# 2008 tarpon spoted



## AlanKulcak (Aug 24, 2007)

has any one sean or heard of any reports of any poons showing up yet? i know the winds havent been nice but this hot weather gots me excited


----------



## Scott (May 24, 2004)

Yep... been some further down the coast. They are here for sure. Water is plenty warm. Just gotta get out to them now...


----------



## CrazyYak (Mar 16, 2005)

A buddy of mine saw one attacking bait about 27 miles out of Freeport last weekend. The next calm day should bring reports of them.


----------



## Salty Bum (May 24, 2007)

Scott said:


> Yep... been some further down the coast. They are here for sure. Water is plenty warm. Just gotta get out to them now...


Further down the Coast - Would that be in the Port A area or surrounding area - I will be down there June 23rd through the 28th fishing. Thanks

Salty Bum
HOOK 'EM HORNS!!!!
<'))))))))*><


----------



## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

We've been getting a few bites each day on the out going tide down south. I've fished every day since the 1st. We lost a nice fish last night due to hook failure.


----------



## dljones (Mar 7, 2007)

I actually had the pleasure of fishing with Jake on Sunday in the worst conditions imaginable for "pleasant" tarpon fishing. Despite the water looking like chocolate milk, Jake somehow coaxed three tarpon into eating with one mid-size fish jumping several times before parting company with the hook. Thankfully, the snook were cooperative and there were plenty of places to duck out of the wind! I also have very reliable reports of fish showing up in good numbers out of Mansfield and have personally seen a few of the "little guys" in the harbor. Once the wind dies, it is on.


----------



## bk005 (Feb 23, 2005)

I also fished down SPI with Jake last week. Wind was getting it, but managed to spot a few and jumped a nice 120# Tarpon hat was apparently all jacked up on mountain dew. Sucker came at us like a spider monkey, and made a great show for the Dolphin watch boat. Also found some Juvee's and had a blast there. Jake makes it happen. I see the winds laying since I left and he is not on here, so hopefully its hammer down... Shake and Bake.


----------



## CaptBrad (Dec 29, 2007)

They are here in Port A for sure. Ive been seeing several of them rolling. Last week my dad had a 5ft tarpon up to the boat before it finally threw the hook.


----------



## CaptBrad (Dec 29, 2007)

They are here in Port A for sure. Ive been seeing several of them rolling. Last week my dad had a 5ft tarpon up to the boat before it finally threw the hook.


----------



## Wading Mark (Apr 21, 2005)

Great job all around. Once this wind stops, July and August are going to be insane.


----------



## Salty Bum (May 24, 2007)

CaptBrad said:


> They are here in Port A for sure. Ive been seeing several of them rolling. Last week my dad had a 5ft tarpon up to the boat before it finally threw the hook.


Thanks Capt. Brad. I leave this Sunday. I can not wait!!!!!!!!

Salty Bum
HOOK 'EM HORNS!!!!
<'))))))))*><


----------



## z-cat (Jul 24, 2007)

I've been seeing the little ones in the harbor at Mansfield. I've been seeing the better ones rolling around the Mansfield jetties. Took my boy to SPI on Sunday, and saw a few busting bait off the 3rd sandbar. I don't fish for them, but I do keep an eye out for them.


----------



## ztmleafar (Aug 6, 2006)

saw an article in the island breeze of a 200# dead tarpon found around spi also saw some by the target post swimm up to the boat in a foot of water. a buddy saw one crashing bait around green island this weekend


----------



## live2fish-fish2live (May 23, 2008)

I drove to Mansfield Jetties this past weekend, saw 1 chasing mullet.


----------



## IroncladShad (Aug 30, 2005)

I saw 2 five footers at the Port A jetties yesterday 200 yards off the beach. I was trout fishing on the rocks, when I see these two monsters rolling in unison right toward my lemon rig and live shrimp. The fight lasted three seconds. It made my week. I will catch one off the rocks this year!


----------



## hookguy (Aug 15, 2005)

Was 15 miles out of the G town jetties this afternoon and had a solo tarpon roll past while tied up on a rig. Lots of shad bait pods rolling through and smacks and ladyfish.


----------



## dljones (Mar 7, 2007)

I valiantly attempted to fish Packery Channel this morning and arrived at 4:30 a.m. to a ripping incoming tide, clean water, birds working several rips and menhaden jumping everywhere. That is about where most of the positive descriptives come to an abrupt end. We worked hard, but somehow could not catch any menhaden. The mullet we did finally catch after an hour of trying were probably a tad on the large side (perhaps eight inches) and it was breaking day when we actually began fishing.

For the un-initiated, Packery is a pain in the ***** to begin with. It is an extremely narrow set of jetties and is often crowded. I expected that going in to this little excursion. However, I was a bit surprised to find there were already at least fifteen other anglers on the rocks when we arrived and many more folks joined their swelling ranks in very short order. A nasty little SE wind kicked up, further complicating matters and making it highly difficult for me to fish outside the rocks. This limited our intrepid crew's options to dodging the hundreds of weighted bottom rigs being fired at our boat from multiple directions. Fishing close to the rocks was a virtual impossibility and, if the unexpected Wednesday morning "combat fishing" was not already enough to deal with, my trolling motor unexpectedly died. Of course, this mechanical snafoo occurred at precisely the same moment we spotted several 3-4 footers roll along the outside rip amidst the darting menhaden and diving birds. I was forced to use my outboard in a valiant albeit futile effort to hold us in position while my partner chunked swim baits in the general direction of where the tarpon had surfaced, although the fish simply went down and did not show again. I certainly expected this to happen, but my options were limited. The tide was ripping so hard through the pass by that time that failing to run the outboard would have placed me in the rocks faster than you can say, "let's go home."

Speaking of that, we cried "uncle" at 7:30 a.m. and headed back to the house to change for work and to regroup for another wind-blown day along the Texas coast.

This is perhaps the third time I have fished Packery and I will not make that mistake again unless I anticipate fishing from the rocks, I am drunk or have simply become too senile to recall how frustrated I became on every prior occassion. On the weekends there is a constant parade of boats, busy-looking guys armed with no less than 15 separate rods each covering every which direction and, of course, the lovely jet ski crowd. Boat traffic is certainly lighter during the week, but the number of anglers using the rocks is nevertheless astounding. Yes, there are tarpon using the pass and, yes, there are actually good numbers of snook hiding in the rocks. However, fishing the Port A jetties is much, much less of a mental beating for those of us who would prefer to maintain a comfortable distance from the huddled masses and their surf rods.

Good luck to you all, assuming the wind ever stops blowing long enough to allow you time on the water. In the interim, I am contemplating taking up basket weaving to pass the time.


----------



## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

good luck on the basket weaving


----------



## teke (Jun 19, 2006)

I was just reading the fishing reports section and this post:

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showpost.php?p=1618160&postcount=11

Mentions tarpon at the surfside Jetties yesterday evening.. just thought i would pass it along.


----------



## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

DlJones,

I like the PA jetties better also but with a full moon the tide will be ripping everywhere. Go back next Wednesday... the tide will be much less .. go on an incoming tide .... anchor out of range of the jetty guys....free line mullet or mendhaden for large tarpon.... 8" mullet are perfect.

The 3-4 footers eat shrimp more often than anything else I have tried to feed them.

Jumping menhaden?? I have caught lots of menhaden but have never seen them jump... the jumpers that I see at the jetties are something else and are almost impossible to catch. They are not good bait.

Menhaden flick the top of the water and usually have pelicans diving at them.

I will be coming down on Monday. Contact me and perhaps we can hook-up with tarpon.

Thanks for the report. If it were easy everybody would do it.

TC


----------



## Jimmy Durham (May 25, 2004)

*SHRIMP ?*

How do you rig your shrimp?

Thanks

Jimmy Durham


----------



## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

Jimmy, 

We used a 1/0 live bait hook rigged on light cable, 28# or 45#, using a loop knot. The key is to have good sized and healthy shrimp. We'd also keep some split shot handy incase we needed it to sink faster. 

Once we'd see the tarpon roll, we'd cast infront of his track and hope he was ready for a shrimp cocktail. When they would take it, drop your rod tip back and, when the line comes tight and he starts slipping the drag, set the hook with short strikes. 

We had good luck with this technique fishing near the old Coast Guard Station. One drawback is that everything else likes the shrimp, so get ready for a gafftop or two. 

Tight lines, Chris


----------



## bk005 (Feb 23, 2005)

#6 Treble, 20# powerpro, and a small splitshot. Hook shrimp valley style thru the tail.

Try not to laugh to much, it worked. This rig was hastily constucted after throwing everything else in the boat at them, and more out of desporation/fustration. 

Also make sure you have it in the rodholder, are eating Doritos and looking the other way.. Seems to help to.


----------



## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

I've seen it done...Valley Style for sure...Right down from the Scraaaaap Sheep....



bk005 said:


> #6 Treble, 20# powerpro, and a small splitshot. Hook shrimp valley style thru the tail.
> 
> Try not to laugh to much, it worked. This rig was hastily constucted after throwing everything else in the boat at them, and more out of desporation/fustration.
> 
> Also make sure you have it in the rodholder, are eating Doritos and looking the other way.. Seems to help to.


----------



## IroncladShad (Aug 30, 2005)

If any of you guys need a crew member to help out with the high gas prices, let me know. I live in Rockport and have my own tackle. My tarpon fishing experience is limited to walking the jetties throwing big swim baits and free lining big live bait. I have put in a lot of time in the last three years doing just that. I couldn't believe that I wasn't ready tuesday when I spotted those two tarpon. I always have a rig ready for just that occasion, except for this time. You guys let me know if you need a partner. Brandon 512-917-3230


----------



## jribbi (Sep 3, 2007)

A reliable source reports a 150 lbs. tarpon landed yesterday (6-21-08) off Galveston on a **** Pop. It's time.


----------



## gater (May 25, 2004)

*150# *****

There goes the neighborhood! LOL Gater


----------



## AlanKulcak (Aug 24, 2007)

spent about 6 hours out near sargent sat. afternoon, and sun. morning, came up fruitless. but there are tons of pogs and huge schools of bay anchobies (still on the small side) everything is looking good so far, just need to find the fish now..


----------



## lattema (Feb 11, 2008)

one of my friends was spooled by a tarpon off the south padre jetties


----------

