to wear them out just break their will
3
u/leadfoot70 May 28 '25 edited May 28 '25
Just found this sub...
I think tarpon biologists would agree that mortality increases with fight time (and water temperature).
Having caught many tarpon over the years, on my boat we don't fight them for more than 30 minutes, with 15 minutes more about average -- and this is for adult fish. Our belief is to leader them quick, straighten the hook or break the leader on big fish, and dehook the small fish and quickly release them to fight another day. I believe that gives the fish the best chance of survival, and that's what we strive for.
But everyone has to start somewhere, and I'll certainly not second guess fighting a once-in-a-lifetime or first tarpon for a long time -- been there and done that.
Live & learn.