June is the big game month of the year. There are some critters out there that will give you a big game tug-of-war battle. You have the silver kings that have made a pretty impressive name for themselves. In the fishing world, Boca Grande has been billed as the “tarpon capital of the world”. Yes, and that is in our own back yard where you can go and hook into one of the big game tug-of-war contestants.  These aerial acrobats can put on a great show of power and endurance throughout their hook-up. They can be found from Venice to Ft. Myers and up the Peace and Caloosahatchee Rivers and can be hooked with several different methods; with spinning to conventional tackle. If you have been able to encounter this big game champ, there may have been another to show up to play. The next big game participant would be your sharks. There are some that can eat a tarpon in two bites - yes TWO. They also have been a topic of deep discussion over the years. Long, long ago there was a story that there was a HUGE hammerhead shark that was known to have pulled a jeep into the waters of Boca Grande. This is a legend they called “Hitler”.  In the not so long-ago records, there were some all tackle records set on hammerheads in the Boca Grande area.  They have been known to put up a couple of hour-long battles, so they are very well known for their fighting spirit. The next big game tug-of-war specialist is the goliath grouper had previously been called the jewfish, possibly a derivative of the Italian word “giupesce” meaning “bottom fish”.  However, the goliath was not named for the Philistine Goliath who was slain by David, but because of the fish’s ability to grow up to 700 pounds!  They have tested some of the best tackle and anglers from around the globe. They have been protected from harvest for several years and they have made an impressive come back during their protected time. They can give you a real skirmish and can be found from the bridges to the artificial reefs in the gulf. If you would like to try and hook up with one of the three tug-of-war specialists, give Capt. Bart Marx a call 941-979-6517 or e-mail to captbart@alphaomegacharters.com  And always remember singing drags and tight lines make me smile. <*(((((>{