Capt Greg Hildreth and angler Jeff Pierce of Atlanta recently landed a tarpon near St. Simons Island GA and using the BTT Tarpon Weight Card estimated it’s weight at 188lbs, more than 27lbs higher than the current Georgia record. When I got a good close look at the fish I knew she was in the 170-180 range and would beat the State record. I mentioned this to Jeff and he told me there was no way he would kill that fish, I agreed and once we had her boat side we got a good measurement. With the BTT formula she came out to 188 pounds besting the record by 27 pounds! What an awesome catch and to know the she swam out of my hands in good shape is a great feeling.
The Georgia Tarpon record was set in 1995 with a weight of 161 pounds, I happened to be on the dock that day when the angler brought the fish in and it made me very uncomfortable to see such a great fish weighed, photographed, and tossed back in the river. Fortunately, the Georgia DNR now has a law stating that a Tarpon can’t be taken without it being larger than the existing record. Most serious Georgia Tarpon anglers will best the record every few years but choose not to kill the fish just to get their name in the record book.