Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 1, 2014 Super User Posted August 1, 2014 After losing 3 tarpon yesterday I wasn't going to be denied, a whole lotta luck came into play. Hit the inlet about 5:am, within minutes I get nailed by a tarpon, ony to have it run about 20 yards and spit the hook. About 20 minutes later I get slammed, fish is pulling out drag like crazy. I get lucky as a boat is coming thru and I avoid being cut off. A while goes by and I have the fish along side the jettie, it wants to go in the inlet, bad news as I'd never land it or lift it with that current. Stroke of luck #2, I pull this fish on the beach side and I'm able to tire it then walking on the catwalk I pull it on to the beach. Jumped over the railing and voila it's landed. Good sized fish got a pretty good idea of how big it is. Being alone in the dark trying not to put my reel on the sand made a photo difficult, did the best I could with 1 hand as I needed to get the fish back in the water, which I did and it swam away looking just fine. Sorry to say the photo just doesn't do this magnificent beast justice. 3 Quote
OntarioFishingGuy Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 I have always wanted to catch a tarpon. They are so cool! Nice fish! Quote
georgeyew Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Nice one. I would like to pull one in someday. Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 2, 2014 Author Super User Posted August 2, 2014 The inlet is a prime area this time of year for both snook and tarpon, not that there isn't 100# + around but most run 10 to about 70 pounds. Many of the fish can be pulled up with a pier net, but once they get a certain size that is a tough task especially if you are alone. This is how we do it, picture 1 shows the jettie in the foreground that I was fishing, in the middle of the night the boaters can't see us, boat cut offs are not uncommon. Even if they see you, they don't give a darn, lol. Fish has a lot of open water, once you get it close to the jettie now it has to be landed. Boynton inlet is noted as being one of the most trecherous in South Florida, current runs on average 8-10 knots, fish hits that current and you a battle on your hands. Picture 2 may give some insight how far back I have to walk before I can jump over the railing. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted August 3, 2014 Global Moderator Posted August 3, 2014 They look so much like a big shiner to me. I'm sure they're a blast to catch on lighter spinning gear like that! Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 4, 2014 Author Super User Posted August 4, 2014 On 8/3/2014 at 7:17 AM, Bluebasser86 said: They look so much like a big shiner to me. I'm sure they're a blast to catch on lighter spinning gear like that! Tarpon looks almost identical to a pilchard, both members of the herring family. I caught another one yesterday morning, it's been a good week for them. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted August 4, 2014 Super User Posted August 4, 2014 Way to go, nice fish and nice story! Quote
Shanes7614 Posted August 5, 2014 Posted August 5, 2014 Snook... What kind if baits are you using and what type of rig are you using to fish them? Best times/tides? Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 5, 2014 Author Super User Posted August 5, 2014 With bass fishing the fish are usually in the area but they may not be aggressive or feeding. The opposite is true with inshore fishing, they follow baitfish, no bait no fish in the area, you could cast all day without a strike. When the fish are there and feeding the lure isn't that crucial most of the time. That being said the game breaker is too much bait, snook and tarpon gorge themselves on live bait and quite often won't touch artificial. I have casted dozens of times into busting fish for an hour straight without a strike. My most used lures are a jerk shad on jig head and bucktail jigs, anything else I use is strictly for my own variation. Never overlook a spoon, snook love them. From my observation the most prolific snook and tarpon catchers are fly fishermen, a bucktail is nothing more than a fly with weight, I'd say nothing beats them. The 2 best snook fishermen I know, these fellows are professionals, use nothing but bucktails. Rule of thumb is the outgoing tide with dirty water for snook and tarpon, but tide fishing is seasonal. This time of year we can catch them on the incoming, that doesn't happen in the winter too often. An important factor in tide fishing is the relationship to tide change and sunrise or sunset. My optimum time is probably tide change an hour or so after sunrise. Quote
Delaware Valley Tackle Posted August 5, 2014 Posted August 5, 2014 Obviously more than twice the length of the grip on your rod so 30"> Nice fish. Quote
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