# Need help/advice on tarpon trip



## Brake4fish (Feb 18, 2005)

Hey folks,

Not new to fishing (bay fishing mainly) but fished for tarpon out of Galveston last year and now hooked! I want to book a couple of days of fishing somewhere with high chances of hook-ups and good size fish and considering the Keys (might consider other places like Costa Rica or Belize but not Africa). From what I've read, May and June look to be the best months there. 

Any advice on places and guides? I would prefer to stay away from the craziness I've read about like Boca Grande during prime time. Any help would would be appreciated.


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## Snookered (Jun 16, 2009)

tarpon run all over the place through the keys in may and june.....you can either book a guide out of Islamorada, or you could get crazy and go on a DIY trip....plenty of tarpon moving through the bridges, like Channel 2 and Channel 5.....
snookered


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## shotman (Dec 10, 2012)

If you are going to Florida, check out Dream Catchers Charters. If you are fishing here, I suggest POC.


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## dpeterson (May 3, 2007)

*Location*

Not sure of your location but if your in Texas, there are great guides up and down the coast. Mike LaRue, out of galveston, has hooked some big tarpon out of galveston. He hooked me and a buddy up in 2011. We are now trying it on our own this year. You might also consider the Venice area.


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## BrandonFox (Jan 8, 2013)

Are you wanting to book a guide or a DIY trip? If your doing a DIY go to the keys and fish the channels/bridges... Its not too hard most of the time to hook up.


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## SharkBait >*)\\\><( (May 16, 2012)

last year there where about 20 tarpon around 50-100 pounds under bob hall pier everyday for about 3 months, starting about this time last year..im going to fish specifically for them hard this year..i saw 10 tarpon landed over a 100 pounds from the pier last year and saw one hooked up that would have crushed the Texas state record (it almost spooled a 6/0, but threw the hooks).. i hooked three tarpon last year(one from the yak and two from bob hall) you dont have to go to Florida to catch a monster...the biggest tarpon i have ever seen was of the pacific side of panama in a river mouth..i got spooled standing on the bank lol it was still fun


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## Double G (Feb 27, 2013)

New to the site. Have fished both the Keys and Costa Rica. Costa Rica was an absolute blast. Boated 16 fish in 3 days personally. Had a group of 4 and the 3 day total was 53. All fish in the 100-170 class range. Lodge was pretty nice except no a/c. Great meals, great guides and fishing grounds very close to the lodge. Rio Parismina uses bait, other lodges in Costa Rica using lures. Very remote and definetly off the grid. www.riop.com Can't go wrong either way but definetly a adventure going to Costa Rica.


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## texpescador (May 4, 2006)

I've fished with Capt. Gavet Tuttle a couple times, out of Florida. My trips have been in the spring and we've had great success each time I fished with him.
Check out his website.
http://www.backformorefishingcharters.com/


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## 61Bubbletop (Apr 29, 2011)

You mentioned staying away from Boca Grande. I am headed there the 1st weekend in June. Fishing with Capt. Mark Bennett, who I have gone with quite a few times. Only been skunked once. He does not fish the pass, which is where the craziness happens.


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## Black Dog (May 19, 2006)

I fished out of Naples with this guy twice, We had fun, but lightning wrecked both days. (http://www.naplesfishingandtours.com/Home.html)

Another guide recommended to me by Dean "slowride" Thomas is http://www.chokoloskeecharters.com/guided-fishing.htm, but our schedules didn't line up for when I was there.

We stayed in Naples at the LaPlaya for a week in Mid May and it was great. Next time, we might check out Marco Island


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