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I went out around Route 90 bridge on 4/19/14 on a Tarpon 120. After all of the debate of taking my Pungo there we ended up renting. We rented two Tarpon 120's. ( I had a A++ experience renting from Costal Kayak, they delivered and picked up from where we were staying ). I had been wanting to try the Tarpon's for a while now. We launched from shore on bay side 67th Street area around 1000 hrs. The water was calm when we started. I was using gulp shrimp and we made our way to the bridge and I worked out to the flat concrete pillars on the bridge and I stayed out there for a while. The Tarpon tracked very well and it was comfortable. This was my first time on a SOT and it did not feel tipsy and it was stable. I did however have a Camelback BFM that I generally bring with me and I put that between my legs. I should of put it in the back of the yak were the storage area is hence storage area, but I did not. Because, I needed to access it to get to my gear and I was not sure if i was going to be able to reach back there. Now, I think I would of been able to, but I really did not want to put my Chinook to the test and possibly loose all my gear.
Well, I went all around the pillars and there were a couple of boats out there no other yakers, and a couple went by me and waked it up for me (really) and the Tarpon handled fine. If you are wondering I only caught seaweed, lol. So after a couple of hours the wind started picking way up and the nice calmish water that I started in is now rolling. Now being this is my first time in the bay, I had my moments of what am I doing out this far. I'm now thinking I should of listened to my buddy a hour of two ago to go closer to shore. So now I need to get back to shore and the bay is rolling with slight white caps and the self bailing is working and I go 25 feet and loose 10 to 15. The Tarpon is doing great, tracking well, very stable and moving along like a champ as I am paddling as if I am in a race. Now I am thinking maybe I should just go with it and just let the wind take me over to the other side. No, what would be the fun in that, Im wearing my Chinook and I have a whistle, so onward I go and eventually I get closer and closer to the shore and I see my buddy and he is oblivious to the adventure I had been on and we get to the shore line and our families are there. With the normal questions, did you catch any fish? nope just fun.
Now I generally fish out a of a Pungo 120 on the Upper Potomac and Susquehanna River. I find that the Pungo is very stable and I like that cockpit in the Pungo as where the Tarpon is open and did not have one. I know I could rig one up using the slide trax but at the time it was not a option. I think that the Tarpon 120 and the Pugo handle very similarly, at to the Tracking and speed. If I was guaranteed calm water or if was in the back water on the bay I would take the Pungo in a heartbeat but on the open bay where the weather can change on a dime I personally think a SOT is what you need. Now if you have a skirt for yours that may be another story, i do not have one so I do not know. I have gotten alot of water in by Pungo, never swamped it yet, hope not to, but that is what a sponge is for. lol.
So in a nutshell, I liked them both, for the type of fishing I do, I think I will stick with my Pungo for now but I am always looking for a deal, my buddy is all about the Tarpon now and has his Tsunami 140 up for sale now. So whatever you choose you will have fun in both.
Well, I went all around the pillars and there were a couple of boats out there no other yakers, and a couple went by me and waked it up for me (really) and the Tarpon handled fine. If you are wondering I only caught seaweed, lol. So after a couple of hours the wind started picking way up and the nice calmish water that I started in is now rolling. Now being this is my first time in the bay, I had my moments of what am I doing out this far. I'm now thinking I should of listened to my buddy a hour of two ago to go closer to shore. So now I need to get back to shore and the bay is rolling with slight white caps and the self bailing is working and I go 25 feet and loose 10 to 15. The Tarpon is doing great, tracking well, very stable and moving along like a champ as I am paddling as if I am in a race. Now I am thinking maybe I should just go with it and just let the wind take me over to the other side. No, what would be the fun in that, Im wearing my Chinook and I have a whistle, so onward I go and eventually I get closer and closer to the shore and I see my buddy and he is oblivious to the adventure I had been on and we get to the shore line and our families are there. With the normal questions, did you catch any fish? nope just fun.
Now I generally fish out a of a Pungo 120 on the Upper Potomac and Susquehanna River. I find that the Pungo is very stable and I like that cockpit in the Pungo as where the Tarpon is open and did not have one. I know I could rig one up using the slide trax but at the time it was not a option. I think that the Tarpon 120 and the Pugo handle very similarly, at to the Tracking and speed. If I was guaranteed calm water or if was in the back water on the bay I would take the Pungo in a heartbeat but on the open bay where the weather can change on a dime I personally think a SOT is what you need. Now if you have a skirt for yours that may be another story, i do not have one so I do not know. I have gotten alot of water in by Pungo, never swamped it yet, hope not to, but that is what a sponge is for. lol.
So in a nutshell, I liked them both, for the type of fishing I do, I think I will stick with my Pungo for now but I am always looking for a deal, my buddy is all about the Tarpon now and has his Tsunami 140 up for sale now. So whatever you choose you will have fun in both.
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