Indian River Lagoon Fermit, Fompano, and Farpon

[Trent Jones]

   Back in February of this year I caught this funky looking fish I had never placed eyes on before. I took note of its features, and very unique jaw structure and headed inside to flip through some books and ID it. Turns out it is what people call an Irish Pompano. I thought to myself, "cool, I have never caught a Pompano before". As I read the rest of the fishes natural history I discovered that it was not a Pompano at all, but belonged to the Majorra Family...it was a Fake-Pompano! I told my parents I had "just caught an Irish Pompano.....AKA an Irish Majorra...AKA a Fompano". 

 

    The next day while fishing the shallows I hooked something feisty on my 6 weight. I was struck by its fighting ability and also how awesome it looked. I remember my Mom asking what is was. It looked a LOT like a juvenile permit, but I figured it was a Florida Pompano...I told her that I was on a roll. The day before I had caught a Fompano and I was holding in my hands a true life, bona fide, Fermit. She snapped the below picture before I released the fish.

     

    A few minutes later I hooked and landed a large Ladyfish. My dad commented that it looked like a baby Tarpon jumping out of the water so many times. My response? "Of course it looks like a Tarpon, i'ts in the same family, they call it a Farpon". He looked at me with a stange gaze before I yelled, "Fake-Tarpon!"

 

    I am sure I will gain no world wide fame from it, but I completed an Indian River Lagoon Flam (fake slam) in just under 15 hours! Damn impressive if I do say so myself!

 -Trent "Indian River Lagoon Legend, err, in my own mind" Jones

 PS.

 Food for thought....

 If someone catches a Bowfin and thinks its a Snakehead, its a Fakehead.

 If someone catches a Yellow Perch and thinks it a Peacock.......?

[BruceC2C]

Good read Trent...thx for post...this is a great forum, for so many things

[Ernie]

Trent,

You are crazy....in a very good way!

Congrats on these catches.

Ernie

[TurbineBlade]

Cool fish Trent!  Entertaining post -- 

Gene