The silver kings of the Gulf gave up a true giant when Lafayette angler Greg Sonnier landed a massive tarpon while fishing aboard the Prime Rate with veteran skipper Capt. David Domangue. Serving as deckhand and photographer on the trip was Ben Hayes, who captured the moment as it unfolded.
The strike came in North East Pass out of Venice, La., where the crew had been working bait lines along the tide edges. Sonnier hooked the fish on a coral colored Domangue Tarpon Teaser, a lure designed by Capt. Domangue himself and long trusted in tarpon waters.
The fight stretched on in blistering runs and sky-high leaps before Sonnier, guided by Domangue and assisted by Hayes on deck, finally brought the giant fish alongside the boat. After careful measurements and photos, the tarpon was released alive back into the Gulf…