# Bahia Honda Tarpon 5/17 - 5/19



## Brian Castille (May 27, 2004)

I went tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys for the 6th time in 7 years from May 17th to May 19th. My wife, dad and cousin were fishing with me. Our guide once again was Capt. Alex Regan www.tarpontrips.com .

Day 1

We headed out at 8am to catch the outgoing tide armed with crabs, pinfish and a variety of artificial baits. Normally, the fish are all over the live baits but they wanted nothing of it. The only thing drawing strikes was 1.5 oz jigs tipped with slug-go's. We put a few fish in the air that got off, but after about an hour or so I finally got one to stick. It jumped a few times and then it started pouring down rain. I didn't want to risk losing the fish by messing with the rain gear, so I just got soaked, lol. After about 45 minutes, something wasn't right - I never could turn the fish at all. Finally we realize it's now hooked right at the top of the right gill plate! Most likely the fish rolled on the line after a jump, the jig fell out of the mouth and stuck when the line pulled across it's back. After another 15 minutes or so, I got it about 10 feet from the boat but never could get its head turned enough to actually grab the leader. The line finally gave out when it was 10 feet from the boat again, but I was definitely satisfied getting it to the boat! We put a couple more fish in the air, but overall, the action was a little slower than normal. All the hits came on jigs. Part of the problem was the 50 boats zig zagging all over the place without a clue and running over fish. It almost seemed like Galveston!!!

Day 2

Since the bite was a little slow during the crowded daytime, we opted to catch the incoming tide at 3am. We pretty much had nonstop action. My wife fought a stubborn fish for over an hour that hit a live bait. We ended up getting it to the boat and leadered after dragging us over 2 miles! Next up was my cousin and he fought a fish for about 45 minutes and got it 10 feet from the boat a few times before he put a little too much pressure on the spool trying to keep it out of the bridge. Next fish to hit was on a jig and wasn't acting like a tarpon. My dad kept pressure on the fish and got it away from the bridge and we ended up getting it to the boat. It was a fish we had never seen before - a Jewfish! It was released of course. We put a few more fish in the air and fought a few more, but didn't get anything near the boat. On the "last cast" of the day, my dad threw the jig at the bridge and it ended up going in between the bridge rails. Then, line started ripping off the spool, then it went slack. My dad reeled in and didn't get anything back. There was only one explanation - he had hooked a car, lol. I guess we needed bigger tackle to get that one in!

Day 3

We went out at 3am again with thunderstorms all around us. Luckily, everything stayed right around us and we were able to stay out there. We hooked about a half dozen fish, but we didn't have much luck keeping them on / out of the bridge. My dad ended up keeping one on for about 45 minutes and we got it to the boat and leadered. It was on a jig.

Total for the trip was 2 tarpon leadered, 2 other tarpon to the boat, about another 15 or so that were put in the air, one Jewfish and one Honda, lol. 75% of the strikes came on the jig tipped with slug-go. Maybe it's something to try in Galveston. Biggest tarpon was estimated at 130 pounds. My wife caught it of course!

I've attached some pictures along with feeding tarpon at Robbie's, an osprey that was under the old bridge eating a yellowtail snapper and a key deer that was hanging out by our trailer.

Enjoy!


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## Brian Castille (May 27, 2004)

more pics


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

Nice pics. Looks like a really good time. Brings back memories from when I lived in Homestead as a kid.. We fished the keys a lot. That was back when you could be on the water down there all day and not see 5 boats. I can remeber launching at jewfish creek and never seeing another boat all day long.. Things have changed a little. 

Those "pet" tarpon look like a hoot..


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

cool pics brian. looked like a fun trip!


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## mozingo1952 (Sep 29, 2004)

I fished that area several times during the late 80's. Neat place.
We had a hammerhead try to take a tarpon at boatside , at night , as I leaned over the rail with the spotlight, very scary.

MO


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## capt. david (Dec 29, 2004)

brian great pics. next year my wife and i just might join ya'll!


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## wschorp (Jun 1, 2004)

When I was in High School I used to spend 3 weeks each summer fishing in the bahia honda area. Great pictures. If you go a little later in the summer you can go lobestering once you are done fishing. Good picture of the key deer.
WS


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## redman35 (Jul 1, 2008)

Hey i thought in florida passed a law you can not take the grouper out of the water. Even for a picture.


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## capt mullet (Nov 15, 2008)

redman35 said:


> Hey i thought in florida passed a law you can not take the grouper out of the water. Even for a picture.


they did so be careful posting that pic. beautiful fish and really beautiful water. I wish we had water like that!


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## Brian Castille (May 27, 2004)

redman35 said:


> Hey i thought in florida passed a law you can not take the grouper out of the water. Even for a picture.


They did. It was solidly hooked in the mouth with a jig and there was a shark after it.

What's better for the fish?

A. Try and get the hook out of its mouth with a big set of teeth chomping down on the fish and killing with the fish still in the water (and maybe losing a hand).

B. Bring the fish on board, carefully remove the hook and let the thing go next to a piling away from the shark.

I think we will all agree that "B" was best for the fish, lol.

The law was passed to prevent people from bringing the 200-300 pound fish on board and messing them up.


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

Brian, 

I agree with you. I dislike sharks and porpoise more than some. I want to be the #1 predator on land and sea.

TC


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