When William Halsey Wood landed the first big tarpon ever caught on rod and reel, news quickly spread. This 1885 event changed the face and fabric of sports fishing and helped make Southwest Florida a mecca for anglers from all parts of the world. Today, the silver king remains one of the most sought-after of all game fish.

Randy Wayne White’s Ultimate Tarpon Book offers everything you could ever want to know about the origins of big game fishing, told in the words of those who were there. Zane Grey and Theodore Roosevelt fished for tarpon, so did Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Edison, Frederic Remington, and many others. The stories and narratives they wrote based on their experiences–along with those of more than 100 other contributors, including some of the best outdoor writers of our time–are presented here. The book includes information on the pioneer tarpon guides, the historic tarpon lodges, the innkeepers, the outfitters, the boat builders, and the scientists that made Fort Myers the greatest big game fishing resort in the country.

Randy Wayne White spent thirteen years as a professional tarpon guide, and Carlene Fredericka Brennen tournament fished for fifteen years for the silver king. For decades they have been collecting books, research papers, and popular literature on the tarpon. The best of their catch is presented here, complete with stories, commentary, and an introduction by White. The result is a book that no serious angler can be without!