Just got back from one of the coolest trips ever! I have been tarpon fishing many times before and seen fish roll here and there, but this place is incredible. I am not kidding when I say we saw over 300 fish that all were over 100 pounds! We hooked up four times. The first was at 1 in the morning in the pass. About a 175 pounder. It took two of us fighting this thing at a time (one just helping pump the rod) for about an hour and a half, and then he busted the line. We were using 50 pound mono with a 150 pound leader! We at least got him to jump a couple times close to the boat. Then another we hooked we fought for about half an hour and it got slammed by a huge hammerhead! The other two just jumped off. We did manage to catch come snook of decent sizes. We also hooked up with a jewfish but as anyone who has ever done that knows the odds aren't good. It hit the pole so hard we had to take the PVC pipe out of the rod holder just to get the rod out! Anyways, great trip!!!! Going to Captiva this weekend and next week for more Tarpon, but mainly snook... can't wait to try out my new Baitrunner 6500B!!! Just had to share the story... Good luck with ya'lls and fish on!
to bad its not snook season because they eat good, ive been taking folks on the flats in N FL. and tearing the reds up the tarpon are showing up here but in small #rs, good luck
i have caught tons of snook in season, but i just like to fish for them for the sport. i think next season i will try 'em on the table... how do you prepare them? are they good grilled or better fried? reds are fun to catch too, they can put up a fight like few others! where in n'fla have you been? i live in gainesville, which is not even an hour from georgia border, or are you closer to the panhandle? i only ask because i have been looking for a place to fish closer to here... have you ever fished cedar key or yankeetown? they are on the gulf directly west of gainesville... thanks... good luck to you too!
Hey pointer, i am from NC ,how do you fish for tarpon, down there, i have never done it, only king and cobia here. one of these days i may be able to get down there, whats the best time of the year to do it and bait etc,if you don't mind. email me at lwpruitt@yahoo.com, thanks
Hey pointer congrats on the great fishing you had. I know that place well, Very well at that. I used to live in Port Charlotte Fl a few years ago then I had to move to nj. I lived on a canal in PC and had access to charlotte harbor then a nice short trip to Boca Grande pass. I fished that place very often and can visualize your experience you had. I caught many a tarpon in charlotte harbor and along cayo casta island just to the south. Very good snook fishing along that Island too in the mornings in the summer time.
I had a flats boat, a 21 foot release that is and I usually fishing about 40 yards off the beach with live thread fins. We anchor up and watch them migrate north along the beach then when spoted We get into position a head of them then cast a live one to them and wham. the fun is on. Tarpon was my favorite fishing down there. I am gealous. My wife and I both miss Fl a lot and well probable be back down in a few years but farther north.
i am jealous of you then! that would be ideal... i just got back today from captiva island (about 30 min boat ride from boca) and we fished for shark, snook, trout, and redfish. caught a couple trout that were about 20-24 inches and they were tastey! we also caught a couple snook that were both about 24". we hooked up with a big ol' shark, but he got away easily as we were using snook rigs! hopefully you can get back down here soon! i am not the biggest fan of florida for many reasons, but i don't ever want to leave just because of the fishing! looks like i will have to wait until september on labor day weekend before i get to go out again... i will have to settle for pier fishing between now and then... where are you thinking of moving in north florida? i live in gainesville right now is why i ask... take care...
pointer My wife and I are looking in the next 2-3 years. We moved back up to nj as that is where we are origionally from because my wife missed her mother. So here we are. But we are both missing the beautiful weather down there as we both love the summer sun heat and those awesome thunderstorms. My mother In law has horses and she went on a vacation down to ocala with here boy friend as her husband died 11 years ago and has been with this new guy for many many years. he is great and they both went to ocala and both really liked it a lot. So I am guessing I will be on either the east or west of ocala new the coast for fishing and the beaches and the water. I would like to be on the east coast do to better fishing right off the coast. As in the gulf you have to travel a good ways to get the same thing as the east coast in a few miles. Also there is a big state forrest on the east coast to the east of ocala that would be fantastic for all my hunting needs as for deer and hogs and such. But then I have to figure in cost of housing in the respecitve areas too. I don't want to spend 400k on a house on a canal either as I don't have that kind of money either. So we have time and a lot of planing to do too.
It seems to me by what you wrote you are not very happy in Fl, why? The only thing I missed when down in fl was snow yes I love snow and my hunting up north usually in PA for deer season. But with a state forrest close by I should be alright.
Tarpon fishing in Boca Grande
