Bill Poole turned 85 on a trip to Rio Parismina in Costa Rica, and celebrated with a tarpon estimated at 150 pounds. Bill fished with his wife Ingrid and reel blueprinter and modification expert Cal Sheets of www.Cals2Speed.com . It was Poole's first experience fishing for tarpon.

"I got a new respect for tarpon," said Poole. "They're not like sailfish; they're tougher than hell! You can't crank ???em in like sailfish.

"I got six over 100 pounds," he continued. The big one didn't jump, but he towed the boat and went four and a half miles. I could see the whole coastline out there, and one time he took us in almost to the surf. He was almost seven feet long, measured by my rod at the side of the boat. A 100-pounder's about six foot long, with 32 inches of girth."

On the day of Bill's birthday, said Ingrid, they took a voyage up the river, enjoying the jungle, with its monkeys, tropical birds and caymans; narrow-snouted crocodilians.

"We caught and released about 60 tarpon," said Cal Sheets. "Only two or three were under 60 pounds. We had about 10 over 100 pounds. We also got some jack crevalle.

"We fished ???em with fresh dead anchovettas," continued reelmeister Sheets. "We put those baits in a cooler of ice water and dropped ???em down 60 to 150 feet with a half-ounce to an ounce of sinkers on 9/0 circle hooks and 20-pound line behind heavy leader. Most of the fish were deep, and the big ones were all deeper.

"The fishing was out of 21-foot skiffs. We released all out fish. We fished twice a day: from six to 11 in the morning, and again in the afternoon from two to five p.m. One our last day we had ten tarpon up to 100 pounds."

You can still get a signed copy of Poole's biography, "Fish or Cut Bait," by Chuck Garrison, in the products section of this site. This Sunday Poole said he would be at the Day at the Docks, where he will also be available to sign books and meet anglers.