Zzzzzzz!! My fifty pound braided line was going out a mile a minute. All I could think about was getting this fish on to the dock. I knew it wasn’t a Catfish or a Blacktip shark because this behemoth fish was way too big. Finally, the drag stopped screeching and I stopped panicking. That was until I looked down at my reel and saw that I could see the bottom of the two-hundred yard spool.

I then relaxed and began the fish’s long trek back to the dock. After about ten minutes of heaving this heap of dead weight, I saw it. It was the most gorgeous creature I have ever laid my eyes on. It was a Tarpon about one hundred pounds. It made a beautiful leap out of the water right in front of the sunset. After that picture perfect moment, I realized how exhausted my arms were.

I wanted to hand the rod to my dad but I wasn’t going to give up. I only had twenty yards to go, I could fight it out. All I had to do is grab the liter and I would land my first Tarpon. It was right there, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. I worked up the guts to try to get a liter touch. I reached so far, I was standing on one foot. After ten heart stopping seconds, I felt it. It was over. Running down my body was the feeling of relief and exhaustion.

But I forgot one thing. I’ve got to get proof of this gorgeous fish. I used the last of my energy to yank the fish near shore and I gave my iPhone to my dad. I got shin deep in the water with my well-earned prize and got a beautiful picture in the sunset. The sky was a painting of red, purple and orange. I took the hook out of the fish , extremely exhausted from the unforgettable fight, swim away in to the sunset.