Tarpon

[Capt Matt]

After 10 hook ups finally a client landed one, good to get the tarpon skunk out of the new boat.
This fish was hooked at Fosters point and towed us across the busy weekend intercoastal 3 times.
A quick photo while I removed the hook and released it unharmed
estimated  at 120 pounds plus, 1 hour fight time
Capt Matt

[love2fish]

Nice work!

[RickK]

Good job Matt    - hey maybe we'll have something to toy with while we're there  

[GoneFission]

Poon-time!!  

[Capt Matt]

Bring your tarpon gear, lots of fish at fosters point this last few days
Capt Matt

[seabob4]

Excellent fish, Matt!!  How was the release?  Hopefully no sharks in the vicinity...

[gran398]

Way to go Matt!!

A lot easier said than done.

 Tarpon fishing is hard work.

 Add in the competition, it becomes even tougher.

Congrats to you, and congrats to your angler

[John Jones]

Nice work Matt.  They can be frustrating and addictive.

So far that is the only thing I have found that I am going to miss about SW FL.  Poons don't normally show up here until almost July and there just aren't that many of them.

[Capt Matt]

Tarpon fishing as a guide is a Love/hate thing, either I go home a superstar or a looser that took money for a sightseeing trip. I beat myself up on those tough days worse than any client could.  On the up side there is no better feeling though than to get a client/angler there first tarpon, can I say client for life!.
I revived the tarpon boat side and she swam off like nothing ever happened. I don't usually lift them out of the water but needed to get the hook out and left enough of the fish in the water I was not breaking the FL law.
Thomas Edson moved to Ft Myers to tarpon fish and never landed a large one, even though his wife did If that very smart man could never get it done you know how hard it can be. Then some days its a no brainer.
All I can do as a guide is put my clients in the tarpon, I came to the conclusion many years ago I simply cannot make them eat. Luckily some days they do.
Even though it can be very tough fishing tarpon are the ultimate shallow water gamefish and without a doubt my favoriite fish to hunt and catch. Until you have hooked one you just do not know what your in for!!!
Capt Matt

[love2fish]

Capt. Matt:
"Thomas Edson moved to Ft Myers to tarpon fish and never landed a large one, even though his wife did If that very smart man could never get it done you know how hard it can be.."

-maybe he was smarter than you think! haha

[RickK]

Looks like the fishing pole in the front is not real heavy - what do you use for "Tarpon Gear"?

[gran398]

Folks that expect to catch fish are not experienced fisherman. I've had to take the rods out of the water just to eat a sammie. As soon as the bait hits the water, you're hooked up.

Other days, you can't buy one...or one boat puts the stink on every other boat.

That's why they call it fishing, and not "catching". Catching is merely a bonus to a fun experience.

Nice work Captain Matt!!

[Capt Matt]

All the tarpon fishing I do anymore is on spinning gear: 6000 series reels spooled with 250-300 yards of 50# braid on 8ft medium heavy spinning rods.
Back when I was a kid we would catch our tarpon from a anchored boat on a heavy boat rod and a 4/0 reel, A spinning rod is so much easier to handle, cast and fight the fish with. The fight time is shorter on the spinning gear than sat anchored on the heavy gear.  For casting at rolling fish the spinning tackle is tops.

Now I drop the anchor float buoy when I hook up and chase them. The closer to the fish I can keep the boat the more pressure the angler can keep on the fish. Its all about the "down and dirty" the Stu Apte method of fighting these big fish. Constant pressure and mixing up the angle of how you pull on the fish to keep them of balance.
An experienced angler who has caught tarpon before will get a 100 pound fish to the boat in less than 30 minutes most of the time. A few times a season though I hook a fish that is no bigger than average but will just not give it up and quit, these rogues will not jump much and kick your ass for 2 hours. Anything after about 30 minutes seems your on borrowed time with a tarpon fight with the main line, leaders and even hooks often breaking.

 A experienced fly fisherman with a 12 weight will beat these fish faster than any other type of tackle.

Capt Matt

[RickK]

That's good stuff there.  
 I have not pursued nor caught a tarpon yet - been here all my life too - weird huh?  Just haven't tried.
In my neck of the woods they are a migratory fish passing by in the gulf and people/guides sit out there and wait for them to pass by. I haven't done that.

[John Jones]

In my neck of the woods they are a migratory fish passing by in the gulf and people/guides sit out there and wait for them to pass by. I haven't done that.

Rick,
Towards the end of may through August go to Longboat Bridge when there is a full or new moon outgoing tide.  It's best when the outgoing is in the early morning.  After 9 or 10AM there is too much boat traffic even on a weekday.  Get one of those long handled tourist dip nets and dip up some of the pass crabs that are going out with the tide.  A lot of times you can find the crabs hanging onto the wooden fenders under the drawbridge.  Hook that crab through the shell near one of the pointy ends on a 7/0 Owner cutting point circle hook.  Just go back from the bridge 50 yds or so and drift that crab right out with the tide until you get out to the LB marker, then start over again.

It works...