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Hans Brings is considering a trip to Florida to fish for tarpon. “I think my family and I may go to Key West around my birthday,” the Massachusetts college student said.

If he does make the trip and connect with a silver king, it won’t be his first. Brings shocked the Atlantic coast fishing community in August when he landed a 5-foot tarpon on a Cape Cod beach, hundreds of miles from where anyone would think to fish for them.

Generally, if you’re fishing the New England shore, you’re looking for such species as striped bass, bluefish, fluke, or false albacore. Brings has pursued all of those since his father began teaching him how to fish from a beach at age 4.

Shore Bound Shark Fishing with a Surprise

Brings and friends were after sharks the night of August 12 in Mashpee, Massachusetts. “The primary species is the brown, or sandbar shark as it’s known down south,” and fishing for them is growing in popularity, he said. The brown sharks can be as big as 7 feet long, and both their teeth and skin can easily abrade standard lines, so stout tackle and tough leaders are required.

Brings used and 11-foot Tsunami Trophy II rod with a Fin-Nor Offshore 7500 spinning reel spooled with 65-pound braid. The rig was 5.5 feet of 300-pound mono, a fish-finder swivel, a 5-ounce Sputnik-style sinker, one foot of 175-pound wire, and a 12/0 Eagle Claw circle hook tipped with a bluefish chunk.

The first fish Brings landed that night was a sand tiger shark, a less-common fish for the spot. “It was an awesome catch, and that was the reason I stayed longer than I usually do,” he said. “The bite was starting to heat up, shark-wise. But I guess there was something else out there, too.” Most of his friends had packed it in, but Brings still had bait left, and was curious about what else he might catch.

In the early hours of Sunday, Brings experienced two strong runs from fish that eventually dropped the bait. At the time, he assumed they were sharks, but in retrospect, he’s not so sure. “Tarpon aren’t normally lone rangers,” he noted.

There was no guesswork needed for the fish that bit at 3 a.m. “The first few runs were pretty intense,” he recalled. He estimates he had 40 pounds of drag on the reel, but the spool kept spinning. Brings was thinking he had a big brown shark or even a ray. “Halfway through, the fish would almost hold its place and it was very hard for me to turn it. I had to sit in the sand and kind of wrench it back. When it did turn, it stated sharking its head, and stingrays don’t do that.”

With friend Mike Xidea taking photos, Brings eventually pulled the fish into the wash, still thinking he was fighting a shark. The truth became clear when he finally got a good look. “I saw the jaw, I saw the massive scales, and I identified it immediately as a tarpon,” he said. “This really was an odd and mysterious catch.”

Unusual but Occasional Visitors

Tarpon certainly aren’t unheard of in the Northeast. Brings was aware of one documented catch years back and rumors of others. They have been caught as far north as Nova Scotia. New Jersey even has a tarpon category in its state records, currently held by Jim Klaczkiewicz, who caught a 53-pounder off Sea Bright in 1982.

“Not this year, but tarpon have been in fish traps out here many times in previous summers,” said Capt. Joe Blados from the North Fork of Long Island, New York. (Blados is the inventor of the Crease Fly, which has become a favorite of tarpon fly-rodders but was originally devised for northeastern species.)

Hard to Handle

Brings has taken some flack in online comments about bringing the tarpon onto the sand. In their normal range, tarpon are protected by rules about their handling. Florida, for example, requires that they be photographed and unhooked while still in the water. Of course, that’s easier done by a captain leaning over a gunnel in broad daylight than by a surprised surf fisherman in the dead of night. Brings said he scrambled to get the fish unhooked quickly, and it swam away strong.

Brings is going into his second year studying animal science at the University of Rhode Island. He considered a marine biology major, but he’s fascinated by land-based creatures too. And while that tarpon trip to the Keys will probably involve fishing from a boat, he has a soft spot for fishing from the beach.

“The surf fishing has always had a place in my heart,” he said.

The post Tarpon Caught on Cape Cod appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

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To be successful landing fish around structure, you must stack the deck in your favor. It’s not so much about fighting a fish to avert a break-off as it is understanding how gamefish interact with structure, and tailoring your approach and angling tactics accordingly. You still have to win the fight, of course—but why make it harder on yourself? 

Below are five gamefish that are pure hell around structure. The following tactics apply to them and other species with similar fighting characteristics. 

Snook

If possible, remain mobile when targeting snook around docks and bridges because anchoring limits your ability to quickly counter their moves. Trolling swimming plugs is deadly for pulling big snook out from under bridges and through inlets. But if you stop the boat upon hooking up, a big snook will take you to school, so maintain trolling speed until the fish is muscled away from pilings, groins, boulders and boat traffic. Once out in open water, slow or stop the boat and ­enjoy the fight.

When trolling along ­bridges, you generally find snook staged around up-­current pilings. Turn the boat away from the bridge and into the current while advancing the throttle(s) as soon as you hook up. When trolling down-current sides, use the tide moving in sync with the boat to pull fish away from a bridge.

When pitching jigs or live baits near bridge spans, keep the boat lined up with the target area. Once hooked up, maneuver the boat to maintain a straight pull on a fish while easing into open water. Any deviation, and a fish can angle across a piling or into a groin.

A maneuver applicable in the backcountry and along dock-studded seawalls involves getting between a big snook and structure after hooking up. In the mangroves, a similar scenario often presents itself during low tides, with minimal water for a big fish to get underneath them. Use the pull from your rod to force the fish to run in the opposite direction and away from obstacles. I once scored a 30-pound snook on 8-pound spin tackle this way.

Grouper

Grouper will make you look foolish in a hurry. The king of the hole-ups, grouper are tough to get an angle on. So, probe the down-current sides when drifting above structure. Upon hooking a big one, keep it off balance and out of its lair by easing the boat down-current. Procrastination costs fish.

The magic distance when anchoring is close enough for any chum or other fishing activity to lure grouper from structure yet provide enough real estate to prevent a hooked one from returning to it.

If rocked up by a grouper, free-spool and strip off line. The objective: Fool the fish into thinking it’s free. Allow 10 or so minutes, rapidly come tight, and resume the fight. If still holed up, try longer wait cycles. Such snags are usually temporary sanctuaries; sooner or later, a grouper will bolt for its main home.

Off the Dry Tortugas with Daniel Delph, I once waited out a big black grouper hooked on 20-pound-class spin ­tackle. It rocked me up four separate times over a 90-minute span. I finally stuck the rod in a holder to help Delph land a fish, and my grouper finally succumbed to the drifting boat. It weighed 55 pounds!

Strumming the fishing line periodically also works, particularly when you’re using braid. Simply wind tight and strum the line as if it were a guitar. The vibrations sometime annoy the fish into making a run for it. If all else fails, maneuver the boat around the structure and pressure the fish from different angles. With some luck, you’ll hit it just right and score.

Amberjack

A big amberjack will power back into or across a wreck without an angler getting a single crank on it—they are that strong. On anchor, AJs will charge for deeper water and part the fishing line on the reef. Your best bet when targeting sizable jacks is avoiding this often-insurmountable predicament.

Amberjack generally stack above a wreck. Back up into the current and over the structure until the sonar marks fish. Stem the current and drop a bait. Upon hooking up, the boat operator must drive away from the wreck with a degree of haste in the direction that the current or tide is flowing. Pull the amberjack into open water, and the odds are now stacked in your favor.

Over shallower wrecks, amberjack can be teased to the surface with large, frisky live baits and by swishing a large hookless teaser. When they’re hot, lead them off the wreck and into open water. Present a bait or lure, hang on, and ­enjoy the fight.

When hooked, a big amberjack will charge for deep water. Secure a poly ball to the end of your anchor rode. Immediately dump the anchor line and motor on top of the fish as quickly as possible. As long as the fishing line remains relatively straight up and down, you can follow the fish off the reef and out into open water without the threat of the line chafing on the bottom.

Wreck Permit

You thought the flats were the only place to target permit? Big permit love racing across wrecks, navigational aids, ­crab floats and even under other boats. In open water, they’ll rub their mouths on bottom to rid a hook.

Based on the tidal stage, permit make large circles around a wreck or hunt along its down-current sides. Anchoring requires a bit of geometry. For example, Harry Vernon III and I fished for permit at a shallow Bahamas Bank wreck. The tide was ripping. Rather than anchor down-current and cast back up and beyond the fish, which were tight on the wreck, I anchored 50 feet off to its side and marginally down-current of it. 

My reasoning: Instead of hooking a permit directly behind us and tight on the wreck, where it could ­easily fray the line, I’d first pressure it away from the side of the obstruction. Once clear, I’d count on the strong tide to help sweep the fish well down-current of the wreck. The tactic worked ­beautifully, and we released eight permit in short order. 

In open water and if mobile, tuck in behind a hooked permit to avoid ­navigational aids or crab floats. If a fish successfully reaches one, go into free-spool. Try repositioning the boat to reacquire a straight line on the fish. If that’s not possible, ease up to the obstacle and try unfurling the line around it. It’s surprisingly effective.

Tarpon

When it appears a tarpon will reach a dock, marina or bridge span, go into free-spool. At this stage, it’s the only shot at saving the fish.

Similar to fighting a permit, snook or any other large fish in this situation, try following the line around any obstacles. Get straight to the fish before coming tight. Sometimes it’s as easy as clearing one piling; other times it’s a lot more challenging, especially with a larger boat. Remember there will be times you just can’t escape the web weaved by the tarpon, and a break-off is necessary.

Again, the best prevention is to avoid getting into these situations in the first place. For instance, when hooking a tarpon around a pass or inlet, keep right on top of the fish. That’s because it could run deep off the shelf and fray the line if you remain shallow. You’ll also be more in control, allowing you to steer around other boats, docks, pilings, navigational aids and buoys.

At anchor and if the fish is large, toss a float and remain tight to it. The farther one gets, the more stress on the line and threats it might encounter. 

In tight confines such as mangrove-lined shores, marinas or seawalls, maneuver the boat between these threats and the fish. Once again, the pressure should force a fish in the opposite direction of the boat and away from trouble. 

The post Five Gamefish That Are Tough to Fight Around Structure appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

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History counts many notable kings on land, but there is ­only one true king of the sea, and that is the tarpon.

My wife’s late uncle, a Californian, asked if I could put him on a tarpon during a summer visit long ago. Longtime friend Capt. Jim Leavelle offered his boat, ­tackle and skills, and off we set enthusiastically to nearshore Gulf of Mexico waters. 

Sharks ate most of our baits and nearly broke Uncle John’s will. But with precious little time and energy left, a ­final line came tight, and the long-range tuna fanatic from California took control—then promptly lost it when a basketball-size mouth pushed through the surface. 

In a single package, the ­silver king is massive, unforgivingly powerful and ­unpredictably explosive. 

The fish landed broadside with more of a thud than a splash, then made two more jumps, plowed to the bottom, and dragged 23 feet of loaded boat as effortlessly as a horse pulls a buggy.

Ninety minutes later, John is spent nearly to collapse. His first tarpon is boatside. Estimated weight is 150 pounds, with maybe a few rib-eyes more. Fish this size are rare enough, but the species grows to 100 pounds heavier. I asked three qualified captains (from three qualified regions) for their secrets on how to target these closet doors.

Size Doesn’t Matter

A shared frustration, and I’ve heard it from others over the years, is that it’s difficult to leave the dock dead-set on catching a monster. More ­often, they’ll tell you that successful days of tarpon fishing include several bites and a few fish brought to hand. If one of those fish is extra-large, all the better. But these fish run in schools that include nearly all sizes, except extreme juveniles that prefer small creeks.

“It’s almost impossible to say, ‘I’m going to catch a big one today,’” says Galveston Capt. James Plaag. “I’ll see a 40-pounder roll, and then a 200 comes up right behind it.”

Size Still Doesn’t Matter

South Carolina’s Capt. Steve Roff prefers large baits, ­including what he calls “good-size” mullet, croakers or menhaden. Even those offerings, though, are not guaranteed to spook any tarpon north of 50 pounds. Aggressive feeders when the bell rings, ­tarpon in every class will hammer most anything within an open-mouthed tail kick.

Florida’s Mark Bennett says he actually starts big-fish days with small crabs, just as dawn breaks. As the sun gets ­higher in the sky, the baits get bigger, up to hand-size crabs and ­mature threadfins. 

All three pros agreed on two things that only make the ­puzzle more complex: Big eats little. And little eats big. Which doesn’t help us. Now, what? 

The Reel Deal

Catching a midsize tarpon is easy enough, but if the goal is a beast, rig for beasts.

“If you really want a giant tarpon, rig up like your next bite is going to be a state record,” Plaag says. “You can’t have anyone fishing lighter, trying to be sporty. Soon as you do, that big fish is going to hit that little rod.” 

Some pros (Texans) prefer conventional tackle, and others (everywhere but Texas and parts of Louisiana) like spinning gear. Reels of both styles need to hold at least 300 yards of line that, according to my survey, should be 50- to 65-pound braid. 

“I like spinning gear ­because I can throw those ­little crabs with it,” Bennett explains. Good point.

Bennett likes fluorocarbon in Florida’s clearer water, because it’s tougher against a tarpon’s abrasive mouth. 

Read Next: Texas Tarpon Hotspots

Around and Around

Every serious fisherman has a favorite hook, and this trio mentioned several brands. The common threads running through all those hook eyes, though, were size and style. If I heard “seven-ought” once, I heard it a dozen times—that and their collective affinity for circle hooks.

Traditional hooks are tough to set in any tarpon’s rock-hard jaw, but 7/0 circle hooks are nearly foolproof in their ability—unassisted—to passively nestle themselves into a corner of that huge mouth.

They Are Where They Are

Bennett says his biggest tarpon tend to prowl the beachfront in as little as 6 feet of water. Use your electronics to mark fish hugging the bottom. He seldom fishes more than 150 yards from shore, which puts his efforts somewhere in the middle among this three-pack of skippers.

Roff targets washouts where creeks and rivers dump into the bay systems, usually a significant distance from ­local inlets, although South Carolina inlets also produce quality fish.

Primarily fishing a shallower beachfront that’s ­normally roiled, Plaag spends more time in 20 to 40 feet of greenish water that can be several miles offshore. Farther south in Texas, where the bottom is distanced from eons of Mississippi River deposits, big tarpon feed around jetties and generally closer to shore.  

Suspend Your Disbelief

All three men usually ­suspend their baits several feet beneath the surface, usually with large slip corks set higher or lower depending on seasonal patterns. All three also free-line baits when conditions call for the change.

Plaag and Roff set baits at widely varying depths, all the way from the surface to the bottom, and let the fish sort it out. 

Just Keep Fishing

All three captains have either caught personally or been at the helm when someone else caught tarpon weighing 200 pounds or heavier. After digesting what they shared, it came increasingly clear how this really works. 

Tarpon schools range in size from pre-K runts to senior lettermen on the school’s offensive line, and they all eat from the same trough. 

The problem with wanting to catch a giant tarpon is that it’s hiding among so ­many others of all sizes. Success commands that you go tarpon fishing every chance you get, catch as many as you can, and have the patience to stay committed until you get the one you want, however many trips it takes. 

The post Targeting Trophy Tarpon appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

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Here’s the thing about being a fishing photographer: You’ll spend countless hours on the water and days hanging at lodges you’d never be able to afford otherwise. You’ll fly to places you’d never have put on your travel list if it wasn’t home to a particular species that exists in that one location, or a stretch of water that could become “the next big thing.” You’ll meet awesome anglers from around the world, and you’ll be able to communicate in the shared language of fishing even if you don’t speak the same native tongue.

You’ll also fish less than you ever have in your life.

So, when a saltwater tournament in Belize that I’d been entered into fell through, fishing friend Robert and I decided to just meet up and fish anyway. We both were regular fixtures at El Pescador Lodge on Ambergris Caye—me as a photographer and occasional lodge fishing director, Robert as a guest. We decided to meet up for a week in July, keen to simply get some down time in the boat and chase a few permit and tarpon around.

Day-Off Tarpon in Belize

Teamed up with guide Gordy, we went on the hunt … and started strong. By 8:30 on the first morning, Robert and I both had permit to hand. We were laughing about how if the tournament had happened, we’d have been serious contenders. In the days to follow, we had a mixed bag of weather and commensurate luck. (As the saying goes, they call it fishing, not catching, right?)

Midway through the week, it was my turn up on the bow again. I’d tied a chartreuse and white tarpon toad onto the 10-weight, one of the fleet of toads I’d tied up over a very long Montana winter back home. I’m by no means a prolific fly tyer, but there still seems to be that point in every winter where the vise comes off the shelf and the materials drawer gets opened. I put on a good movie, and arts-and-crafts time commences. Usually with a saltwater destination in mind.

Tarpon in the Mangroves

A few tarpon were rolling intermittently along the mangroves, and it was time to pitch the fly into action. I was hopeful; chartreuse and white is one of my favorite combinations. A mid-size fish swiped, missing. Another cast. Strip, strip … this time, he didn’t miss. It wasn’t a fish to write home about, but a tarpon is still a tarpon. He jumped, scales glinting silver and champagne in the warm tropic light. Gordy hooted from the platform, laughing as the fish ran.

Mid-sized tarpon are far more fun than their larger brethren, or at least I think so. The big girls are wonderful to photograph and to finally hold—what angler hasn’t dreamed of catching a fish that weighs the same as we do? But they’re a lot of work. Often hours of it.

So, give me happy tarpon in that 25- to 45-pound range. They usually jump more than the larger migratory fish and can be landed in a fraction of the time. Plus, they’re just plain old fun to fish for, land, and hold. Fishing is supposed to be fun, something many of us seem to have forgotten in this day and age of “Insta-famous” and “the ‘Gram.” If we’re not having fun out there, what’s the point?

Tarpon Landed!

The tarpon came to hand in textbook fashion—after a couple acrobatic jumps and two nice runs, he was leadered. I jumped into the warm Caribbean water, wanting to get a good look at him. For once the photographer was the one holding the fish, not the one jockeying around in the water or the boat, looking for the angle.

Robert and Gordy snapped a few quick images and then I let him go, off to swim again and hopefully grow into a bruiser of a silver king one day. I sank into the bathtub-warm water and watched him swim off across the flat, immensely grateful for a trip where I was able to trade the camera for the fly rod and get to participate in the activity I’ve chosen to base a career around.

It was fun. Grin-like-a-little-kid fun. And a timely reminder that I should put the camera down, set work aside, and fish more often.

The post Cameras and Tarpon appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

The cat is out of the bag. South Texas waters, once the best-kept secret in the tarpon fishing world, are getting increased attention from silver king chasers, many of whom now consider the Lone Star State a great alternative to Florida for testing their mettle against the formidable adversary with conventional or fly tackle.

Last summer was one to remember, according to Capt. Brian Barrera, who guides out of South Padre Island and led his clients to 66 catches of tarpon up to about 240 pounds, the most he has ever recorded in a single season.

“It was an incredible run, and a lot of the fish were big,” he says. “It’s not unusual to catch a lot of the smaller tarpon, but the big ones were here in good numbers last summer, even a few going over 200 pounds.”

Texas Hotspots

Tarpon fishing is good along the Texas coast most summers. Some of the best takes place around Galveston, but the jetties at Port O’Connor on the middle Texas coast provide reliable action during July, August and September. Most tarpon at the Port O’Connor jetties fall in the 40- to 50-pound range, while their Galveston counterparts are bigger, frequently in the 100-pound class or above.

Galveston tarpon guides primarily resort to trolling lures, like a Coon Pop, or fishing live mullet. Off the Port O’Connor jetties, your best bet is to fish live shrimp or croakers under a float. However, fly-fishing is a great option too. Just ease along the jetties with the trolling motor and look for tarpon rolling close to the rocks, where they forage for baitfish and shrimp. 

Fly-fishing guide Tom Horbey says he spends quite a few days in August and September at the end of the Port O’Connor jetties, fishing slow-sinking streamers in the current. And while he dedicates much of the time during charters to sight-casting to rolling fish, Horbey also looks for tarpon in back bays, where he has encountered heavyweights in the 160- to 200-pound class the past few years.

South of Port O’Connor, the roughly 70-mile stretch from the Port Mansfield jetties on down to the South Padre Island jetties is where the finest tarpon fishing in Texas occurs. That’s precisely where Barrera concentrates his tarpon efforts during summer and early fall.

Search and Seizure

“On a typical day of fishing, I’ll work the jetties and the surf, if it’s calm,” Barrera says. “If we’ve got 2- to 3-foot seas, I can cover about 35 miles looking for tarpon. I’ll run the surf, then come back in the Intracoastal Waterway for a smoother ride.

 “I’m constantly looking for signs of tarpon,” he says. “Diving birds are always good, but even if I see a single mullet jump, I’ll go to it. I also look with binoculars for the silver flash of rolling tarpon, and use my electronics to pinpoint them underwater.

“I like to move along the jetties with the trolling motor, using the side scan on my Humminbird Solex to find tarpon underwater. That allows me to locate the fish and stay with them as we troll or cast lures,” continues Barrera, who also stakes out or hits Spot-Lock on his Minn Kota to intercept schools. 

The Migration

Longtime tarpon guide Capt. Tim O’Brien says the great tarpon fishing along South Padre Island began about six years ago. “The fish migrate from the Mississippi River Delta starting in March and April, and end up along South Padre Island for much of the summer and early fall. As the water temperature drops below 75 degrees, the tarpon move down south to Tampico and Veracruz, Mexico, some 340 miles away.”

O’Brien says the tarpon fishing will continue through October and sometimes into November, depending on how many cold fronts pass through the region early and how long the water temperature stays in the 70s.

Baits and Rigging

At the peak of the tarpon run, Barrera fishes lures and both live and dead baits, mostly in the surf, in water about 20 feet deep. His preferred live baits for the jetties are pinfish—which can be caught in traps set out around boat docks—and live mullet procured along the jetties with a cast net. For dead baits, he likes ribbonfish and mullet. 

Barrera fishes either live or dead baits on 4/0 to 13/0 circle hooks, depending on size, with 14 inches of fluorocarbon leader, 50- to 80-pound for the smaller tarpon, and 100- to 130-pound for the bigger fish. Thin wire hooks placed through the lips of a baitfish deliver the most hookups, he claims. 

O’Brien favors artificials for conventional tackle, particularly 9- to 14-inch Hogy lures, and finds the best colors are black and white. “We rig them on swimbait-style jig heads,” he says, adding that the D.O.A. Bait Buster deep runner is another good lure. “We fish them on 30-pound Power Pro, with 2 to 3 feet of 60- to 100-pound leader tied to the braid with an FG knot. 

“Another option is free-lining croakers, pinfish and live shrimp, or fish them under a cork,” explains O’Brien, who believes that, if you’re into big tarpon, big croakers rigged on a 7/0 hook are the best way to go.

Read Next: Fishing South Padre Island, Texas

Fly Flinging

“On the other hand, it’s tough to beat sight-casting to these fish with a fly,” O’Brien says. “We use 10- to 12-weight rods and, since we often target rolling tarpon, the fly needs to be fished about 10 feet in front of the fish.

“For the most part, tarpon here weigh from 60 to 80 pounds, but we do have some big ones. My personal best weighed 180 pounds. I caught it on a Zonker (rabbit strip) fly while fishing the Port Mansfield jetties,” he says. “However, a giant weighing 212 pounds was caught on a Whistler fly off Boca Chica Beach, on the south side of the South Padre Island jetties, the general area where we scored 17 tarpon in one day, my best to date.” 

One of the top tarpon fishing adventures of my life was with Capt. Eric Glass, a longtime fly and light-tackle guide in Laguna Madre, who says the granite jetties at Brazos Santiago Pass and East Cut are good places to try and jump some fish on fly. He prefers a 10- or 11-weight rod for the job. 

Tarpon prowl the outskirts of large schools of scaled sardines, bay anchovies, gulf menhaden and herring gathering in the area. And the local fly-rodders have had consistent success at dawn and dusk casting 3- to 4-inch baitfish imitations tied on 1/0 to 3/0 hooks, always keeping an eye out for pods of rolling fish in the vicinity. 

SWS Tackle Box: Spinning and Baitcasting

• Rods: Shimano 8-foot Teramar XX spinning and G.Loomis 7-foot heavy-action IMX Pro Blue baitcasting, or equivalents
• Lures: Coon Pop; Hogy Original 14-inch in black or white; D.O.A. Bait Buster in brown, root beer or glow, and TerrorEyz in root beer or glow
• Line: 80-pound braid and fluorocarbon leaders; 50- to 80-pound for smaller tarpon, and 100-to 130-pound for the large ones
• Reels: Shimano Saragosa 10000 spinning and Tranx 400 baitcasting, or equivalents

SWS Tackle Box: Fly-Fishing

• Rod: 9-foot, 10- to 12-weight
• Reel: Large arbor models with good drag and 250-yard capacity
• Line: Tarpon or saltwater taper in floating, intermediate or slow-sink, depending on the situation; tapered 9- to 12-foot leaders with 50- to 100-pound fluorocarbon bite tippet
• Flies: Hackle or rabbit-strip baitfish imitations in 3- to 5-inch sizes tied on 1/0 to 3/0 hooks

The post Texas Tarpon Hotspots appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Every year, tarpon trickle into the Florida Keys backcountry with the first warming trends. Sometimes the fish show up as early as the end of January, well before the weather starts to settle in March, and a number of anglers head down to the Keys to tangle with those winter and early-spring silver kings, knowing a cold front could immediately shut down the bite.

In addition to warming waters, Capt. Rick Stanczyk of Islamorada says the annual run of silver mullet draws in the tarpon. “When mullet get going, so do the tarpon,” Stanczyk says. “Usually, it all starts in March and goes into April, sometimes May,” he adds. “That’s when we catch many of our larger fish, the bigger migrating females in the 80- to 120-pound range.” 

Locating Fish

Finding tarpon can be as easy as looking for fish crashing into schools of mullet or rolling on the surface. If Stanczyk doesn’t see tarpon on the surface as he runs in the backcountry, he studies his side-scan fish finder to pinpoint fish or spots where they might show up later in the tide cycle.

Various basins on the Gulf side of the lower Keys are popular with anglers trying to connect with early arrivals, and so are areas like Nine Mile Bank and Sprigger Bank, north of Marathon, where outgoing tides sweep small fish and crustaceans through breaks in the banks (known as passes), and tarpon wait for an easy meal. So, when Stanczyk locates a dip in an area with hard bottom or a bend in a channel in any of the remote spots he fishes, he marks it on his machine.

One of the advantages of fishing the backcountry instead of the various popular Overseas Highway bridges that connect the Keys is the scarcity of boats. “In late winter and early spring, there are other boats in the backcountry, but they’re spread out—for miles sometimes—so you don’t feel crowded,” explains Stanczyk, who usually does eight-hour trips starting at 6 or 7 a.m. because it gives him time to run to different areas, some 30 or 40 miles from Islamorada. 

Capt. Grif Helwig of Key West has a well-known tarpon hotspot, Key West Harbor, right in his backyard. But like Stanczyk, he likes to get away from the crowds and does it by running 25 miles west to the Marquesas or northeast into the shallow Gulf waters around Summerland and Big Pine keys. Helwig specializes in fly-fishing, but also arms anglers with soft-plastic lures and plugs. 

Tuned Tactics

A major attraction of targeting tarpon in the Keys backcountry is the opportunity to sight-fish in shallow water. Capt. Greg Poland of Islamorada stealthily poles his skiff across the flats to   afford his anglers the thrilling experience of seeing a 100-pound fish eat their offering in 3 feet of water. 

When he’s not guiding fly anglers, he often resorts to live-baiting to better the odds. The trick, Poland says, is to give incoming fish about a 10-foot lead. “You don’t want to cast too close and spook the tarpon, or cast so far away that the fish doesn’t see the bait. When a tarpon eats, you simply need to reel until the fish starts taking drag to set the circle hook.”

Stanczyk prefers to anchor when he sees tarpon rolling or blowing up schools of mullet. He puts his boat in front of the fish and drifts back live baits. “We usually fish mullet, as lively as possible, especially during the bait run,” he says, adding that pinfish are also effective on pleasant spring days.

He’ll fish a spot for 20 to 30 minutes. If he doesn’t get any bites, he’ll move. But sometimes he never leaves. On his best day, Stanczyk’s anglers caught 16 tarpon at one spot.

Early tarpon are also willing fly takers, if you make the right presentation. Andy Mill of Boca Raton, Florida, who has won the three most prestigious tarpon fly tournaments in the Keys, says success depends on reading the fish and how it’s swimming. “You just have to understand the tarpon’s body language. Whether it’s moving fast or slow and easy, you must keep the fish’s pace with the fly.” 

If a fish is deep and facing into the current, Mill recommends casting short of the fish and letting the fly sink so when the tarpon encounters it, it’s right in front of its face. In that situation, casting directly to the fish -usually ends with the fly drifting over the tarpon as it swims by. “The key is to let the fish see the fly,” says Mill, who likes flies tied on sharp 1/0 hooks that quickly penetrate a tarpon’s hard mouth, made with materials like marabou or rabbit strip, which pulsate enticingly in the water.

Gearing Up

Given the likelihood of catching tarpon of 100 or more pounds, Stanczyk uses heavy spinning outfits spooled with nearly 300 yards of 50-pound braided line so his anglers can quickly bring in and release the fish. He adds 20 feet of 60-pound monofilament to the braid, attaches a swivel, and ties on a 6- to 8-foot leader of 100-pound mono, or 60- to 80-pound fluorocarbon if the water is clear. He affixes a foam float to the swivel and pins a live mullet on a 5/0 to 8/0 J hook, depending on bait size.

Poland opts for lighter tackle when live-baiting on the shallows. His setup is simple: spinning gear, 15-pound braided line, 4 feet of 60-pound fluorocarbon leader, and a 4/0 circle hook. His preferred baits are small blue crabs, pilchards or pinfish suspended below a cork. 

When not fly-fishing, Helwig uses medium-action spinning gear with 40-pound line and a 10-inch Hogy Eel on a circle hook, or a Bomber Wind-Cheater plug with the lip cut off and both trebles swapped for single hooks. 

Mill gears up for big tarpon by using fly reels made for billfish and 650 yards of braided line for backing. The large-diameter reels let him gain line faster, especially advantageous when closing the gap on a running fish and when a tarpon is close to the boat and coming up.

Read Next: Four Places in Florida to Catch Tarpon Year-Round

Taming Tarpon

When they hook a big tarpon, many anglers immediately apply pressure. That can be a mistake, Stanczyk claims. “In the beginning, you don’t want to pull real hard and use a lot of force because the fish is also using a lot of force, so something’s probably going to break or the hook’s going to pull,” he says. “I tell my anglers to keep a light drag at first, and just reel enough to keep the line tight. After five or 10 minutes, once the fish settles and isn’t running and jumping, it’s time to tighten the drag and put more pressure on,” Stanczyk says.

When a tarpon eats a fly, Mill waits until he feels the weight of the fish, then strip-strikes to drive the hook home. 

He then concentrates on clearing the portion of fly line coiled on the casting deck before applying the maximum pressure his tippet will take to tire the fish quickly. Mill stays alert throughout the fight, ready to point the rod at the fish while also extending his arm when the tarpon jumps to prevent it from landing on a taut leader and breaking off.

Whatever tackle you use, if a tarpon gets away, don’t get down. In the Keys, you’re bound to get more shots. 

SWS Planner: Preseason Keys Tarpon

• What: Early tarpon
• When: Tarpon begin showing up in the Keys during warming periods in late winter and early spring, becoming more consistent in March and April, and plentiful from May through early July
• Where: Flamingo, Nine Mile and Sprigger banks, lower Keys basins, and other tranquil backcountry areas
• Who: The following Keys guides are tarpon experts in tune with the fish’s movements:

Key Largo

Capt. George Clark Jr.
rodeocharters.com
305-522-2638

Islamorada

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
islamoradatarpon.com
305-747-6903

Capt. Greg Poland
gregpoland.com
305-393-3327

Key West

Capt. Grif Helwig
endlesssummerfishingcharters.com
904-699-2315

Early-Tarpon Weaponry

The post Get a Jump on Tarpon Fishing in the Keys appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Spring magic in The Florida Keys means tarpon. And there’s no better place to find the acrobatic, hard-fighting fish than Marathon.

A 10-mile-long community in the middle of The Keys that features both prime amenities as well as an Old Florida feel, Marathon serves up hot offshore, inshore, reef, wreck and backcountry fishing. But the species known as the silver king duels for top billing.

From March through June, schools of tarpon, which often weigh more than 100 pounds, congregate everywhere from the pilings of the Seven Mile Bridge to the banks in the Gulf of Mexico. Tarpon fishing also flourishes from September through November, but for fishing guides, the spring season is sheer frenzy—with many running charters mornings, afternoons and nights.

Bridge anglers anchor their boats between pilings and drift back live mullet, which often launch airborne during a tarpon attack. Hookups can be numerous, but tarpon use the pilings to their advantage to break off and get away.

To avoid line-tangling structure, anglers can head to the grass flats in the Gulf and Florida Bay, where they cast live shrimp, pilchards and pinfish and wait for a bite. Captains set up around the banks, which are like coral reefs. On outgoing tides, small fish and crustaceans sweep through breaks in the banks, known as passes, and tarpon, as well as bonefish and permit, wait there to intercept an easy meal. Fly-rodders look for tarpon swimming along the banks and cast relatively tiny flies to them, which the big fish don’t hesitate to inhale.

During winter, the banks attract Spanish mackerel, which can be caught on live bait, jigs, spoons and flies. Reel the macks quickly to the boat, though, to avoid a pick-off by hungry goliath grouper.

Offshore fishermen troll ballyhoo or drift live bait for sailfish, dolphin and wahoo year-round. Many captains take the 27-mile run into blue water to fish the Marathon Hump, an underwater mountain that ranks among the top spots throughout The Keys. The hump attracts blackfin tuna and amberjack throughout the spring. Late spring through early fall, captains troll up blue and white marlin.

Closer to shore, reefs and wrecks hold kingfish, grouper and snapper, including yellowtail, mangrove and mutton. Those reefs, which also host a variety of tropical species, make for great diving and snorkeling. With their beautiful variety of coral formations, Sombrero Reef, Delta Shoals and Coffin’s Patch lure underwater explorers.

Given the abundance of fish, Marathon’s restaurants specialize in serving local seafood. Visitors can sample fare such as shrimp, lobster and stone crabs at the Original Marathon Seafood Festival, held March 12-13, and then overnight at a full-service resort, motel, inn or even a houseboat. Stay longer and load your itinerary with additional outdoor experiences.

Hike trails at Crane Point Hammock, or schedule a guided golf-cart tour; and then visit the Marathon Wild Bird Center. Take a tour of the Turtle Hospital, which provides respite and medical care for injured sea turtles. Swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key, and at Pigeon Key, learn about the incredible engineering and effort that built the railway bridges connecting The Keys more than 100 years ago.

The post Magical Marathon Memories: Tempting a Tarpon and Trolling the Hump appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Fly-fishing guides have perfected tried-and-true formulas for catching tarpon, redfish, striped bass, and sea-run cutthroat. Want in on their secrets? We tapped experts from four different regions to get their best tips for catching the mentioned species on fly.

Massachusetts Stripers

Cape Cod native, Capt. Art Sawayer, has been chasing stripers (as well as bonito, bluefish and albacore) for more than 50 years. Over those five decades, he has watched scores of inexperienced anglers make the same mistake: They stalk stripers in idle water. “Don’t waste your time with water that isn’t moving,” advises Sawayer. Instead, look for rough, turbulent flows and channels where currents accelerate. “The rougher the water, the better [stripers] like it,” he adds.

Such rough patches can be found well offshore, out in the rips where water moving at 6 to 8 knots demands a heavy sinking line on a 9-weight rod. But Sawayer also plies inland marshes, looking for rocks or sandbars that speed up underwater currents. Anglers casting from the beach should scan the shoreline for a visible break in the water, often marking the end of a sandbar. In such shallower zones, Sawayer uses a sink-tip —rather than a full sinking line— to cast his go-to fly, a Clouser Minnow in any color. And don’t bother to flog unproductive water. “If you make five or six casts and don’t get a strike, move someplace else,” he recommends. “There’s a lot of bait here on the Cape, and stripers will hold wherever the food is.”

Capt. Art Sawayer

Dennis, Massachusetts

finfuncharters.com

Ph: 508-223-7517

Florida Tarpon

Capt. Adam Hudson left his native England to fish across the U.S. and has spent the past 20 years pursuing tarpon, redfish and bonefish in Florida. Based on the panhandle of the Sunshine State, where tarpon are big and angler numbers are smaller than in the Keys, Hudson claims there’s just one secret to hooking these marquis fish, and everyone’s already heard it: You’ve got to make fast, accurate casts. That means practicing year-round for the summer tarpon season.

“It’s like your golf swing,” says Hudson, adding that some of his clients seem more willing to practice their golf game than their fly-casting. Consequently, he recommends that tarpon hunters start their quest on the links. “A golf course is a great practice field,” he says. Scatter a handful of paper plates (or ceramic ones, if conditions are windy) across a green and challenge yourself to land your cast as close to them as you can—with the minimum number of backcasts. Don’t worry about perfecting 100-foot shots; instead, work on fast, 50-foot deliveries, and try for a “hole in one,” landing your fly on the plate with just one backcast.

Capt. Adam Hudson

Carrabelle, Florida

hudsonguideservice.com

Ph: 850-566-5599

Washington Sea-Run Trout

 “Cutthroat trout here are very much a saltwater species,” explains Capt. Justin Waters, who’s been guiding fly anglers along the coast of Puget Sound, Washington, for the past 10 years. “They chase baitfish rather than insects, and leave their freshwater haunts to feed in the moving tidal water, between the shore and the drop-offs to deep water,” he explains. Average specimens measure 12 to 14 inches, with big’uns notching two feet. And they bite hard. “They respond to a fast strip,” says Waters, noting that bait that appears to slow down when chased signals trouble to sea-run cuts. “When you see a trout zero in, speed up your stripping, and most of the time they’ll hit it.” Given the crystal-clear water, it’s always a thrilling take, he adds.

The trick is to understand the underwater structure, which usually requires some scouting during low tide to pinpoint the drop-offs. “They like moving water to hide in,” he says. But they avoid muddy bottoms, so target rocky zones with deep gullies or eel grass beds where trout can take cover. Once you’ve located where fish are hold, you’re likely to find them there day after day. Cuts are “very honest fish,” says Waters. “If you put the fly in the right place, you’re going to at least see them, so it’s always stimulating.”

Capt. Justin Waters

Puget Sound, Washington

all-waters.com

Ph: 360-318-5664

Texas Redfish

“Don’t make the mistake of assuming that redfish are easy quarry, they’re not,” insists Capt. Alvin Dedeaux. This Texas-based guide has been chasing reds for more than 40 years, and ranks them as harder to hook than bonefish. Because of their poor vision, they’re easily spooked by unfamiliar sounds. What’s more, the murkier water they inhabit makes it hard to keep your distance. Anglers often have a tough time spotting reds farther than 20 feet out and, at that close range, the boat or the splash of a lure or heavy fly landing too close can frighten the fish.

Therefore, redfish require a specific style of delivery, says Dedeaux. “Perfect your casting accuracy at 15 to 30 feet,” he advises. Reds’ poor vision means they frequently won’t notice a fly placed three feet away. “You need to land it within a foot of the fish’s face, and do it without spooking your quarry,” he explains. “Honing your short game is the way to win,” he adds. Because fly anglers rarely have more than a few seconds to fire after spotting fish at close range, it’s imperative to stay alert and focused through likely lulls. “The action can go from zero to 100 mph in an instant,” says Dedeaux. That’s the unique challenge redfish present.

Capt. Alvin Dedeaux

Rockport, Texas

512-663-7945

alvindedeaux.com/texas-coast

The post Regional Tips to Catch Four Popular Gamefish on Fly appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

A dazzling blend of aerobatics, strength and endurance, tarpon fishing ranks atop Florida’s impressive diversity of inshore and coastal opportunities. From micro tykes of 10 pounds to jumbos over 150, there’s a Florida tarpon to fit all techniques and experience levels.

The moniker “silver king” aptly describes much more than the shimmering scales wrapping this stunning fish. Spoken with a reverence born of experience, it’s a term by which anglers express their esteem for the state’s most iconic fish. Here’s a look at the many ways anglers engage Florida tarpon.

Deep Passes: From May through early July, world-famous Boca Grande Pass, between Cayo Costa and the south end of Gasparilla Island, finds massive aggregations of tarpon staging for their offshore spawning run. Traditional live-baiters slow-troll pinfish, sand perch, crabs or mullet through key areas (deep holes), and vertically fishing modified jigs also earns the bites.

Other Gulf Coast hotspots include Redfish Pass, Captiva Pass, Big Pass and the Egmont Channel. During the fall mullet run, roughly September through October, several east coast inlets — Port Canaveral, Sebastian, Fort Pierce, Jupiter and Haulover — see whitewater mayhem as hordes of tarpon ravage the migrating forage close to jetties, piers and marinas.

Bays and Harbors: Throughout the deep grass and cuts of Estero Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and St. Joseph Sound, tarpon scoop up cut bait fished from anchored boats. Floating live baits and sight-fishing flats and bars also produce.

Bridge Bash: At the Sunshine Skyway spanning Tampa Bay, drifting live baitfish or crabs past the pilings tempts tarpon utilizing those current eddies. Some anglers opt for idling and sight-casting corked baits at schools roaming the tides. Bait-school location impacts the game, so electronics are critical.

Florida Keys anglers find numerous opportunities to engage bridge tarpon all along the Overseas Highway, and the bridges spanning Tampa Bay and Miami’s Biscayne Bay also see their share of action.

Off the Beach: West coast live-baiters and fly-fishermen delight at launching tarpon along the sandy shores of Captiva Island, Manasota Key, Anna Maria Island, Mullet Key (Fort DeSoto), Sand Key, Anclote Key, St. George Island, St. Andrews Island and Santa Rosa Island. On the east coast, the Port Canaveral to Hutchinson Island region offers similar opportunities.

Pier anglers also enjoy the fun by holding live baits in key areas with a release clip linking their fishing line to an anchor line snugged to the bottom. When a tarpon bites, the fishing line detaches so the fish can run.

Flats Stalking: From the Keys to the Nature Coast’s famed Oklahoma Flat (between Bayport and Chassahowitzka), anglers silently push-pole skiffs into position for precision casts to singles or groups. Topwaters, shallow-running plugs and flies work on most flats, but the Oklahoma Flat’s seasoned guides strongly favor the latter.

River Runners: Cut bait soaked in channel bends and deep holes (often near sandbars) might interest the bigger tarpon, while plug-casting to rollers adds to the fun. Calmer backwaters, creeks, canals and tiny mosquito ditches offer prime opportunity to engage juvenile tarpon with jigs, swimbaits, slow-sinking twitchbaits and shallow-diving plugs. Venturing into the tight confines, often canopied with mangrove roots, offers a thrilling close-range engagement popular with kayakers.

To book your next fishing trip please visit BaitYourHook.com.

The post Tarpon Fishing in Florida appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Florida tarpon fishing is as diverse as the state’s waters. Different fisheries shine at different phases of the species’ annual turns along the coasts. Together, four fisheries for four seasons tell something of the mystery—and magic—of the tarpon’s life story.

Spring Migration in the Keys

To track spring tarpon, Capt. Juan Garcia of Islamorada heads to the western edges of Everglades National Park in Florida Bay, to Cape Sable, and a bit up the coast toward Shark River. He’ll also scout schools deeper in the Gulf.

“It can be pretty epic on a slicked-out day when you find hundreds of tarpon laying up on the surface,” Garcia says. “When the water temperature starts to hold steady in the mid-70s, these fish move deeper into the park. Tides, water temperature, wind direction and weather determine the best areas to fish on a given day.”

Garcia believes the fish come from the northern and western Gulf of Mexico, and recent research has revealed that huge schools of tarpon overwinter around oil rigs in the northern Gulf.

“These fish are ready to feed and get into their spawning rituals in the coming months. The longer they’re around, the more pressure they see from anglers, so we’re on the lookout. We like to get the first jump,” Garcia says.

He selects his tackle depending on the size of tarpon he’s after, always keeping in mind that a fast fight and a quick release are good for the fish and the fishery. When he’s fishing dead baits such as mullet on the bottom, he’ll use a weight, swivel and a circle hook attached to a 5-foot fluorocarbon leader. The weight and leader sizes depend on the current and water clarity.

“Up in the Flamingo and Cape Sable area, you can’t beat mullet or ladyfish,” he says. “Pilchards, pinfish and shrimp work well for the smaller fish. At the bridges, I use mullet, dead or alive, depending on tide and location. When the sun goes down, live medium crabs are my bait.”

• Rod: Penn Carnage II 30- to 80-pound-class jig spinning rod, or equivalent
• Reel: 6500 Spinfisher or equivalent
• Line: 40-pound braid, 80-pound mono leader
• Terminal: 5/0 to 8/0 circle hook
• Bait: Live crabs, pilchards, pinfish, mullet and shrimp; plugs or jigs that look similar

Summer Spawning Grounds

As spring days pass, schools of tarpon move northward to their spawning grounds. Boca Grande is one famous spring fishery, but tarpon are well-distributed along Florida’s southwest coast all summer.

“There’s nothing better than a school of tarpon that has rested up all night and is ready to chew at the crack of dawn,” says Capt. David Holzhauer of Cape Coral.

Read Next: Baby Tarpon in Florida

Holzhauer’s fishing begins in the spring with the first wave of fish, and continues deep into summer.

“Their northerly pattern brings them into the Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel area from deep water, where they stage before continuing along the beaches toward Captiva Island, Boca Grande, and farther north toward Tampa,” Holzhauer says. “Along with staying in the Gulf, the fish also take the inside track through the Intracoastal up Pine Island Sound, where the fishing can be as impressive as on the outside Gulf waters.”

Tracking bottom contours is critical, he adds. Knowing where the slightest drop-offs are, where the bottom changes, or where structure lies determines whether or not the fish will pass within reach of your bait and stay around long enough to give you multiple hookup chances.

• Rod: 7-foot-6-inch Tsunami Trophy series jigging rod, or equivalent rod with large guides and long forward grip
• Reel: Tsunami STX6000 or equivalent
• Line: 50-pound braid, 60- to 80-pound fluoro leader
• Terminal: 4/0 to 9/0 Trokar TK3
• Bait: Live threadfins, crabs or mullet, dead catfish

Autumn Forage

Fall action kicks into gear with the outpouring of mullet, pogies and minnows through the inlets to the nearby beach waters, in a southward migration.

“In the fall, we target the inlets, bridges and beaches for the bigger migrating tarpon,” says Capt. Tommy Derringer, a practiced hand at tarpon from South Jacksonville to Palm Coast. “My favorite place to target big fish would have to be the inlets. The tarpon put on quite a show along the rocks, and if you time it right, it can be an all-out feeding frenzy.”

Read Next: Urban Tarpon on Fly

Float a live bait, free-line, fish the bottom, or even toss a plug or fly at those fish, Derringer says, and the action gets outrageous. “There might be three to five big tarpon going airborne, attacking the mullet schools as you fish. If that scene doesn’t get your heart pumping, I don’t know what will.”

Derringer cautions that the area’s high tides, 4 to 6 feet on average, cause big currents, which can make it tough “to get a live bait to look natural in the water. If your bait looks even a little unnatural, tarpon are most likely going to pass on it.”

As the pods wend their way south, tarpon can also be reached with a good, hard cast from some beaches.

• Rod: Shimano Grappler 7-foot-7-inch Type C, or equivalent lightweight spinning rod with fast action and ample backbone
• Reel: Shimano Saragosa 8000, or equivalent spinning reel
• Line: 40-pound braid with 40- to 60-pound fluorocarbon leader
• Terminal: 6/0 to 10/0 Trokar circle hook or equivalent, sized to bait
• Bait: Variety; live mullet is often best in fall, also plugs, soft plastics and jigs

Winter in the Big City

From December through February, Capt. Dave Kostyo of Miami catches tarpon in Haulover Inlet and along the beaches north and south of there. Under the lights of Miami, Kostyo heads out at night and targets the fish wintering in deeper water and feeding on the shrimp runs spurred on by winter cold fronts. Later in the year, from March into July, he will focus on fishing Government Cut. And he says many bridges in Biscayne Bay are good for tarpon throughout the entire season.

“In a four-hour trip,” Kostyo says, “I reasonably expect to have shots at anywhere from two to eight tarpon. When you hit an evening when the shrimp run, the action gets even better.”

Early in the season, the fish tend to be smaller specimens “from inside the bay, from the mangroves and brackish bays north of the inlet,” he explains.

After February, bigger fish move in, with April and May the best months for fish over 100 pounds. Still, there’s something magical about catching tarpon in the dead of winter, by a big city, with few other boats on the water.

Read Next: Night Fishing for Tarpon in Miami

Haulover Inlet is a drift fishery, and there’s skill to knowing how to drift your boat over the areas where the fish gather, not to mention how to maneuver once you’re hooked up. “No matter how well you know the area by day, it’s a whole different picture by night,” Kostyo says. “If a tarpon takes you into the main ship channel, remember, the big ships have the right of way. Also, keep your navigation lights on, and be aware of where the jetties are when moving toward a hooked tarpon.”

Kostyo has a few words for anglers who want a shot but are as yet unfamiliar with the tarpon’s power: “Stand up and breathe while fighting the fish. I’ve seen many anglers bent over at the waist, cutting off their breathing. They get exhausted and have to pass the rod off. On the bigger tarpon, your back is going to hurt, your arms will turn to rubber, and your grip will give out.”

• Rod: 7-foot, medium action, rated for 20- to 30-pound braid
• Reel: Penn Spinfisher VI 6500 or equivalent
• Line: 30- to 50-pound mono top shot, 50-pound leader
• Terminal: 7/0 or 8/0 non-offset circle hook
• Bait: Shrimp in the winter

Planner

The following captains track down tarpon throughout their regional waters:

Spring:

Capt. Juan Garcia

Islamorada, 305-297-0438, letsgofishing.us

Summer:

Capt. David Holzhauer

Cape Coral, 239-940-1541, tarpontrip.com

Fall:

Capt. Tommy Derringer

St. Augustine, 904-377-3734, inshoreadventures.net

Winter:

Capt. Dave Kostyo

Miami, 305-965-9454, knotnancy.com

The post Four Places in Florida to Catch Tarpon Year-Round appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.