# Is this a Tarpon?



## WSentertainment (Jun 5, 2006)

While watching AFN, I seen this video and had to share it with you folks.

http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/336163//Fishing%20By%20Hand.MPG <--- Video is 10mb so give it a few mins to dowload (DVD Quality)

http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/336164//Fishing%20By%20Hand%20-%20Internet.WMV <---- Same Video but in a Broadband Streaming Format only about 641kb (WMV File)


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

Yep - that's a tarpon. In florida and some other places, tarpon hang around cleaning stations looking for handouts - this was a "real" hand out. And the tarpon didn't even get anything for it. the guy held on to the fish.


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## EKNIP (Sep 15, 2005)

It Is Amazing How Much Money/ Time Is Spent "chasing Silver" When These Tarpon Are Stacked Up In These Marinas In The Keys. I Was Told That Some Marina Owners Are Charging 300.00 To Catch Thes Tarpon On Circle Hooks On 80# Tackle!!


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## haparks (Apr 12, 2006)

wow they should be making a mint---


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## WAHOO-YAHOO (Apr 6, 2006)

They are that thick in the marina at sapphire beach (and others) in St. Thomas. They are there to pick up scraps every evening while we clean fish. My son would dangle a scrap from a tuna, like the skin side after filleted off, in one hand and when they would fight for it he'd belly grab them and lift the (very briefly) out of the water.

Tons-o-silver in the island marinas. They are a real hoot on inshore casting rods with barbless hooks (so they don't he hurt).


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## C.E.O.SALTWATERSOUL (Jul 17, 2008)

*I heard the same !*

STAYED AT HAWKS CAYE RESORT IN THE KEYS....BEING FROM GALVESTON ,TEXAS AND CATCHING TEXAS TARPONS, FLORIDA TARPON ARE 50 to 1 ..............MATTER OF FACT....CAUGHT ONE ON A TEXAS SNAPPER SLAPPER BECAUSE SOME YOYO SAID I COULD'NT ,I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CIRCLE HOOKS WITH ME ,SO I USED A SNAPPER SLAPPER WITH A CIRCLE HOOK ...FLORIDA BOYS DONT LIKE TREBLES....


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## Reel_Blessed II (Jun 24, 2004)

C.E.O.SALTWATERSOUL said:


> STAYED AT HAWKS CAYE RESORT IN THE KEYS....BEING FROM GALVESTON ,TEXAS AND CATCHING TEXAS TARPONS, FLORIDA TARPON ARE 50 to 1 ..............MATTER OF FACT....CAUGHT ONE ON A TEXAS SNAPPER SLAPPER BECAUSE SOME YOYO SAID I COULD'NT ,I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CIRCLE HOOKS WITH ME ,SO I USED A SNAPPER SLAPPER WITH A CIRCLE HOOK ...FLORIDA BOYS DONT LIKE TREBLES....


Sweet. How was that? I watch the Saltwater Experience and those guys do that show out of there in Duck key. Looks like an awesome area.


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## williamdailey (Mar 24, 2009)

It is my understanding that tarpon used to aggregate around a Matagorda (Texas) cleaning station seasonally... decades ago and late summer / early fall


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## fishkillr (Dec 31, 2008)

I know of one spot in South Texas where they can be caught/seen on a daily basis but I'll never tell!!!!


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

williamdailey said:


> It is my understanding that tarpon used to aggregate around a Matagorda (Texas) cleaning station seasonally... decades ago and late summer / early fall


Bill, back when there was a gulf shrimping fleet out of Palacios and they had several fish houses located at the turning basin, the tarpon used to stack one in the pilings and wait for the heads and crab shells to be dumped over board. These fish would have more of a golden cast to them, rather than silver, due to the stained water. Occasionally, you could get one to take a bait but, before you could react, they would have you in the pilings and then there was nothing to do but break off. Since these fish didn't have to fight the tides and got fed on a regular basis, they got super fat. I'm not sure these fish ever left the turning basin, but if they did, you would never see them outside. We set up many an evening to see if we could get one to bite outside but we never got a strike, much less saw one roll.


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