Watch as man walks through Florida Bass Pro Shops with tarpon from store’s pond

Samantha Neely and Tomas Rodriguez, Fort Myers News-Press
·4 min read
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Nothing like going fishing and catching a prized fish. But does it count if you catch in a tank at a sporting goods store?

Bass Pro Shops shoppers in Estero were thrown off when a man entered the store with a fish net and removed a live tarpon from its indoor fish pond.

In the 18-second video, the tarpon is seen thrashing around in the net as the man walks by customers. The caption on the video, seemingly first posted to Snapchat, reads "the kid just got it outta the small pond."

Watch the clip of the man walking around Bass Pro Shops with the tarpon below:

The Lee County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Wednesday evening that the man entered the Bass Pro Shops at the Gulf Coast Town Center with a fish net in hand, and removed a live tarpon from the store's indoor fish pond.

The sheriff's office said a woman and another man, who filmed the incident with a GoPro, accompanied the male suspect.

The individuals then fled the store with the tarpon, authorities said.

Detectives are working with the sheriff's office's Animal Cruelty Task Force, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers as they attempt to locate the individuals involved.

What are tarpons?

Capt. Red Flowers, of DeLand, with a bit of a rarity: A tarpon caught and brought to the boat, then released, in the St. Johns River.
Capt. Red Flowers, of DeLand, with a bit of a rarity: A tarpon caught and brought to the boat, then released, in the St. Johns River.

Florida Sportsman says that the tarpon is a "large thick-bodied fish generally silver in color other than its back, which can range from a dark green to gray. It has a large scoop shaped mouth and the last ray or its dorsal fin is greatly elongated."

They add it's a large, hard fighting fish and is judged by many to be the world’s most exciting gamefish. The species is beloved in Southwest Florida, with a tournament raising fund for J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel Island each year.

According to FWC, tarpon is a catch-and-release only fishery and is a threatened species.

A tarpon can reach 8 feet, weigh about 300 pounds and can take two hours to bring to a boat. The one taken from Bass Pro appears far smaller.

Do all Bass Pro Shops have live fish tanks? What kind of fish are in them?

Yes, every Bass Pro Shop has a fish tank.

"Many of our retail locations feature an aquarium authentically themed to match the local environment and stocked with fish native to area waters," the website writes.

Has Bass Pro Shops had other incidents with its fish pond?

This definitely isn't the first time the company has seen visitors messing around in their fish tanks. Especially in Florida or even at the Gulf Coast Town Center.

In 2011, an incident happened at the store involving several Estero High School students. A video on YouTube shows the trio jumping in and then running from the store, according to former News-Press reports.

In May 2020, a Cape Coral man jumped into the large fish aquarium at the Estero Bass Pro Shops. Law enforcement officers named Daniel A. Armendariz as the one who dove into the tank, arrested two months trespassing at the sporting goods store. Armendariz later confirmed it was him.

"It was a spur of the moment thing. It just kinda happened," he said in a former News-Press article. "It just kind of blew up more than it should have."

Bass Pro Shops said they spent $3,000 decontaminating the tank.

Back in 2021, a video showed a different Florida man climbed up the side of a Bass Pro Shops fish tank, then jumped in. Occurring at the store at the Dolphin Mall in Miami, the man is seen running off after creating a huge splash.

"Our stores host more than 200 million visitors annually and provide a safe, fun experience for families who share our respect for wildlife," the company said about the incident, saying they would do a full investigation. "This incident is illegal, dangerous and highly discouraged."

Who do I call if I have a tip about the most recent Bass Pro Shops incident?

Authorities are searching for answers after they say a man entered a local store with a fish net and removed a live tarpon from the store's indoor fish pond.
Authorities are searching for answers after they say a man entered a local store with a fish net and removed a live tarpon from the store's indoor fish pond.

Authorities ask that anyone with information on the Bass Pro incident or the suspect call Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.

Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000, if they lead to an arrest.

Stacey Henson of The News-Press in Fort Myers contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Video shows man taking live fish from indoor pond at Bass Pro Shops