# Tarpon Hints...



## Texas Jeweler

I see pictures of fish being hauled ouit of the water on the Texas Coast and wonder why we do not take hints from Florida and NOT DO THIS?

Just wondering...so they are not shark bait....


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## CoastalBent

Maybe Florida should take hints from us and not fight em on fly gear for hours until they keel over and die. If there's big sharks around, they're screwed either way. I've seen plenty of pics of Florida tarpon out of the water... gimme a break.


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## Scott

CoastalBent said:


> Maybe Florida should take hints from us and not fight em on fly gear for hours until they keel over and die. If there's big sharks around, they're screwed either way. I've seen plenty of pics of Florida tarpon out of the water... gimme a break.


It is illegal now in Florida and studies have shown over there a significant increase in death rates for fish hauled out of water.... so, it is likely always best to leave them in as much as possible but I think it's best to let folks know and then let them make the decision on their own... they usually make the right one in the future without making a big deal out of it on some message board.


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## marc

CoastalBent said:


> Maybe Florida should take hints from us and not fight em on fly gear for hours until they keel over and die. If there's big sharks around, they're screwed either way. I've seen plenty of pics of Florida tarpon out of the water... gimme a break.


Saw a guy in florida fight a tarpon for almost three hours on light tackle. More like live baiting for sharks.

We got this little guy to the boat in under 10 minutes, lifted him for a pic and had him swimming free in under 60 seconds... healthy. Heavier tackle makes this possible. I do agree that tarpon should never be laid on the boat, but I don't see a problem with a quick lift and pic.


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## guillotm

I am sorry but fisherman do hurt the fish. No fish likes to be hooked, jump several times, and swim 300 yards as fast as it can. So no matter how gentle you think you are being with the fish, your best strategy is to get the fish in quicker and release it safely by pushing it back and forth until it swims off strong. I have seen numerous people throw them back like perch slapping the surface. Shorter fight times equal healthier fish when ready to be released. Light tackle is good for bragging rights but you just wear the fish out to the point of exhaustion. I have never read this report on lifting the fish, I have seen the one about sharks being to blame on most of the deaths. The report stated that if you take sharks out of the equation then the survival rate is more than 95 percent. I lift the fish but not by the jaw since its probably not designed to take the weight of it. Taking your time to release it helps the most. When they slap you with their tale then you know there ready.


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## guillotm

Tarpon and Alligators were the only survivors of The New Orleans Aquarium after Katrina hit.


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## skidmark

CoastalBent said:


> Maybe Florida should take hints from us and not fight em on fly gear for hours until they keel over and die. If there's big sharks around, they're screwed either way. I've seen plenty of pics of Florida tarpon out of the water... gimme a break.


 You don't know what you are talking about!


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## fin_adik

Meat packer and JJ................


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## CoastalBent

skidmark said:


> You don't know what you are talking about!


Well why don't you enlighten us with your knowledge on the subject, Skidmark?? All I know is it'll be a sad day for Texas fishing when it's illegal to take a fish out of the water for a quick CPR. It starts with one species and before you know it it'll be illegal to take anything out of the water. Responsible fish handling is important during a CPR for all species... If you can't handle it, go protest fishing altogether with PETA....


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## marc

fin_adik said:


> Meat packer and JJ................


Sup?


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## fin_adik

yeah its me, I ran into Monte R. the other day in town, he said you got a few earlier in the year. He said your pops sold the shammy and you were in something else now......


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## marc

fin_adik said:


> yeah its me, I ran into Monte R. the other day in town, he said you got a few earlier in the year. He said your pops sold the shammy and you were in something else now......


PM sent


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## Texas Jeweler

*Handle it!*



CoastalBent said:


> Maybe Florida should take hints from us and not fight em on fly gear for hours until they keel over and die. If there's big sharks around, they're screwed either way. I've seen plenty of pics of Florida tarpon out of the water... gimme a break.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Maybe in the past you saw those pictures, but not now. And fly gear, naw, they winch them in just like guys here do. The mishandeling of these fish is not immediately realized. Protective coating removed, jaws bruised or broken...it can just be accomplished better.

...and we do not keep tarpon for the table, so just handle with care.


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## mikedeleon

CoastalBent said:


> Maybe Florida should take hints from us and not fight em on fly gear for hours until they keel over and die. If there's big sharks around, they're screwed either way. I've seen plenty of pics of Florida tarpon out of the water... gimme a break.


You ever fought a big fish on a 12 weight fly rod? It's a big ticket in Florida now if you take it out of the boat. Does coastalbent make fly rods?


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## guillotm

Most people aren't Stu Apte when it comes to fly fishing.


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## skidmark

CoastalBent said:


> Well why don't you enlighten us with your knowledge on the subject, Skidmark?? All I know is it'll be a sad day for Texas fishing when it's illegal to take a fish out of the water for a quick CPR. It starts with one species and before you know it it'll be illegal to take anything out of the water. Responsible fish handling is important during a CPR for all species... If you can't handle it, go protest fishing altogether with PETA....


Ya your right about that part, your wrong that it takes hours to land a big fish on a fly rod. It is actually the opposite.


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## skidmark

mikedeleon said:


> You ever fought a big fish on a 12 weight fly rod? It's a big ticket in Florida now if you take it out of the boat. Does coastalbent make fly rods?


A 12 wt is the tits. Who is coastal bend over? Probably one of those Houston guys that screwed up POC for everyone. I bet he has one of those goofy Corky visors and a Majek.


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## richg99

I don't really want to enter this fray.....but...I do some muskie fishing during the summer in Wisc. 

Up here, they have "cradles" to handle the bigger fish. Looks like a five foot long net strung on two horizontal poles. The idea is to support the middle of the fish when lifting and removing the hook.

I went out with a guide a few years ago and caught 3 in the mid 30's (inches) and one at 51 inches. Unfortunately, even with the cradle, the 51 inch fish died. 80 plus degree water ( hot up here) and too long/soft of a rod ( belonged to the guide) killed the fish, IMHO. 

In spite of that, cradles do seem to make sense for larger fish. Rich


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## mikedeleon

skidmark said:


> A 12 wt is the tits. Who is coastal bend over? Probably one of those Houston guys that screwed up POC for everyone. I bet he has one of those goofy Corky visors and a Majek.


I am thinking waterloo visor and a pink shirt.


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## goodwood




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## Tarponchaser

I am enlightened. I thought it was "People Eating and Torturing Animals".

TC


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## CoastalBent

mikedeleon said:


> I am thinking waterloo visor and a pink shirt.


You guys are a trip... Nope never caught a fish on a 12wt, probably never will. If you want to go winch em in on a fly rod, that's great. Yes, I do make fly rods, I'm working on a 15' CTS two hander right now. If you want to order one, come find me... I'll be on the POC jetties screwing everything up, in my pink shirt and corky visor eatin tarpon fillets. :rotfl:

There's probably 10 times as many tarpon fishermen in Fla than in Tx, so maybe they need the rules.... I don't know what I'm talking about, so I'll let you guys get back to stroking each others egos and hugging trees.


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## CoastalBent

skidmark said:


> A 12 wt is the tits. Who is coastal bend over? Probably one of those Houston guys that screwed up POC for everyone. I bet he has one of those goofy Corky visors and a Majek.


Wait, lemme guess... You and mike d are the guys in the Sage hats, fanny packs and sun gloves, trying to run the surf in a poling skiff, whining about everyone else catching YOUR tarpon, and fantaszing about guys bending over in pink shirts...:butterfly

I'm outta here before I get banned... Thx for the laugh....


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## Cody C

I like tarpon!


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## guillotm

skidmark said:


> Ya your right about that part, your wrong that it takes hours to land a big fish on a fly rod. It is actually the opposite.


You like to start stuff that's it. How about this. I'll put you on several large Tarpon and see if you can get in a five footer faster than me with the fly rod. And I am good at fly fishing. If your not successfull guess you wont come back.....lol


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## fratstud

guys from my high school used to kill tarpon all the time. it was no big deal.


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## TrueblueTexican

*HMMMM*

I have seen my share of Tarpon for the last thirty five years of CATCHING them in Matagorda, Espiritu Santo and outside -- we have put our share IN the boat, seen sharks eat them, crashed em in our boat, bled em dead from a deep hook and long fight -- its FISHIN - and you should fish as your conscience dictates , learn about your fish, release them if you can, and quit worring about whether or not someone does it EXACTLY like you, or how rhey do it in Florida , Mexico, or Belieze -- for if we drive a divide between what we all enjoy -- that addicting pull -- PETA and its ilk will surely find a way to destroy our pastime -- its not a SPORT its a pastime.


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## CoastalBent

fratstud said:


> guys from my high school used to kill tarpon all the time. it was no big deal.


.


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## skidmark

CoastalBent said:


> Wait, lemme guess... You and mike d are the guys in the Sage hats, fanny packs and sun gloves, trying to run the surf in a poling skiff, whining about everyone else catching YOUR tarpon, and fantaszing about guys bending over in pink shirts...:butterfly
> 
> I'm outta here before I get banned... Thx for the laugh....


 No, I'm the guy saying, "I hope those guys turn off their motor and drift, too late, they are gone. Let's come back later." It's like driving your jeep up to your deer feeder, there ain't gonna be no deer there, they are wild animals. It has nothing to do with gear chunkin vs fly rods.


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## CoastalBent

skidmark said:


> No, I'm the guy saying, "I hope those guys turn off their motor and drift, too late, they are gone. Let's come back later." It's like driving your jeep up to your deer feeder, there ain't gonna be no deer there, they are wild animals. It has nothing to do with gear chunkin vs fly rods.


Well, that's not what this thread was talking about, but you just proved my point on the whining thing. You guys also clowned on Waterloo, Majek, and Corky, which are all Texas born companies, and probably pizzed off everybody from Houston that fishes POC... You're the man. :cheers:


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## Scott

skidmark said:


> No, I'm the guy saying, "I hope those guys turn off their motor and drift, too late, they are gone. Let's come back later." It's like driving your jeep up to your deer feeder, there ain't gonna be no deer there, they are wild animals. It has nothing to do with gear chunkin vs fly rods.


I'm as big as anybody on the noise thing but I can tell you the folks I know from Houston that go to POC to tarpon fish are some of the best tarpon fisherman on our coast - anywhere. If their engines are down, that doesn't mean they are on (trolling motors may be on - even trolling motors on trim tabs that maybe can't be seen). And as far as inboard engines go, well, you can jump on my boat and watch tarpon eat baits trolled on the three second line, which is about six feet behind the swim platform, and then tell me I'm spooking tarpon but I still won't believe you. After 20+ years of tarpon fishing out of inboard boats, I got a lot of time under my belt on this issue. Two weeks ago I was in eight feet of water and had one slow roll - lazy roll - so close to my beam I could have tapped him on his head. The fish stayed right around the boat and never spooked. I don't like having the engine on in that shallow of water when I'm in fish, but if it happens, I'm not running fish off anymore than somebody going by with a trolling motor humming under the water.

The guys that I see that mess stuff up usually are just running through and are usually not tarpon fishing and have no clue what's going on. You're gonna get that anywhere and its usually not worth getting worked up about - I consider it just one of those evils we all have to deal with when we fish a public body of water.

One last thing - in my experience, a lot of times, folks don't see what you've seen. They may see something different. Can't blame them for not seeing something you did. I can tell you, I've seen folks come up and see a school past the one I've seen and drive over the school I was about to work. They accidentally run over something they wouldn't have, had they seen what I saw. I blame that on everybody around here not willing to talk on the radio. Funny how that doesn't happen very often in Louisiana. If somebody doesn't see something over there, they get a radio call and somebody says, "Whoa, slow down, you're about to run over some fish." I'll admit it has happened to me - on both sides. It just does when nobody talks.

My attitude is that it is a public resource... each of us as part of the "public" have a part in seeing things are better. I seriously doubt anybody is out there intentionally driving up and thinking, "I'm gonna screw with some tarpon today and screw up the fishing for everybody." It's either lack of knowledge or more likely they didn't see exactly what you saw. So, rather than complain, I'm an advocate of "educate and communicate" so both of you can fish effectively.


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## TrueblueTexican

Well said Scott -- HOWEVER I wish Houston and its money would stay in Galveston Bay -- I miss my sleepy little port -- 

Islamorada was fantastic when I was there last month -- got my fill of poons in a day of hard work, never seen so many BIG fish (well except for just off Decros in the early eighties) -- heck they are just makin big pets out of the in the keys now.


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## Scott

TrueblueTexican said:


> Well said Scott -- HOWEVER I wish Houston and its money would stay in Galveston Bay -- I miss my sleepy little port --
> 
> Islamorada was fantastic when I was there last month -- got my fill of poons in a day of hard work, never seen so many BIG fish (well except for just off Decros in the early eighties) -- heck they are just makin big pets out of the in the keys now.


POC lost the "sleepy little port" label a long time ago, unfortunately - at least as far as the weekends go. :spineyes: And it does get worse all the time. Luckily, most of the guys from up here that I know that come down there like it that way too... it's all the trout/redfish weekend warriors that fill up the Speedy Stop every morning. :tongue:

See ya on the water soon. If you ever see me about to run over anything I haven't seen, hope you'll yell at me on 68 or 72. I'll be the first one to call you over on some fish too. Promise.


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## marc

I vote channel 68... for some reason my radio skips around when its in the 70's.


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## bpfannkuch

yall have to get you facts straight i am from florida originally about 15 min from Boca Grande. The reason that we do not lift is because it causes alot of stress on the fish. Also we have a lot more sharks in florida. I have seen just as many free swimming fish get eaten by Bulls and hammer heads as i have seen get taken on a line. the ones i have seen taken off lines was usually on terminal tackle fishing the passes with #40 to #50 main line and #60+ leader. the areas we fish with light are in the flatts where there are no sharks large enought to eat them.


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## redman35

CoastalBent said:


> Well, that's not what this thread was talking about, but you just proved my point on the whining thing. You guys also clowned on Waterloo, Majek, and Corky, which are all Texas born companies, and probably pizzed off everybody from Houston that fishes POC... You're the man. :cheers:


I wouldn't fish POC now that i have to be worried about running into skidmark. I will keep my majek here in Houston and take it down to padre and portmansfield where i know people like skid are not welcome.


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## REELING 65

Scott said:


> It is illegal now in Florida and studies have shown over there a significant increase in death rates for fish hauled out of water.... so, it is likely always best to leave them in as much as possible but I think it's best to let folks know and then let them make the decision on their own... they usually make the right one in the future without making a big deal out of it on some message board.


X2...How true indeed.


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## alexrex20

guillotm said:


> I am sorry but fisherman do hurt the fish. No fish likes to be hooked, jump several times, and swim 300 yards as fast as it can.


maybe you should stop fishing then.


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## ChrisH

ill Take you up on that tarpon Deal. im 15 and i bet i could give you a run for your money.


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## guillotm

Stay in school.


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## ChrisH

guillotm said:


> Stay in school.


Well, 
lets hear it whats your basic tarpon setup??
Enlighten me


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## guillotm

Squid, wire leader, size 4 treble.................work it very fast


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## ChrisH

lol, im running either thick fluro, size 12 circle hook, 80 lb. braid on a cabo
or im throwing or trolling ****-pops.


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## guillotm

You're doing it all wrong. Fan boat, wire leader, chicken livers.


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## Scott

(1) Casting - Sabalo Seducer Rods (Savage Rods) - (a) Shimano 700 TE, 30 lb mono, fluro leader (100 lbs +)tied straight, no swivel and either a **** pop with a 1.5 ounce jig head and smaller bait tail or an original coast hawk; (b) VanStaal spinning reel with 80 lb braid, tied straight to a fluro leader (100 lbs) and a trolling baitbuster where I take out the hook and add at least a 1.5 ounce head with a stronger hook.

(2) Trolling - Okuma Titus II 20's (six of them), 30-50 lb boat rods with roller tips and first guide, 40 lb mono, swivel, 150 lb wire leader, 14-16 circle hook with **** pops, three ounce jig heads closest two lines (5 and 10 second lines), and two ounce jigs for the others (15, 20, 25, 30 second lines). [Wire because it doesn't balloon up like mono does and helps baits run straight when you are running so many baits - fish don't seem to care].

(3) when using bait in POC, boat rods above, 150 lb mono, 14/0 circle hooks, live mullet under a balloon or free-lined or set up with a drop off weight if I'm in the pass or in a channel.


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## capt mullet

Scott said:


> (1)(a) Shimano 700 TE, 30 lb mono, fluro leader (100 lbs +)tied straight, no swivel and either a **** pop with a 1.5 ounce jig head and smaller bait tail or an original coast hawk; (b) VanStaal spinning reel with 80 lb braid, tied straight to a fluro leader (100 lbs) and a trolling baitbuster where I take out the hook and add at least a 1.5 ounce head with a stronger hook.
> 
> .


I like your setups especially since that is exactly what I use except I do have a Stella 8000 on a Gloomis problue which is an awesome rig for casting smaller lures.


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## ChrisH

Capt Mullet were in league city are you from?


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## Two Headed Dog

guillotm said:


> I am sorry but fisherman do hurt the fish. No fish likes to be hooked, jump several times, and swim 300 yards as fast as it can. So no matter how gentle you think you are being with the fish, your best strategy is to get the fish in quicker and release it safely by pushing it back and forth until it swims off strong. I have seen numerous people throw them back like perch slapping the surface. Shorter fight times equal healthier fish when ready to be released. Light tackle is good for bragging rights but you just wear the fish out to the point of exhaustion. I have never read this report on lifting the fish, I have seen the one about sharks being to blame on most of the deaths. The report stated that if you take sharks out of the equation then the survival rate is more than 95 percent. I lift the fish but not by the jaw since its probably not designed to take the weight of it. Taking your time to release it helps the most. When they slap you with their tale then you know there ready.


 You'joking, right? And by the way since you've shown your hole card regarding the level of logic you possess, it's "Tail", not "Tale". Jeesh, give us a break. Tarpon are like sharks. You almost have to shoot them in the head to kill them.


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## guillotm

You late comers are a trip. Read my next post after that one. I am not a tree huger. But fishing hooks do hurt the fish why do you think they jump.....durh. This is a post discusing how strong Tarpon are and that they arent fragile but obviously you didnt get the memo. Once again, read my next post where I stated that sharks and gators were the only survivors of Hurrican Katrina at the zoo in NO. And this is fishing board I am not writing my master's thesis. Enjoy the pic, hater...........lol


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## Scott

guillotm said:


> You late comers are a trip. Read my next post after that one. I am not a tree huger. But fishing hooks do hurt the fish why do you think they jump.....durh. This is a post discusing how strong Tarpon are and that they arent fragile but obviously you didnt get the memo. Once again, read my next post where I stated that sharks and gators were the only survivors of Hurrican Katrina at the zoo in NO. And this is fishing board I am not writing my master's thesis. Enjoy the pic, hater...........lol


I had heard the tarpon survived too....???


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## Scott

Two Headed Dog said:


> You almost have to shoot them in the head to kill them.


I respectfully disagree with this broad comment and our experience with the satellite tags unfortunately has educated us that this is not always so. Properly reviving them is very very important to ensure they live. Predation is part of the equation but being too weak is certainly a factor in predation as well. If not properly released (with or without predation), there is a reasonably significant possibility a tarpon may not make it after a long fight if not handled and revived correctly.... _even without the shot to the head. _;-)


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## marc

I like this picture


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## guillotm

Thanks Marc. My friend Rob is deadly with the camera.


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## ChrisH

Ahh I remember my first tarpon From the jetty, 3rd grade was awsome 
jk guillotm, Beutiful pic. 
And Yes I WILL give you props.


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## guillotm

Lol! That reminds me of Step Brothers (the movie). HAHAH I remember my first beer. Gonna try and troll them jetties this weekend.


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