[MAGNUM]

We went out Sunday afternoon. We managed to jump one, but that was it. We saw a bunch of them rolling, but it seemed like they were ignoring our baits.

I need help on getting those big silver monsters to bite.

We were armed with some Abu Garcia 7000s and big circle hooks. We were using some big croakers for bait. What should we use for bait? We were thinking we should have netted some big mullet, but I don't know why we didn't.

 

[Jacko]

Tough question.

Mullet are good, crabs may be better. Since nothing ever seems to work a little of anything you can get is worth trying.

I went out with a well known guide a few years back. He was very fond of large menhaden. We did not jump a fish and never changed the technique. He was married to a single approach. My uncle was with him the week before and boated a huge fish.

I have 2 friends that don't tarpon fish but they've both jumped fish accidently. One was off the Brazos and the other was at the POC jetties. Both were using live shrimp. That would be my best guess to intise a tarpon that was not feeding. A big fat live shrimp.

I know a guy that swears buy slow trolling russle lures when he finds them rolling and not eating. He removes the treble hooks and puts a long jay hook on the end.

Good luck finding them when they are hungry.

 

[SpookJr]

Try a live blue crab around 2-3 inches, live mullet, or live jumbo shirmp. Other than that try a topwater or some type of swimming plug/soft plastic. How are you hooking your live bait? freeline? Ususally when they are picky I down size the circle hook to about a 3/0 or 4/0 (gamagaksu). Alot of people use really large circle hooks but you can easily catch them on the smaller ones as well. When freelining I use a 30-60lb florocarbon leader with a uni-uni knot to the main line. Lighter leader/small hook allows for the live bait fish to swim more naturally and allows them to stay alive longer. When tarpon are picky a "lively" kicking bait might trigger a bite out of instinct rather than a nearly dead bait.

 

[Scott]

click on the Texas Tarpon Fishing link at the top of the page. There is a tips and tactics section. Got some good info. For bait, most guys on the upper coast use fresh dead shad on circle hooks.... fresh.