# Your Best Shot!



## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Fellas:
If you were going to Port O'Connor this weekend, what would be your best guess at sticking a tarpon or two?

Location, bait, angle of mouth holding, etc.

I still have not seen a school of tarpon 'outside' in deep water. I have seen them in the Pass, at the jetties, and inside the Pass.

If I was dove hunting, this year I would've shot 5 cases of shells and killed two mockingbirds, a cedar waxwing, a limit of robins, and busted a couple of powerlines.


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## Scott G (May 24, 2004)

Location: The end of my line.

Bait: Fly, what else?

Angle of mouth: wide open (gill plates rattling ).

....The mockingbirds are pretty thick on Matagorda right now...I always wondered what happened to those power lines that go to the island where the bare poles now stand 

I just got a line on some fish outside the pass, a little too bumpy for me though. I'd freeline big mullet, but there may be a size limit on them right now, check your tpwd manual...just checked, you're ok it's Oct-Jan, no mullet over 12". Also, 1.5 oz rattle trap, or unwieghted soft plastic if the fish are on top or near the top. Still not really seeing them on the inside, put one in the air on Sunday on rattle trap. Good luck, I may see ya out there.
SG


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Scott:
I saw you and talked to you as you were buying a pizza Friday night. Went out all day Saturday and abused myself, a buddy, and our equipment. By the time I quit, I threw everything I had at the tarpon at the jetties and have resolved myself to the hope that next year will be better. Maybe by then I will figure out how to catch them.

I looked around and made some drifts in the spots I have been seeing you the past few times I've been to Port O on the inside, and saw no fish. None in the inside of the Pass or outside, and then saw a bunch at the jetties. In the morning, it was OK, but raining. Went in and ate a burger at Clark's and went back out--conditions worsened through the day, and the surf got pretty nasty later on with huge waves, some wind, and rain. The highlight of my day was seeing a tarpon roll in a wave that was over my head. That fish was a six footer or so, but most of the ones I saw rolling were smaller.

Anything would be better than those swells around 6 or 7 pm. I don't get seasick, but I do occasionally get scared of putting a boat on the rocks, swamping it, or turning it over. Saturday evening was a good time for all three of these, and we had to give it up. Fish were rolling right off the north side of the north jetties all day, and we could not get them to eat. But, no one can say we didn't give it a hell of a shot. If hardheaded perserverance in bad conditions ever should've paid off, it was Saturday.

It was this kind of day: I caught three freaking skipjacks in a row on a 2 oz. coast hawk--a first for me, and hopefully a last, too. Late in the evening my buddy caught a pelican on a cast in the wind, and releasing that thing nearly cost us big time as while we were occupied with that, all of the sudden there was a foot of water in the boat. The pelican stoood on the gunwale for a couple of minutes kinda checking his package and flew off just fine. My buddy and I looked at each other and then simultaneously noted we were standing in more water than we should be. We had to pull start up and pull the anchor immediately to keep from swamping. The deck drain plugs had clogged, filled the back of the boat, and spilled over into the hull (great design, huh?). I didn't get the boat to plane until we were halfway into the bay (got the deck drains opened up on the run), and chugging through those swells with the boat bogged in the rearend and the motor at full throttle was....exciting? We had to pull all the plugs and run it dry once we made it to shallow water. It was nice to know that between my buddy and I we could reel in two lines, pull the anchor, and be moving the boat in seconds. We both just dropped our rods, I started the motor, and he pulled the anchor. Once we were moving, he reeled in the lines as I navigated between swells. That'll get your heart beating. While I was starting the motor, I was thinking of the best way to get on top of the rocks in those waves without being beat to death if this didn't work. I came up with no good alternative.

When I went outside at 6 am on Sunday and it was still thundering, lightning, and raining, I didn't have the heart to go out again. Being stressed out all day because of the conditions and trying to have fun fishing at the same time just don't make much sense. Plus, what if I hook a 100 pounder? What then? Just staying in the boat was hard enough without 100 pounds of fish trying to pull you out. It would have been a short fight. 

Maybe next time.

Take care.

Kevin


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## Jacko (Aug 12, 2005)

CRTarpon:You hit a nerve.
Deck drains plugging is a serious matter. I had to learn that one the hard way.

A few years back I was almost drowned by donuts! I like going out to W. Maty when the weather is poor because you get the bay to yourself. The windyer the better! But I'll admit stupidity that November day. That cold front had a bigger bang than I bargained for.

When the front hit, I should have stayed on the peninsula, but I gave my 21 footer loaded with 4 people and a 2 man kayak more credit than it was do. I started running the south shoreline towards the harbor but the 30-40 knot winds made the shallow water to shallow between waves so after nearly an hour and progress of less than 3 miles I elected to turn into the wind and head for where the intercoastal comes into the bay. I could not believe it. I kid you not. There were 6-8 foot waves in the bay. They really were not even waves, they were more like chop. Very steep going up and coming down.

In order to minimize the amount of water scooped up on those 8 footers I had to come to a complete stop. Pretty soon we had a foot of water on the deck. It made for very little conversation. During that quite hour where the smallest navigational mistake could lead to disaster we managed to travel about 2-3 miles. That was enough distance to get behind the north shore line and into 4-5 foot chop. What a relieve it was to make our way into protected water. The entire time I was thinking if I make a mistake or loose my footing we'll capsize. Later my buddy confessed he was thinking the same thing so was prepared to take the helm at any second.

We stopped in the intercoastal to catch our breath and laugh. It was strange behavior. I'm not sure what we were laughing at, maybe death? Oh, I remember the laughter started when I went to the bow and picked up some shad that had been taken in during our porpusing adventure across the bay.

Then we investigated the reason for the boat filling up with water. During the quest I thought it was that more water was coming over the bow than could flow out the deck drains. The boat had gotten so heavy I could not maneuver well so I had to guys bailing with 5 gallon buckets. It turned out there were donuts plugging the drains. I had seen them earlier in the morning on the console but somewhere along the slamming up and down they fell off and ended up in the drains.

We laughed more as we realized the root cause to our potential drowning was crispy cream donuts in the deck drains. This experience changed my perspective on what is allowed to roam freely in my boat. People think I'm a bit picky and maybe crazy because I recognize all sorts of objects as drain pluggers. So I get onto people when they leave loose objects laying around in my boat.

I never asked whose donuts those were. But I know the guys that were with me that day don't mind it if I remind them to screw the cap bag on their water bottle between drinks.

I share this embarrassing tail in the hopes that others will learn from my mistake. Not the mistake of going out when it's to rough. I can't cure that. But keep in mind how important those deck drains can become and how easily they can be obstructed.

Take care and good luck.


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

You and I need to get together and write a book.


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

*How Not To Do It*

Jacko and crtarpon


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## Scott G (May 24, 2004)

Boy I felt like **** when I was getting that gourmet meal when I saw you. I hate head colds, alergies or whatever, I had been sneezing for almost two hours.
Pizza and Coors Light cured it.
Were you guys in a Ranger out in that ****?

We hooked one on Sat on a rattle trap, line broke on first jump. Then jumped once more after trying to throw the lure. Fish was about 110#, then we redfished and called it an early day.

Sunday was pretty bad, we waited about an hour before we launched, we dodged squalls and would come back in and trailer up the boat, then it would stop and the wind would lay...back out we went ...we did this a few times (plus a burger at Clark's). Ended up hooking four...on fly. The first two we never saw anything but a big hole in the water when the fly came unbuttoned. One (about 125#) broke the fly line on the first jump. Then jumped two more times afterward trying to throw the fly. Fourth fish was almost landed (leadered twice). Client asked if we could land shallow for best photos...sure no problem! He was very good at fighting big fish w/ a fly rod...when that fish hit about two feet of water, she turned on the turbos and broke through the 80# leader, see ya! She was in the 100-110# class. We got all of about 2 1/2 hours of fishing in.

Monday was a carbon copy of Sunday weather wise, we did manage a full day...by 6pm. We put one in the air......and VERY almost the boat! Fish was in the 130-140# class, had a tattoo on it's right cheek that said F#*K Fly Fishermen! Had a two inch eyeball that winked at me when it's size 18 tail put an inch of water in my boat all while it flipped us the middle fin!!!!
Needless to say it was time for an underwear change!

Today (Tuesday) I scouted for about five hours, saw one roller....nada.
SG


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Scott:
Thanks a ton for the update!

Great to hear you are seeing and hooking some again as I know it was slow there for several weeks.

I am starting to get a little energy back now and may give them one more shot before I call it a year. No, we weren't in a Ranger this time--that was a buddy's boat we were in a few weeks ago when I saw you. We were in an old Red Fin. That Ranger would have been a better ride for this weekend, and I think maybe a 53' Hatteras might have been ideal.

All of the fish I have seen may have had a similar tattoo, but it read, "F*%$ crtarpon and the boat he rode in on." I may have seen some with a similar reference to Jacko.

Again, thanks for the report--as long as somebody is doing well it makes me feel better. I may see you again in a couple of weeks. 

Take care.


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## Catch 22 (Jul 5, 2005)

*Port O'Connor*

I would anchor up in the pass. Use shad as bait.



crtarpon said:


> Fellas:
> 
> If you were going to Port O'Connor this weekend, what would be your best guess at sticking a tarpon or two?
> 
> ...


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## Jacko (Aug 12, 2005)

*The Does and DON'TS of Texas Tarpon Fishing*

Costa Rica:

Believe it or not,...... I could write a "How to" book on most salt water species in the gulf coast. The reason I present the gloomier chapters on this forum is that in the last 2 years Texas Tarpon have kicked my a&&. I consider it a show of respect to the guys that are boating these fish at will.



My family normally consumes a fair amount of fish, but not since I decided to catch a Texas Tarpon. My freezer has been empty, besides a few triple tail I've managed to hang on the side. These were a first for me. Boy were they good! Triple tail are a fantastic eater. I could not believe how tasty they were. Next time I see some I'll definitely stop and do some meat hunting.



I'm not giving up on Texas Tarpon. Not only am I not going to give up, I'll continue the hobby until I master it. That way the book title will be "The Does and Don'ts of catching Texas Tarpon".



But such a book would not be complete without some good photos. My son is pretty good with the camera. How do you like the shot of my best ever in Boca?







I like fishing books with lots of pictures so I need to get some this month. I'll be working the Brazos area this weekend and will spend the following weekend in POC. I'll be sure to remember to bring a sharpy in order to make proper adjustments to those tattoos.



Don't stop praying for our friends to the east.


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## Jacko (Aug 12, 2005)

Catch 22:



Is live shad required?



When anchor fishing for tarpon we drift out a variety of displays at once; free drift, balloon, and Carolina rig. But this would not work in Key West.



In order to be productive one needed to continuously chum and free drift the bait with the chum. If the bait was not floating at the proper speed for the current there was little to no chance of getting a tarpon bite. Do the POC fish have finicky traits such as these?



Thanks for the guidance


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## GafftopDave (Aug 4, 2005)

Jacko...if your fishing the Brazos area this weekend, take a castnet...there's no shortage of menhaden...aka "shad". The river levels look perfect right now. If the wind lays down it might be on this weekend....but I can't swing it. This time last year I watched a buddy land a 28# tripletail there while doing a tarpon search. 
I'm planning a trip there next weekend, please do post back your results.
good luck,
dave


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## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

*PO'C tarpon*

The tarpon in PO'C do not seem to be as finacky as fish in the Keys, probably has something to do with water clarity.

I've tried chumming and have had extremely good luck with the other common species like shark, jack, bull reds and gafftop aka "snotters." To keep the gafftop catch to a minimum I usually fish bait that are 8-12" long, either live, dead or cut.

Ladyfish have been an excellent cut bait for the PO'C fish, depending on the size of bait I use an 8" length from small fish (14" or shorter) and a 4-6" chunk from larger fish of 20" or better due to the increased girth.

Live mullet seem to attract more shark and jacks than any other species when freelined or fished under a balloon. Cut mullet, the head section including some of the guts, on the bottom catches everything that swims!

Large live pinfish (7-10") work well on the bull reds and tarpon fished on a carolina rig...I have not had good luck freelining or ballooning them.

Menhaden are excellent bait for all species mentioned here, but they are difficult to catch at times and unless they are at least 8" long the snotters eat them before anything else comes along. They are extremely difficult to keep alive, spoil very fast and really stink up a cast net. Of all baits available I would rather have a large quantity of menhaden for a successful day.

I've tried live crab, cut crab on the bottom and freelined without much success. The cut crab should work well, but smaller fish make an empty carapace within a couple of minutes.

Tarpon are very fond of trout in the 12" range, ask anyone who fishes the hump or the deeper water reefs on a regular basis and they will confirm. Many times I'll hit birds diving for shrimp in the open bays and blind cast large Rattle Traps hoping for a ****. I hooked one last season while doing this, but like any other style of tarpon fishing it is hit or miss.

I usually catch bait before each trip so most of my baiting is with dead, but I fish a "bait rod" when on the tarpon grounds and freeline whatever I catch in the the area as a live offering. Sometimes all I catch is hardheads, yes they go on a big circle hook also...have'nt hooked a **** on one yet, but the bull sharks like 'em.

Back in the 80's when it was nothing to jump 20 tarpon per tide we mostly used large live croaker as bait. We would pull up to Decros point and catch all the 8-12" baits we wanted in a short time. Since croaker are now netted by the thousands daily in Matagorda Bay large ones have become scarce.

I'm in no way an expert on tarpon, but I've put many hours in fishing for them successfully and unsuccessfully inshore over the past 20 years. Glad to see such an increase in quantity the last few years, but dissapointed that the season is winding down once again. PO'C has a viable tarpon fishery, I've hooked fish as early as May 5th and as late as Halloween...where else on the western gulf coast can you have an inshore tarpon season like this?

In the winter of '88 I did a short stint decking on a bay shrimp boat and one morning during a strong outgoing tide we were racking up the shrimp. The tide was pulling massive quantities out of the bay and through the jetties sending them northeast up the coast. Almost every gamefish imaginable were there for the easy pickings, but the tarpon were so thick and brave they kept getting hung in the nets of all the shrimpers...*I'll never forget the date, December 4th*. 
I've thought about that morning often over the years, seeing those huge tarpon flopping on the decks and greyhounding through our net, makes me think some of the fish winter here in Texas, but again I'm no expert.

Good luck to everyone in their pursuit, it is an addiction...buckling knees, sweaty palms, heat exhaustion and light headed effects from my drug of choice!


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Jacko:
No offense on the 'how not to deal.' I was just playing along with our silly shenanigans. I love reading your posts. Hope your next one is titled, "My first six Texas Tarpon and the little one (70#) that got away."

Capt. Lowtide:
The best info I've seen on here. Thank you very much. How deep was the water those tarpon were being netted in at that time of year? 

I've heard of folks using hardheads for tarpon--just breaking the dorsal and it supposedly works. 

I ask a lot of questions about bait and more and more it seems like they just eat whatever they feel like eating when they feel like eating it. My dad has hooked or caught them on all the things you talk about at Port A--except for hardheads. Those things are likely just like a porpoise--king of the food chain, eating whatever they want at their leisure. "Hmmm, today I believe I'll have the menhaden appetizer with the trout. And a slice of that prime ladyfish on the side for dessert. And please, no croaker sprinkles today."

Menhaden are great bait as far as catching fish--all kinds. I have personally caught redfish with Tarponchaser one after another in between boats catching nothing--because we were using small live shad and other folks weren't. If they were as hardy as a mullet, they'd be far and above the best bait. But, as you say, they have some problems, and dead (which they always end up because when you catch them, you always try to keep too many alive) they are really soft almost like sardines. In Port O'Connor I've not seen as many shad as I have near Port A, but this is probably just a matter of spending less time there. At least in Aransas Pass you can buy dead shad if you are out, and the last couple of times I tried in Port O'Connor, I couldn't find 'em.
The best and worse thing about shad is that everything eats them. So, you don't get bored, but you may be reeling in a gafftop while the guy next to you catches a tarpon on some other bait. They are some stinky critters, too. And oily. 

Another thing I notice when you guys talk (Lowtide and Redfishr) is that I guess at one point there was a lot more bait. From a completely selfish standpoint, I'd rather have billions of menhaden and thousands of tarpon in our bays than whatever they use pogey for (unless it's gasoline, of course!!!). A consistent, viable tarpon fishery in Texas is worth millions and is a non-consumptive use--kinda like rafting on a river rather than irrigating a field with the river water. People are more likely to pay big bucks for the recreation than they are for grain. It's a kind of idiot luxury tax--us idiots will pay anything for a tarpon, but gripe about a loaf a bread costing $2, you know? Same reason deer hunting is supplanting cattle ranching in Texas. Maybe CCA will buy some more pogey boats and permits and park them.

The last school of shad I saw was inside the north jetty at P'Oc about halfway down last month. There were three or four little tarpon rolling around them. Couldn't get those to eat, either! Outside the jetties were huge schools of rain minnows with another kind of minnow in them, too. This minnow (I had a chance to study them as we caught 20 or 25 spanish mackerels and they puked them all over the boat) was about 2.5 to 3" long, and shaped a little more like a menhaden (more deep bodied) than a rain minnow, but still pretty thin and long. Their color was gone by the time I saw them, and I don't know what they were.

Sorry for the rambling--just love to talk about them if I can't see them. I may end up being one of those guys that can't do, so I will teach! No, really I just love tarpon and I really appreciate you fellas putting up with my questions and taking the time to respond.

Kevin


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## Jacko (Aug 12, 2005)

Capt. Lowtide: Thanks for the tips. Pooling experiences from others always seems to help as well as stimulate enthusiasim to keep on going!

Gafftop Dave: I'll pass on what happens this weekend. It's crazy the amount of menhaden around the Brazos and the few tarpon reports? In late May I saw several large fish (not porpuse) flying out of the water near the mouth of the river. I did not think tarpon would come flying out of the water for no reason. They were over half mile away and my partener to this day swears they were tarpon. An aquantance at work has jumped several out there with his own unique technique. He slow trolls russel lures at the first water change out ot the mouth (2-5 miles). He removes the treble hooks from the lurse and only attaches 1 large jay hook on the end, he says that otherwise they'll thow the bait.

Fishing this area with so much bait this time of year its hard to keep the bull reds away. There is either very few tarpon, way too many bull reds, or the reds are just more aggressive. I don't know what to do other than releasing the bulls and throwing out again,... in hopes of a dream come true.


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

*The Last Tarpon I Caught*

Jacko:
This is a pic of the last tarpon I caught--outside of the Rio Samay in CR. We were drifting along eating our lunch when tarpon bubbles starting popping up around us. I guess they expel air sometimes. Anyway, we all dropped coasthawks over the side of the boat and went back to eating. We drifted for a few minutes--long enough to get comfortable back in our seats--and three tarpon started jumping. I landed this one (70 or 80#), we lost one, and the client landed a big one after about 35 minutes. Best lunch ever. The cool thing about taking people fishing is when they got a big fish on, I could catch one and release it and still pretend to be working. It's funny how after you catch a few you can tire one out pretty fast.


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## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

The incidental tarpon bycatch were coming from boats dragging close to the apron off the north jetty. As the tide slowed we followed the migration northeast out to about 30' depth before our cable length became less effective. Other boats that followed the shrimp complained of the tarpon tangling their nets until mid-day.

I look for menhaden in the J-hook area, toward the back near Fish Pond on an incoming tide and closer to the Pass on an outgoing tide. Look for the brown pelicans diving and the bait should be near. If you find them close to a shoreline drop-off, game fish are pushing them there.

Another good area is between the "Humps" in Matagorda bay (half way beween the Pass and Jetties) during slack tide. Also SE of the PO'C "little jetties" on an outgoing tide as well as near the Range Tower east of Bird Island.

HINTS:
*Tarpon folllow the larger schools in the spring and fall. 
*Rolling fish are "happy fish," note their location and fish on tide changes.
*Most tarpon I hook do not make a large surface presence when feeding.
*Mendaden drift with the currents, schooling on the surface at the start/end of tides.
*Tarpon off the beach stay near the 30' depths, where the rotary currents intercept the inshore currents...look for the color change or "ponds" of sargassum weed on an outgoing tide.
*When bull reds or jacks are thick in the bait, concentrate on the mud cloud downcurrent where lazy tarpon gulp the leftovers.
*Find tarpon ambush points, where the tide forces bait against sandbars or dropoffs. Anchor or drift these areas on tide changes. Use your depthfinder in these areas to locate the deeper water near the structure on concentrate there. After a strong incoming tide, the bait moves deeper for relief of current flow.
*If you catch bull sharks or see turtles in the area, the tarpon should be close by.

Good luck!


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## GafftopDave (Aug 4, 2005)

Jacko said:


> Gafftop Dave: I'll pass on what happens this weekend. It's crazy the amount of menhaden around the Brazos and the few tarpon reports? In late May I saw several large fish (not porpuse) flying out of the water near the mouth of the river. I did not think tarpon would come flying out of the water for no reason. They were over half mile away and my partener to this day swears they were tarpon.


Barring any floods, the menhaden will be there most of late summer and fall...but the tarpon have not arrived, they're still off Galveston Island, at least the big ones are.
Tarpon will jump for "no reason"...they call it "freejumping"...but if the sun was out and you did not see an extreme flash of light when the fish jumped, chances are you were seeing spinner sharks...come to think of it, smoker kings will freejump also.



Jacko said:


> I don't know what to do other than releasing the bulls and throwing out again,... in hopes of a dream come true.


and this is a problem?....lol


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## Jacko (Aug 12, 2005)

*Brazos Report*

CRTarpon, Nice fish. Good luck snapping a few more tarpon pics. I forgot about those bubbles. How time fly's. Fishing deep passes in Florida bubbles would often signal tarpon were below. Sometimes it would be amazing how many bubbles would rise prior to the tarpon surfacing. That's just one more of many things to key on when on the hunt.

Gafftop Dave: I worked the Brazos area Saturday and Sunday. Nothing promising to report. Most of the shad seem to be between the jetties and in the intercoastal. That is, I did not see any large schools in the gulf. There were some scattered here and there but no thick congragations. Several shrimp boats were working a mile or 2 north of the jetties. But there were slim pickings. I watched one boat check his nets and the catch was not impressive. There were 5 other boats following the shrimpers around without much sucsess.

My dad took about 30 minutes to sercum a large black tip, but other than that the actions was scarce. Mats of seagulls were floating around every where. If you pulled up close they would not even fly away. They just looked at you fat and happy with an expression that said," man you should have been here earlier".

The area outside the mouth of the river was not much different. Several shrimp boats were also working the area and appear to be putting a good dent in the menhaden population. In close the only bites came from small spinners and huge bsnot monsters. We gave a fare attempt at a normally productive bull red hole and again were greeted by slimers.

The green water was only 1.5 miles out and in another 2 miles the water was blue with a visibilty from above of 15 feet. We spotted several schools of big jacks. They seemed to be quite prevalent. We through some hardware at them but could only get a chase and no bite. There were aslo many big schools of small bonita and spanish mackerel. Everything was headed south at a fast pace. I hope that does not mean they no Rita is on the way. We managed one nice king feeding on them and had another sweet hook up that spulled a warrior that had tackled down for the spaniards. We went out to the middle bank and put some snapper in the cooler, but they all required close measurement.

Conditions of the seas were great so we covered lots of water and never got a hint of a tarpon or big schools of bait. If Rita permits you to fish this area this weekend I would try SL pass.

Oh buy the way it was very sunny and the fish I saw breaching out there earlier in the year gave off a reflection like a mirror. If they were not tarpon, then they had to be bill fish. Good luck.


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

*Freejumping Tarpon*

In late September 2003 off the end of the North PA jetty about 5 in the afternoon , there was one other tarpon boat and myself drifting in the dead calm Gulf. It was at least 100 degrees with not a ripple or bite of any kind for hours.

The other boat was about 50 yards off my stern when a 120# er freejumped halfway between us. The splash disappeared and the dead calm heat with no bites continued til dark. We did confirm with each other that it was not a dream.

Last September, the last tarpon that I saw flipped water on to my trolling motor as it rolled and went down.

These are just two of the many ways a tarpon screws with your head and makes them the sought after trophy that they are.

For about 3 weeks there were few if any at PA but there were some last Sunday .... rolling happy fish ... not feeding.

Tarponchaser


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