Hello all!
Wow—what an incredible week it’s been. Since our last update, we’ve fished hard and been rewarded with lifelong memories.
On Thursday, our group split up to explore two different sides of the island. Two boats fished the south side, while the other two headed west. Both groups had excellent days targeting large, tricky fish in beautiful water. One camper was rewarded with a truly massive tarpon—65 pounds of raw power. It took a perfect cast, a clean hookset, and nearly an hour-long fight to bring it to hand. Watching that fish come to the boat left us all awestruck. Landing a tarpon of that size is an indescribable feeling—one we’ll never forget.
By this point in the trip, everyone was in midseason form. Long, accurate casts, confident hooksets, and full days on the water had become our new normal. After a long day of fishing, we returned to the lodge to rest up with some midday naps and get ready for a relaxed evening. That night’s dinner—carne asada and rice—disappeared fast. Afterward, we dove into a long card game, full of laughs and friendly competition. My favorite part of the evening came when a few of the guys wandered out to the backyard dock and made casts into the dark, just in case something was still lurking.
The next morning, we woke up early and headed out for our final day of fishing on the island. We returned to some of our favorite spots with our favorite guides and made the most of every moment. The action stayed hot—everyone hooked and landed fish, and the ride home was full of laughter, memories, and good-natured banter. That night, we headed into Boquerón for our final dinner: burgers, tacos, and plenty of celebration to mark the close of an epic week.
This trip taught us a lot. Watching each camper grow as an angler was incredibly rewarding. Throughout the week, everyone made huge strides in their fly-fishing skills and developed a deeper understanding of saltwater fisheries. We didn’t just learn how to chase new species—we learned persistence, patience, and how to work hard for something meaningful. Tarpon that can reach 80 pounds and elusive permit don’t give up easily. You lose more than you catch. And yet, every single camper came back after those misses wanting more.
That’s what fishing does—it teaches you to lose gracefully, to learn from it, and to keep showing up. It teaches you to see failure as a stepping stone toward success. These young men embraced that mindset. And because of it, every one of them was rewarded for their hard work and effort on the water.
This morning, we got up early and headed to the San Juan airport. The drive through the hills of Puerto Rico felt like the perfect farewell. Final conversations, contact exchanges, and heartfelt goodbyes wrapped up our time together. Everyone made it through security and boarded their flights without issue.
We still can’t believe how fast this trip flew by—and all of us are already wishing we could do it again.
Thanks again for sending such an incredible group of campers. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we were so grateful to share it together.
All the best,
Owen and the LFFE Crew
