# Tarpon in Poquoson



## Out Sick (May 27, 2006)

Anybody got any info on that Tarpon caught this week up there. Theres a beautifull picture of it on tidalfish. Nobody has said exactly where it was caught but it was somewhere near poquoson. The picture has allot of stuff in the background inluding a sailboat halfsunk on a sandbar. Looks like if you fished that area much you'd definantly be able to tell where he was. The fish appear to be in the upper 30" range. Hit a bucktail. What an awesome catch.


----------



## FISHBGY (Oct 17, 2008)

*Tarpon*

My brother and i been catching small ones all year,they,ve been here for years my best one was at the Cabbage Patch,couple years ago with a live spot fishing for Kings, not FICTION!


----------



## 05 grand slam (Nov 7, 2007)

Believe it or not they are here! They just really got their big debut this year with the one caught off of LIP. They migrate up here every summer to spawn in creeks in the easter shore. The one that the marine science museum has i believe was caught just out side of the lesner bridge.


----------



## Out Sick (May 27, 2006)

I've know that Va is the highest point in their migration but never hear of any being caught anywhere but on the ES or caught in the ocean on the way up. 
Fishbgy, you've been catchin them all year, I assume you mean this summer only. Are you going to disclose where you've been gettin em and what baits you've had luck with. Thats just crazy. I figured they would have all been headed south by now. I hear usually after the first cold day in Sept. they turn tail and run. Have you caught any recently?


----------



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

A lot of times people confuse American Shad as baby Tarpon. Not trying to say that's what's going on in FISHGBY's case, but there are quite a few people who make that mistake. I didn't even know Tarpon came into VA waters until the report about the one on the LIP.


----------



## fishing forrest (Nov 9, 2008)

Darlings Bar right behind Factory Point. 
That guy has been moving that sailboat around for the last year trying to hide it for back taxes. Got it stuck out on the sandbar and it has been there for the last 6 weeks. Forrest


----------



## 05 grand slam (Nov 7, 2007)

lol thats what you get for trying to hide it! But hey his loss our gain great place for some fish to hang out at.


----------



## virginia boy 1 (May 8, 2003)

FISHBGY said:


> *My brother and i been catching small ones* all year,they,ve been here for years my best one was at the *Cabbage Patch,couple years ago with a live spot fishing for Kings,* not FICTION!


Those were shad.


Kings at the cabbage patch sounds more like fiction than tarpon there.


----------



## Kenmefish (Apr 21, 2000)

I doubt that anyone ever caught a shad on a live spot.


----------



## FISHBGY (Oct 17, 2008)

*Tarpon*

There are kings everywhere in the bay i was accually Cobia fishing but had to give it a shot had the gear,and i did catch a Tarpon,caught quite a few in the sound down in Hatteras,and a couple in Fla. probably could say Latameir Shoals, there in the same vicinity,never saw a shad over 15 in.!


----------



## FISHBGY (Oct 17, 2008)

*Tarpon*



Out Sick said:


> I've know that Va is the highest point in their migration but never hear of any being caught anywhere but on the ES or caught in the ocean on the way up.
> Fishbgy, you've been catchin them all year, I assume you mean this summer only. Are you going to disclose where you've been gettin em and what baits you've had luck with. Thats just crazy. I figured they would have all been headed south by now. I hear usually after the first cold day in Sept. they turn tail and run. Have you caught any recently?


Havn,t caught any in the last 45 days but caught them on Mackeral rigs trolling with my brother, the seem to like the small multicolored tubes on the rigs, i didn,t know it was such a secret,not many warm water species this time of year,not to say theres not a stray or two, 60 degree water would support stripers,specks,greys,etc.


----------



## virginia boy 1 (May 8, 2003)

Kenmefish said:


> I doubt that anyone ever caught a shad on a live spot.


I meant that the little ones that they catch all the time are probably shad. I also agree that it is likely to see a tarpon at the cabbage patch, more so than a king.


----------



## jay (Feb 19, 2004)

*never fails!!!*

everytime a bite or something like this happens my boat's down....CRAP!:--|


----------



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

FISHBGY said:


> There are kings everywhere in the bay i was accually Cobia fishing but had to give it a shot had the gear,and i did catch a Tarpon,caught quite a few in the sound down in Hatteras,and a couple in Fla. probably could say Latameir Shoals, there in the same vicinity,never saw a shad over 15 in.!


I've seen some shad in the 25"+ range caught in Rudee Inlet this year. Their mouth and big scales make them look just like a small tarpon, but that's not what they were. Where could I go to catch King Macks in the bay?


----------



## Blloyd (Oct 26, 2004)

drawinout said:


> I've seen some shad in the 25"+ range caught in Rudee Inlet this year. Their mouth and big scales make them look just like a small tarpon, but that's not what they were. Where could I go to catch King Macks in the bay?


Saw a drunk hook one on Buckroe pier about 15 years ago. He had no idea what it was and I was shocked. Broke off on a piling.


----------



## cannotlogin (Sep 1, 2008)

Well they get them in the pimlico sound all the time they can be seen sunning on calm days in the summer on sand bars I am going for some next year.


----------



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Blloyd said:


> Saw a drunk hook one on Buckroe pier about 15 years ago. He had no idea what it was and I was shocked. Broke off on a piling.


Hell, it was probably abnormal 15 years ago. Now in days it would probably be damn near unheard of. Around 30 years ago my old man used to catch a lot of little kings in Oregon Inlet, but he never caught any in the Chesapeake Bay. I'd be happily surprised if I was fishing the bay and caught a king.


----------



## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

drawinout said:


> I've seen some shad in the 25"+ range caught in Rudee Inlet this year. Their mouth and big scales make them look just like a small tarpon, but that's not what they were.


those would be atlantic herring.


----------



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Might have been Bubba, I'm not a shad expert. All I know is the damn things looked just like a baby tarpon!!! I thought it was an American Shad, but I don't know.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

I was on the boat that posted the pic on tidalfish!! that was no shad!! iv never seen a shad that big!!!! so.......all there is to say is it was a poon!! i was there


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

so for all u people saying it is a shad!! ur dead wrong!!! sorry to hurt ur feelings but!!!!


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

Out sick the poon was about 38 inches long it was a cute lil devil!!!! and yes it was caught on a bucktail!!! it was a great show to watch!!!


----------



## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

Looking at the picture, if that were a shad it would be on HELL of a HUGE shad. That was definitely a baby poon.


----------



## Mdt1992 (Sep 3, 2007)

no way thats a shad. its a Tarpoon!!!


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

thanks for post that pic!! i was gonna do it when i got off work!!! it was a great site to see!!


----------



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Nice!!! I wish there was a way to make that picture a bit bigger.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

go to tidalfish its still up there!!! do u still not believe its a poon!! u need the pic to be bigger!!! man i got a couple of it on my camera if u need me to i can email u picks!!! better yet i will grab the scales the angler took off the fish and show u them!!!


----------



## Out Sick (May 27, 2006)

hatterasbound said:


> Out sick the poon was about 38 inches long it was a cute lil devil!!!! and yes it was caught on a bucktail!!! it was a great show to watch!!!



I bet that was a really cool show to watch. Did he jump out the water over and over? I don't think anybody's ?'ing whether thats a tarpon or not. I think the thread has gotten a little off course. I think someone was ?'ing somebody elses ability to recognize the difference between the two. I don't know how we got to this. Oh well. Anyway, thats cool stuff man. I'm glad you were able to see it take place. Thats the stuff fishstories are made of. 
Forest, thanks for giving up the local. I was really interested in where it was caught. And Fishbgy thanks for sharing where and what youve caught them in the past. I know you wrote earlier, you didn't think it was big deal but they only register 6 citations a year or so in VA on them. There are plenty more caught over in the ES creeks but nobody talks about it. Tarpon fishermen make spec guys look like blabber mouths as far as I'm concerned. So, hats off to ya. I may have to pm you more about that next summer. I used to poon fish, strictly catch and release but now I'm engaged. 

Ben


----------



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

hatterasbound said:


> go to tidalfish its still up there!!! do u still not believe its a poon!! u need the pic to be bigger!!! man i got a couple of it on my camera if u need me to i can email u picks!!! better yet i will grab the scales the angler took off the fish and show u them!!!


Whoa boss, I'm not doubting it's a Tarpon!!!! All I said was some people mistake other fish for small tarpon. I was just pointing that out. I wasn't trying to make a liar out of anybody bud.


----------



## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

It's been known for quite some time that tarpons are caught in the Eastern Shore during the summer. It's global warming I guess.


----------



## FISHBGY (Oct 17, 2008)

*Tarpon*

nice work, tried to tell these guys they were hear! thanks for verification.


----------



## 1fishinmusician (Jun 8, 2005)

I don't think global warming has much to do with "oddballs" gettin caught in the mid Atlantic region. Over the years I've seen and caught quite a few. I have noticed more seem to show up when prevailing inshore winds push the gulfstream closer to shore.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

yea it was an awesome site!! that lil devil was jumpin all over the place!!! an awesome catch on a lil trout rod and reels!! wish she was on the end of my line!!! i wasnt tryin to jump anyones bones here on the thread i was wanted everyone to know that it was really a lil poon!!


----------



## Hollybrooke (Nov 18, 2008)

Never thought my post from tidalfish would make it here. Guess I should check this site more often.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

Dang Byrd what u doing over here!?!?


----------



## Hollybrooke (Nov 18, 2008)

Well you know, old dog new tricks and all.


----------



## GotchaMack (Jun 16, 2004)

Wow! That is one one wayward tarpon. I knew they were around the Eastern Shore throughout the summer months, but I can't believe there is one hanging around this late in the year??!!! As far as the shad/tarpon debate is concerned, there are definite characteristics to look for when trying to distinguish the two. Don't underestimate the American Shad, they can reach sizes much bigger than commonly believed...I'm talking upwards of 3 feet, trust me they breed in the creeks in my area and are quite hard to miss. The easiest way to identify the critters is to look for a large black spot just behind the top of the gill plate...this is the American Shad. Also, the American Shad's dorsal is located much further forward in the back than that of the Tarpon. I hope this helps folks figure out what they may have been catching. At the smaller sizes, you also have to be aware of hickory shad and atlantic herring, but if you look them up they have distinguishing features as well.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

i never seen scales the size of almost 3 fingers placed togther on any shad!!! and i have seen a couple good sized shads in my day!! that was an awesome lil tarpon!!!


----------



## basstardo (Jun 5, 2006)

There has been all kinds of wayward things caught in the bay this year. It's been a weird one to say the least.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

u got that right terry!!!


----------



## blakester (Nov 19, 2008)

I caught a mangrove snapper this year in my castnet


----------



## blakester (Nov 19, 2008)

I caught about a 1lb mangrove snapper this year in my castnet


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

haha and u tried to start that mangrove snapper bite!!! where have u been??


----------



## blakester (Nov 19, 2008)

Got back from avon friday , just been driving over that bridge lookin at all those boats at what youse to be hidden in plain sight , did catch me 4 of those red types last week. HOW U BEEN.


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

i hear ya man!!! u got my number call me!! we need to go fishin!! im pickin up a J16 this weekend!!!


----------



## blakester (Nov 19, 2008)

You cant hide all that money yes iwill call you in a shortly thanx


----------



## 05 grand slam (Nov 7, 2007)

any one hear about the bailer dolphin being caught at the third island this summer? Ima justa sayin youse gotsta be in the knows for that one

cannt forget those spanyards the tourons were catching in LIP's parking lot lol


----------



## hatterasbound (Sep 18, 2008)

right!!!!


----------



## 05 grand slam (Nov 7, 2007)

but i really did hear about some dolphin being caught at the third or fourth island


and you know how we all love them tourons.. no i mean tourists yeah thats it


----------



## New Kent Newbie (Apr 25, 2006)

Its true hatterasbound called me right after they caught it and ive seen the pics on his camera


----------



## Hollybrooke (Nov 18, 2008)

If blakester and HB get together the fish will trembling with fear!!!


----------



## 05 grand slam (Nov 7, 2007)

Hollybrooke said:


> If blakester and HB get together the fish will trembling with fear!!!


haha


----------

