# Breaking the silence.... Galveston!!



## cabolew (Aug 12, 2005)

It's probably no secret, the tarpon are on the Galveston Beachfront. I heard a few were caught out of San Luis pass. Also a few out of the Galveston Jetties.

I know of one caught Saturday evening because I caught it!!!!

Couple miles out off the south jetty. It was a big one too. My biggest yet. Guesstimate of 6' and 150 lbs. Only my fiance and me on the boat. So could not get to a good point to hand her the rod and grab the leader. After an hour and five times to the side of the boat, I applied full drag. Figured I would either get the head up or break the leader. Well the leader wore through. It was pretty chaffed up.

A couple items were proven to me in this battle. My fiance can definitely drive the boat to chase a fish for me. The recommendations of some on this board that my choice of tackle is too light is correct. I caught this on a heavier set-up than I normally have used. But, my knots and rigging held up to a very heavy drag setting which I am proud of.

OK... here is the specifics. I set up a drift. Used some "dry" chum and some menhaden mud. 7' Sea Magic rod and Avet LX 6:1. 40lb main line to a 60 lb wind-on (blood knot) with an offshore snap swivel (cinch knot). I then use a 5-6 foot 150 lb mono leader with a crimped loop and chaffing protector on swivel end. A crimped loop with 10/0 eagle claw circle hook on the other end. Shad for bait.

Looks like my 20lb test is going to be stripped off the other reels and step up to at least 30lb.

Good luck guys. Remember to take a camera! We only had a phone with us. So the pictures did not come out too great. Will post what I have later.

-Mike.


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## NurseD-bait (Oct 2, 2004)

CONGRATS!!! can't wait to see pics


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## Bill C (May 23, 2004)

Congratulations!

Sounds like a nice fish.


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## cabolew (Aug 12, 2005)

Pictures from Razor phone:


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## fisher__man (Jan 13, 2006)

good job we saw some sunday but could not get past the sharks and jacks. but it was fun seeing all thoes big silvery fish.


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## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

Great fish. Sounds like you got it together as far as your Tackle and Rigging goes!! I know what you mean about being a little light on your tackle. I have been fishing 40-50lb Mamoi mono on all trolling and drifting reels along with 100 pound Gerry Brown braid on casting reels. Sometimes I think that isn't enough...haha...


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## cabolew (Aug 12, 2005)

Thanks! I'm still smiling about it!


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## Capt Ahab (Oct 11, 2005)

*Rigging for Perfection*

Try a perfection loop on the business end of your leader and take the crimping out of the equation. On the leader's other end, use a heavy-duty Sampo ball bearing swivel. It will save time and trouble. The flash from the crimps will also cause spanish macs to cut your line at those points.

If you're only comfortable rigging your leader by crimping and not any other way, then stick w/ what you know. Nice catch.


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## hookguy (Aug 15, 2005)

Come on guys dont be afraid of the little tackle. I learned to fish tarpon in florida and now have been trying to snag my first Texas Tarpon. Im used to catching some tarpon on bass rods while fishing in South FL. I was out of Galveston on Sat. and had twenty pound setups. What a perfect day on the water that was. Hope for more days like that soon.


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## Capt Ahab (Oct 11, 2005)

*Light Tackle Tarpon*



hookguy said:


> Come on guys dont be afraid of the little tackle. I learned to fish tarpon in florida and now have been trying to snag my first Texas Tarpon. Im used to catching some tarpon on bass rods while fishing in South FL. I was out of Galveston on Sat. and had twenty pound setups. What a perfect day on the water that was. Hope for more days like that soon.


I don't think a bass rod is gonna help you snag your first Texas Tarpon, at least off Galveston. All kidding aside, most of our fishing occurs in 30-50' of water, so when a hooked tarpon sounds, you need something that can lift it up out of the depths. While a 20-lb. set-up may work, that's pushing it. Your fight may last hours -- believe me, my brother and I have already traveled this road. It's exhausting not only for you, but also the fish. In Florida, _on the flats_, a tarpon cannot sound, so lighter tackle and different techniques work just fine there. Good luck in your pursuit.


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## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

Capt Ahab said:


> I don't think a bass rod is gonna help you snag your first Texas Tarpon, at least off Galveston. All kidding aside, most of our fishing occurs in 30-50' of water, so when a hooked tarpon sounds, you need something that can lift it up out of the depths. While a 20-lb. set-up may work, that's pushing it. Your fight may last hours -- believe me, my brother and I have already traveled this road. It's exhausting not only for you, but also the fish. In Florida, _on the flats_, a tarpon cannot sound, so lighter tackle and different techniques work just fine there. Good luck in your pursuit.


I agree...I think those fish in Florida, in shallow water, are a little different than most of the ones we fish for over here...You might be awhile with a flipping stick and 20 lb...Especially if the fish doesnt jump...


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

Speaking of fish that don't jump. I caught a tarpon about three years go off the beach in Boca Grande - he was about 80-90 pounds. The fish NEVER jumped. We got it to the boat and there was a 110-120 pound fish swiming around with him and underneath him. The other fish stayed around until we released the fish. Very strange deal. Never seen that before.


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## cabolew (Aug 12, 2005)

I have also done the florida keys and caught tarpon on light tackle. Different game here. I've probably got close to 150 pacific sails under my belt on 20lb and travel rods. No way I would have got this fish to the boat on that gear. 

This first time it was to the boat in about 20 minutes. Obviously too green to try to leader. But, even after five times to the boat and an hour on the rod, I could turn the fish and could not stop it from sounding. Very, very strong. Hope they stay in the area, definitely want some more shots!

-Mike


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## bullred123 (Apr 16, 2005)

Good Fish


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## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

Scott said:


> Speaking of fish that don't jump. I caught a tarpon about three years go off the beach in Boca Grande - he was about 80-90 pounds. The fish NEVER jumped. We got it to the boat and there was a 110-120 pound fish swiming around with him and underneath him. The other fish stayed around until we released the fish. Very strange deal. Never seen that before.


We've struggled with several fish this year that didn't jump. They definatly conserve alot more energy that way it seems. Last year we were on some smaller fish and several of the ones we leadered had other Tarpon swimming around with them. We actually had a double hook up by pitching a bait to one of the followers.


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

Jake Reaves said:


> We've struggled with several fish this year that didn't jump. They definatly conserve alot more energy that way it seems. Last year we were on some smaller fish and several of the ones we leadered had other Tarpon swimming around with them. We actually had a double hook up by pitching a bait to one of the followers.


I'm wondering if this has something to due with a spawning behavior. You've seen it in June and so have I in Florida. Anybody have this happen in deeper water after July 31st?

Only a few times, very few, I can think of where a tarpon never jumped, not once. Most give you at least that initial jump.

Four years ago, fishing the Texas Tarpon Pro-Am, we hooked a 120lb fish on 30lb tackle around 1:00 p.m. Dock time was 4:00 p.m. and nobody else had hooked a fish. We thought we were a shoe-in that year. We were still fighting that fish at 4:30 p.m. I've never seen a 120lb fish fight that hard, that long on 30 pound tackle. It only jumped once on the initial hook-up. To this day, I can't believe it, just wasn't meant to be I guess. The next year, no fish were caught by anybody and it took one more year before we could redeem ourselves. Lookout for Farley this year, he's fishing without me but he always was the better half of our team anyway.


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## Capt Ahab (Oct 11, 2005)

*At the Hop*

I caught one tarpon (about 130-140 lbs) that never jumped after casting to it in a slow-moving school. The fish simply followed its buddies heading offshore. Had to power up & chase it since I was using a casting reel & 30 lb line. The fish acted like it was never hooked. If I recall, it was hooked in the top of the mouth. It took one hour & 20 mins. to land, numbing my left forefinger in the process. I tried popping or "twanging" the line to get it to jump, but to no avail. It finally rolled close to the boat, its back barely coming out of the water, but that's it.

My brother likewise caught one that never jumped. Also when casting to it. What an ordeal! Over 2 hours in August on a windless day. I kept having to pour buckets of water on his head & shoulders just to keep him cool, besides giving him tons of water. I don't remember where he hooked it (top, side, or somewhere else). The fish weighed an estimated 160 lbs. Understandably, he never wanted to meet up with it again!

I think we've caught one or two more that didn't hop, but it was during multiple fish days when we were doing the Chinese Fire Drill.

The ones that don't hop or sound conserve their energy and thereby gain the upper hand over a lenghty fight.


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## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

Scott said:


> I'm wondering if this has something to due with a spawning behavior. You've seen it in June and so have I in Florida. Anybody have this happen in deeper water after July 31st?


I have never seen florida in June...

All I know is I like it when they jump...I would rather not have a Tarpon on my line that doesn't jump...defeats the reason why i fish for them...


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## Jake Reaves (Oct 1, 2004)

I also know that when fighting one that doesn't jump your better off fighting him as far away from the boat as possible rather than close to the boat straight up and down...Especially when there is alot of current and Deep Water, deeper than 40 or 50 feet....


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## OUTLAW (May 26, 2004)

That sounds cool


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