# Best destination for tarpon?



## Svajda (Aug 31, 2004)

Not a Texas question, but it seems more appropriate here than on the blue water board.

If you could chase tarpon anywhere in the world, what would you consider the best spot to do so?

I've done the billfish thing for the past 25 +/- years, looking for a new experience.

Thanks, Svajda


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

The coolest spot to do it is the San Juan River in Nicaragua. Second choice, go to Rio Parismina Lodge Costa Rica.


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## Svajda (Aug 31, 2004)

I looked in to some of the places on the San Juan, seems they troll for them quite a bit. I'll do some more research on the two places you linked to. I'd prefer to cast to them if at all possible. Thanks for the feedback.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

In parts of Florida they're stacked up like cordwood and even feed next to marina restaurants. Cuba, of all places, is pristine fishing - just fly through Mexico. Tarpon used to be very good around Anegada, BVI but I'm not sure about these days. We're thinking about booking a trip to Corn island, Nicaragua and reports for tarpon are there, not sure how strong the fishery is. Panama does have some silver rollers, I agree.


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## Svajda (Aug 31, 2004)

Thanks again, this is certainly on the short list of things I'd like to do in the next year or so, along with peacocks on the Amazon. 

I've seen the tarpon in the Keys around the marinas etc, too bad Robbie's doesn't allow fishing! LOL


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## tey2 (Jun 25, 2012)

I have heard a lot of good feedback from friends who went to Rio Parismina. 

I don't mean to hijack but what places are on your short list for billfish? Only asking because I'm originally from FL and have billfished in Cabo a few times. Like you looking for another place. Thanks.


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## Knotty Fly (Jun 29, 2012)

I hear Boca Grand in Fl is great tarpon fishing but have never gone myself


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

Boca is good with a guide that will put you on fish that are not in the pass but the beach fish are pressured with lots of boats also. On the full moon, the fish leave the pass in the afternoon and go to "the hill". It is a sight to see hundreds of fish rolling and actually see them swimming under the boat. Florida is safe, cheap, and easy.

Parismina is great. Boats there just help you locate fish. I have seen acres of fish there... I have made a cast and jumped three before sticking one. Coast Rica is fairly safe ... just far and costs more due to air flights and additional hotel expense due to travel time from San Juan to lodges.

My advice is to do both and next time you have good info for the next trip. Be very careful who you go with as a fishing partner.

TC


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## 76794p (Aug 20, 2012)

Islamorada and key west. In key west look up captain marlin scott he has got multiple boats and is great.


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## Svajda (Aug 31, 2004)

Tarponchaser said:


> Boca is good with a guide that will put you on fish that are not in the pass but the beach fish are pressured with lots of boats also. On the full moon, the fish leave the pass in the afternoon and go to "the hill". It is a sight to see hundreds of fish rolling and actually see them swimming under the boat. Florida is safe, cheap, and easy.
> 
> Parismina is great. Boats there just help you locate fish. I have seen acres of fish there... I have made a cast and jumped three before sticking one. Coast Rica is fairly safe ... just far and costs more due to air flights and additional hotel expense due to travel time from San Juan to lodges.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. I'm very familiar with the Central American thing, just not the tarpon fishing/tactics. Is it common practice to just live bait in the current? Seems they do this a lot in So. Florida. You mention casting to them, could you elaborate a bit? Sorry for my ingnorance on the subject.


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## Lebber32 (Aug 8, 2010)

Florida keys we sight casted small crabs to em. One of the coolest things I have ever done. Went out of Duck Key.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*I'll second Islamorada*



76794p said:


> Islamorada and key west. In key west look up captain marlin scott he has got multiple boats and is great.


But you can rent your own skiff at Robbies in June and catch poons till your arms fall off

When you get back you can lay out on the dock and watch thousands of the hand fed pets along with an occasional manatee - have a ball there


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

When I fished Parismina ... we fished two ways.... find a school offshore... cast a large spoon or a coasthawlk or set a large Rapalla swim in the current a night .... never saw anyone use bait... there was no need.

TC


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## pf22 (Jun 8, 2012)

I fished the Rio Colorado in Costa Rica for 4 days and never landed a fish due to some really unfortunate weather. They like to anchor up in the river and just set a plug out behind wiggling in the currant. Not too much fun. I could have done much better in my home waters around Boca Grande but it was fun to see the country and did catch a few big snook.


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## stdreb27 (Aug 15, 2011)

I want to do this.


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## Ron Hoover Corpus (Jan 3, 2013)

Try Homosassa in Florida, go to the bombing range! Or possibly Boca Grande, also in Fla.:brew2:


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## Trouthappy (Jun 12, 2008)

Tom Gibson in Houston has caught them all over the world for 50 years, has a few world records. Also the Texas record. Today he only fishes Africa and the southern part of Trinidad. I watched a video at his home two weeks ago, they fish close to shore a few hundred yards, but the water is 100 feet deep. Tons of tarpon of all sizes. Just drop down a ribbonfish bait and hang on. They are only seven miles off the coast of Venezuela, a lot of fish funnel between Trinidad and the mainland. In the video the water was slick calm, even though there was rain in the distance. If Tom says that's the best place to go today, I would definitely start there.


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## Seawolf5481 (Jun 19, 2007)

I don't have a lot of experience, (actually only fished Boca grande) but Boca grande was great last week. We caught them on the "hill" and in the pass. Could no get them to bite on the beach. There were a ton of fish all over the area.


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## Huachele (Apr 19, 2009)

Scott said:


> The coolest spot to do it is the San Juan River in Nicaragua. Second choice, go to Rio Parismina Lodge Costa Rica.


Well you better go to Nica now because the Chinese are headed there soon.

From the Chronicle a few days ago:

Nicaragua fast-tracks mammoth canal project

Esteban Felix, STF

FILE - In this June 25, 2011 file photo, Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega waves to supporters during an event marking the 32nd anniversary of the Sandinista's withdrawal to Masaya, in Managua, Nicaragua. Nicaragua is trying to revive a centuries-old dream of building an inter-ocean canal. Ortega presented the project to Congress June 4, 2013, and and hopes to submit it to at least an initial vote on June 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix

ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 9, 2013

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Nicaragua is trying to revive a centuries-old dream of building an inter-ocean canal, a project experts say could take 11 years to build, cost $40 billion and require digging about 130 miles of waterway.

The government is trying to rush approval of a canal linking the Pacific to the Atlantic through the country's congress in less than two weeks in a nation that doesn't even yet have a paved road connecting the two oceans. And some congressmen are asking why there's such a rush, calling for a cool head and a careful consideration of costs and benefits, both environmental and economic. Approval by Friday

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega presented the project just Tuesday and hopes to submit it to at least an initial vote on Monday, and gain final approval by Friday.

Just as the Panama Canal was a projection of growing U.S. power at the start of the 20th century, the Nicaragua project is an expression of China's growing influence and financial clout around the world. Some are concerned, however, that while China's record in big infrastructure projects is solid, its track record on environmental sensitivity is unenviable.

The demand will probably be there by the time the project is finished, said Jason Bittner, director of the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of Southern Florida. The question is whether the route can compete with its two big competitors, the century-old Panama Canal and the "land bridge" of railway networks that connect U.S. West Coast ports with the East Coast. Different rules

Nicaragua, like Panama - which currently is expanding its own canal to handle wider ships - has lots of water.

But much of Nicaragua's water is earmarked for human use, and its lush rivers are too environmentally sensitive to be simply dredged into waterways or dammed to provide water to operate locks. Panama faced few such restrictions in the early 1900s when its canal was built.

In a previous presentation of the project presented in 2006, the promoters acknowledged there would probably have to be some dam-building, perhaps on rivers as diplomatically and environmentally sensitive as the San Juan river, which runs along the border with Costa Rica.

With 1.7 billion gallons of water per day needed to run Nicaragua's proposed locks, and tens of millions of tons of excavation needed, the project looks daunting.


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## Coconut Groves (Nov 2, 2011)

I pretty much only fly fish, so can't answer for the bait and chunk.

Nicaragua is primarily river fishing - so not a lot of sight fishing. I haven't been, but know a little about it.

Belize has river fishing and also blue water, white sand flats. This is my favorite type of tarpon fishing. Belize is good and I've been there over a 1/2 dozen times. Pressure is getting there too - more and more guides hitting the same spots.

Los Roques is also good - there are some big fish there, but much more midsize fish. A lot of bait though, so getting them to eat can be tough. But you get tons of shots.

Haven't fished Trinidad, but fished Tobago. It was really good, though challenging. My guide there fishes Trinidad often - those fish come up from a shelf 200' down and slam bait. You hook one and then sound on you - so definitely not ideal for fly.

I've done the Keys, but it is very spotty. Not high on my list to go back to because of traffic and tournament pressures.

Ascension in Mexico is good for small tarpon and get your first one on a fly - but not for the bigger ones.

I fished Little Cayman at the inland pond - good for small tarpon. I hear there are big ones off of Grand, just didn't chance to fish them.

High on my list: Nicaragua (Rio Indio, Corn Islands), Isla Holbox, Western Puerto Rico, and of course, Cuba.


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## cheeser (Jun 19, 2013)

Bear Holeman down in Sugarloaf/Key West in the states, Rio Parismina in Costa Rica is excellent as well as Casa Blanca in the Yucatan.


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