[rcw]

Went down PINS today and the water was crystal clear and beautiful. Only caught one 29" Spanish mack but saw 8 or 10 tarpon as long as my paddle crusing the 3rd sand bar. Also had one roll about 10 feet from my kayak. The sad thing is I don't have an ounce of experience catching tarpon. Went down to about the 25mm and found lots of sargassum and no mullet so we didn't have any live bait to throw at them. Anybody have any suggestions for catching them from either the beach or from a kayak? I am sure live bait is best but how do you rig your line, circle hook, J-hook, free lined, on the bottom, etc?

 

[NW80]

Fish a fly Rod or don't mess with them!!!!!

 

[sumbeech]

Fish a fly Rod or don't mess with them!!!!!

Why?

 

[NW80]

Why not?

 

[sumbeech]

Can you answer straight up, I'd like to know why. I don't fish for Tarpon, but I have booked a trip with a guide in Florida for mid-July and I'm curious as to what you have to say. Or are you one of them that has to try to answer a question with a question?

Tony

 

[goatruckman]

but I have booked a trip with a guide in Florida for mid-July and I'm curious as to what you have to say.
Tony

florida tarpon fishing is ALOT different than these tarpon.

 

[NW80]

I just believe that a Tarpon should be caught on a flyrod. Some fish are made to be caught on a fly such as Brook Trout,Bonefish,Redfish,Salmon,Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Permit,etc.
You must be fishing on the Gulf side of Fla. as the Tarpon usually have migrated on from the Keys by then - at least that's what I'm told.
Good Luck!

 

[Richman]

poons

16'0 circle hook on florocarbon leader, live mullet would be best but dead is better than nothing, cut bait will work. good luck!
Rich

 

[sumbeech]

I do not live in Florida, I will be vacationing there on the gulf (Near St. Petersburg), I do have a trip booked for Tarpon, Snook, and Ling. I live in Orange and have always been somewhat curious about Tarpon in our waters, I have seen them several times while in route offshore and have also seen a few off the beach several hundred yards out, I am curious as to the preferred method/location for Tarpon on the upper Texas coast.

Tony

 

[SpookJr]

I have never caught any tarpon in Texas but I hook/jump at least one every other trip here in FL. Not sure what the difference is between catching them there or here, but most people here use med/heavy spinning tackle with leaders ranging from 60-100lbs. As for me I just 7'6" med/heavy allstar rod (kingfish rod) with a calcutta 401TE. main line is 20lbs floroclear with a 40-60lbs leader. Most of the time I will free line live bait with a uni-uni knot from main line to leader with a 2/0 - 4/0 circle hook (never really needed anthing bigger than that). Live mullet, pilchards, google eyes, large shrimp, and small blue crabs work really well. For artificial you can use a wide variety of plugs from swimming to topwaters to soft plastics. PM me if you have any other questions, I can also give you some areas to fish around that area after your guided trip.

 

[Freshwaterman]

I sight cast to them down here in the fall. My set up is a 8'6" med action with a 6600 Garcia Morrum. Twenty lb floro on the main line 60 lb floro leader. The hook is a 12/0 Owner and the plastic is a 7 " Bass assassin.


The last ingredient is a bunch of praying once you hook up. Good Luck!!!

 

[rcw]

I plan on being in South Padre next Friday the 23rd and would love to set the hook on a nice tarpon. I will not have my boat with me but might possibly have my kayak. If not, I'll be on the jetty!

 

[Jake Reaves]

I plan on being in South Padre next Friday the 23rd and would love to set the hook on a nice tarpon. I will not have my boat with me but might possibly have my kayak. If not, I'll be on the jetty!

If you have your Kayak down there spend some time on the beach between Port Isabel and Port Mansfield. I've heard theres been a few caught. We tried to fish it the other day but the conditions were a little rough. Good Luck!!! -Jake