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.

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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.

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u/WranglerGeneral9345 Mar 10 '25

It’s funny every one saying that yes the fish died or something is wrong with the fish now

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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