Have You Fed Your Fish Today…Try it Islamorada Style!
I am sure most of you have spent some time on the bank or dock or your favorite waterway feeding the local fish or ducks. If you were lucky you might have caught sight of that legendary 20 pounder nobody ever seems to be able to land.
What if I could guaranty you the chance to hand feed fish in the 100 pound range, and have your picture taken while shaking hands with the fishes mouth. All you need to do is find your way to Islamorada’s Robbie’s Marina in the Florida Keys.
Robbie and his wife Mona started feeding a tarpon they named Scarface 18 years ago. Scarface appeared floundering in the shallow waters near the dock; Robbie saw the struggling tarpon and, thinking it had swum too shallow and gotten stuck on the bank, went out into the water to free it. He lifted the fish and saw that the right side of its jaw was torn open. Hoping to revive the tarpon, Robbie placed it in the oxygen-rich shrimp tank and called old Doc Roach. The doctor showed up with his wife’s mattress needles and some twine, and Scarface became the first known tarpon with stitches. After several days of force-feeding, Scarface showed good recovery and weight gain; six months later he was released into the waters off the dock. Afterwards, Scarface continued to frequent the docks; sometimes bringing a friend. Soon more and more of the fish began to appear.
Today, the tradition continues, with visitors from all across the world coming to marvel at the spectacle and offer these magnificent creatures a snack.
More on Islamorada.
Here is Rays experience.
I traveled here with my brother while on vacation. We rode for two hours, one way, and it was totally worth it. I paid a dollar for admission and $2.95 for a bucket of dead fish. (Robbie’s can supply you with buckets of bait to feed them right from the docks.) I walked out on the pier and hand fed GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS tarpons which swarmed all around the dock. Hungry pelicans floated with anticipation on the water, hoping to swoop in and steal a fish or two.
The place was swarming with tourists like me, all having a great time. One time, I left my hand out there a little too long and almost had it bit off! Those pesky tarpons will jump right out of the water and remove your hand if you are not careful. They have rough, sand paper-like teeth. Yuck.
This attraction is located in the Florida Keys on Lower Matecumbe Key, about mile marker 77.5 bayside. Park at the Hungry Tarpon or Robbie’s Marina parking lots. This tradition of feeding the tarpons began about 18 years ago. Today, the tradition continues, with visitors from all across the world coming to marvel at the spectacle and offer these magnificent creatures a snack.
One Response to “Have You Fed Your Fish Today…Try it Islamorada Style!”
 Pingback from Outdoors Lifestyle RSS | Have You Fed Your Fish Today…Try it Islamorada Style! January 11th, 2008 at 8:26 pm |
[…] Keys Treasures Blog wrote an interesting post today on Have You Fed Your Fish Todayâ?¦Try it Islamorada Style!Here’s a quick excerptI am sure most of you have spent some time on the bank or dock or your favorite waterway feeding the local fish or ducks. If you were lucky you might have caught sight of that legendary 20 pounder nobody ever seems to be able to land. What if I could garanty you the chance to […] Want to read more? Click here. […] |
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