‘Screaming inside.’ Popular social media creator catches his first tarpon in Florida

The recent rain and wind have not stopped angler Major Thornton from finding fish to catch. Thornton, who grew up in South Florida, travels around the state in search of varieties of species during all times of the year.

“I try to fish as much as I can,” said Thornton, who has more than 171,000 followers on Instagram (@Major_gator95), 131,000 on TikTok and 31,000 followers on Facebook making fishing-related content and videos.

“I wish I could fish every day. In the winter when it’s colder, I like to fish spillways where warmer water mixes with cold water. Seems there’s always fish there,” said Thornton. “Big jacks, big snook, tarpon. I like to throw deep-diving crank baits, rattletraps, deep-diving jerk baits or swim baits. Fish the bottom or mid-water, but go with an open mind.”

Heavier rain this winter has filled many freshwater areas up, and some have been overflowing. When they overflow into a different body of water where bigger fish reside, they sit in ambush. They can be small like a single drain or large like a dam releasing water from a lake. Small fish are often sent in the overflow of water and make an easy meal in a stunned state.

On a recent trip to a freshwater spillway leading to saltwater, Thornton found himself alongside a few fellow anglers with a like mind. He tossed his bait with 40-pound leader into a strong current where water was flowing outward. When his bait was eaten, it didn’t take long to know what was on the other end.

“When I hooked it, it ran for about five seconds then jumped and caught me off guard. I said ‘That’s a tarpon!’ I had to play it cool, but on the inside, I was screaming.”

Thornton remained calm but anxious. He had never caught a tarpon, which are known for the ability to throw the hook with aerial displays. He had been in that situation nearly a half dozen times before, but each time the tarpon won.

“I’ve been heartbroken a couple times. Every time I had hooked a tarpon, they spit the hook. I was holding my breath and the other guys out there were cheering me on,” Thornton recalled.

“The fight lasted about two-and-a-half minutes. It jumped maybe four times when it was closer to me. I think that wore it out. I was able to finally land it and I was screaming inside.”

After taking a quick picture the small tarpon was released to fight another day, leaving Thornton feeling accomplished.

“That was the highlight of my year. It was pretty cool and a big surprise. I know they’re around the spillways but had never landed one like that before.”

You can follow along with Thornton’s adventures at YouTube.com/@Majorgator95.

This story was originally published January 14, 2024 at 5:50 AM.