Port Aransas

80 Years Ago, FDR Landed a Tarpon in Port Aransas, Texas

It's always a big deal when the president visits. Port Aransas, Texas, can boast more than a visit.

Back in 1937, on May 8, President Franklin Roosevelt caught a tarpon in a channel between jetties.

Back in the 1930s, Port Aransas was popular among tarpon anglers, because the tarpon went there to breed. It wasn't unheard of for rows of tarpon to be 500 yards long and 100 yards wide. FDR, an avid angler, dreamed of catching a big Texas tarpon. The president finally got his chance in early May of 1937.

The photo of FDR and his tarpon his located in the Port Aransas Museum and can be seen in the video below.

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What the photo doesn't show is all the boats around the president's charter boat. You also don't see how many time the tarpon was put back in the water for FDR to reel in. That was so everybody could get their photo of the president fishing.

Also, the news outlets wanted to get their footage of the FDR reeling in the tarpon. The custom in Port Aransas was to sign and date one of the tarpon's scales. The scale would be hung on the wall of the famous Tarpon Inn. FDR made sure to follow tradition.

NEXT: WATER SKIER TAKES ONE TO THE CROTCH FROM FLYING FISH