# Tarpon...



## Ralph (Aug 1, 2002)

FISHING. 
tackle-wise should i go light or heavy? and what about bait; live bait or plugs. come on guys give it up. so far, all i know is that tarpon are difficult to catch.


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## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

where in florida?


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## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

Do you have tarpon up there, or are you traveling?

Me and a few buddies have been targeting tarpon from our kayaks every week for almost two months now. We are definitly hooked. We were out in the gulf on father's day throwing spoons at some mackeral and I hooked into a 100lb tarpon. Landed it a half hour later on 15lb PP and 20lb flouro:fishing: Had some darn good luck that day.
We both went out that week and got Shimano Batirunner 4500 reels and 7' 20-40lb Ocean Master rods (Offshore Angler). We loaded them with 40lb PP and 80lb flouro. We usually manage to both land one every time we go out but we also get broke off twice as often. I certainly think you need to go heavy but remember you are still at the mercy of one of the strongest fish in the ocean. Everyone I asked for advice down here all said pretty much the same thing - it doesn't matter what you use they will break you off a lot.
As far as bait goes we have been using pinfish, threadfins, mullet, scaled sardines (3-4 on a hook), cut ladyfish, and cat tails. Typically we just use what we can find in the area for bait. We have had luck on all of these. Our rule of thumb is if it's live it gets freelined, if it's dead we put it on the bottom. We have landed some nice shark doing this as well. Last week I landed a 7ft nurse on a whole live mullet.
As far as artificials go I'm not too sure. I hooked that one tarpon on a clarkespoon but haven't gotten them to take another lure since.


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Wow, that is a question with many answers. First question, where you fishing at?

You can get by with a heavy duty medium action spin cast rod in the right conditions, if you're fishing for 65-125lb fish. Above that it gets dicey. Spincast will still do the trick, but you gotta finesse em. I've landed and touch leadered quite a few in the 65-125lb class on my Penn 7500 with a custom 7 foot medium action rod. My first was a 25-30lb juvenile caught by surprise while snook fishing in the Everglades damn near 30 years ago now.

Most anglers go conventional for the big fish, though. All my big fish, which is only four above 125lbs, have come in on conventional gear. My biggest was length/girth estimated at 185 lbs. That was at Boca Grande.

As far as bait, once again what area? Pass crabs, hand size threadfin herring, what we down here call (horse threads) or deep jigging in passes are all effective depending on the time of year and specific area. Hell, you can catch em on D.O.A. Baitbusters in Tampa Bay area under the bridges, right now. They are very area/tide/moon/match the hatch fish.


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## Ralph (Aug 1, 2002)

*Thanks Guys!*

although i don't plan to be fishing in FL, i posted here because i figured you guys had the most experience targeting tarpon. incidentally i fished the cocoa beach area of florida the weekend the shuttle was launched. what a hoot! many BIG reds and trout! 
so far, what you're telling me about tarpons confirms what i read. but what about hook size and type? do you recommend say a 6/0 circle hook; or larger or smaller size o'shaughnessy style hook? thanks in advance for the input!


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Ralph--Circle hooks in the 6/0 range are perfect. You gotta use the heavy gauge ones though and you want to make sure your point is super sharp. Never use the same hook twice for tarpon fishing. 

Some anglers will say I'm crazy, but there jaws are tough and you have to hammer that hook home with successive whaps of your rod to get a good set.

I prefer the Gamakatsu Octopus Circles (xtra strong) or the Owner Super Mutu heavy gauge. 

Bear in mind though, I may have experience with tarpon fishing, but I am, to use an old Boy Scout term, a tenderfoot, to some of the Captains and lifelong anglers down here I fish with. I have learned much from them over the years.


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

newtoNaples said:


> Do you have tarpon up there, or are you traveling?
> 
> Me and a few buddies have been targeting tarpon from our kayaks every week for almost two months now. We are definitly hooked. We were out in the gulf on father's day throwing spoons at some mackeral and I hooked into a 100lb tarpon. Landed it a half hour later on 15lb PP and 20lb flouro:fishing: Had some darn good luck that day.
> We both went out that week and got Shimano Batirunner 4500 reels and 7' 20-40lb Ocean Master rods (Offshore Angler). We loaded them with 40lb PP and 80lb flouro. We usually manage to both land one every time we go out but we also get broke off twice as often. I certainly think you need to go heavy but remember you are still at the mercy of one of the strongest fish in the ocean. Everyone I asked for advice down here all said pretty much the same thing - it doesn't matter what you use they will break you off a lot.
> ...



Now that sounds like a great time...
How far off shore do you fish and near structure or just off the beach?


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## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

VICIII said:


> Now that sounds like a great time...
> How far off shore do you fish and near structure or just off the beach?


Most of the tarpon where we fish seem to hang out 150-200 yards from shore, in about 12 feet of water. We usually paddle our kayaks almost into shore, bait up, blow kisses goodbye to our loved ones, and use the offshore breeze to slowly drift us out. By the time we get out a mile or so, we turn around and paddle back in. opcorn:Repeat if necessary.

I don't see any real structure in my fishfinder but there is something down there. Not much but maybe some small rocks or mangrove debris since we are fishing just outside of a pass.


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

newtoNaples said:


> Most of the tarpon where we fish seem to hang out 150-200 yards from shore, in about 12 feet of water. We usually paddle our kayaks almost into shore, bait up, blow kisses goodbye to our loved ones, and use the offshore breeze to slowly drift us out. By the time we get out a mile or so, we turn around and paddle back in. opcorn:Repeat if necessary.
> 
> I don't see any real structure in my fishfinder but there is something down there. Not much but maybe some small rocks or mangrove debris since we are fishing just outside of a pass.


I would love to see some pics of what your doing.. I need to make a trip over to the gulf now... what a great way to fish.


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## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

VICIII said:


> I would love to see some pics of what your doing.. I need to make a trip over to the gulf now... what a great way to fish.












This is the best one I got right now (I'm at work) Those are my buddies in the pic. We caught that ~80lb Tarpon on Sunday.

Someday I'll have to figure out how to get these pics to show up in the threads.

Come on over to the Gulf, I'll take you out.


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

I am trying to make a plan for the end to middle of Aug. I would love to try this.. What city do you fish near?


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## Soaked (Jul 21, 2006)

VICIII said:


> I am trying to make a plan for the end to middle of Aug. I would love to try this.. What city do you fish near?


Naples

Clam Pass at the end of Pine Ridge Road


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