# Tarpon Port O



## TimOBrien (Jul 15, 2005)

I am new to the forum and suprised with all the talk on tarpon fishing. I'm from SPI and FF for tarpon off the rocks down there. I am amazed with the photos you guys have out. Any who, I just got back from Holbox on Wed. and wasn't impressed. One of my co-workers from Casa Blanca landed a 70lb. I got a couple of small tarpon and snook. I'm guessing the huricane may have had something to do with the fishing. So I am coming to Port O this weekend with a friend of mine for the first time. If you guys have any suggestions on how I should approach the tarpon fishing there I would appreciate it. I would hire a guide, but my pockets are empty from the trip down south. I would trade out a day of fishing for two days and lodging at the Dunkin House (now back bay lodge)on the Lower Laguna Madre.


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

I've been wanting to hear about Holbox. Please detail when you can.

The two Scotts are the ones to talk to about Port O. Seems like the Pass, the jetties, and just inside and outside of both are prime areas. Good luck!


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## LBS (Sep 2, 2004)

*Dunkin House*

Anyone with the tarpon skills should sop up that trade very quickly!!! I fished out of the Dunkin house about a month ago and it was fantastic....Doug Dunkin is a machine. Not only was the fishing awesome but Doug Dunkin has a great cook, cold a/c, margaritas, and a shower waiting for you when you get in from the morning or evening grind....and you catch trout till your arms fall off at night under the lights off of his pier.  Soak it up tarpon guys.....


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## TimOBrien (Jul 15, 2005)

The island of Holbox has a lot of character. The fishing was not as I expected. I think a big part was due to the hurricanes. Mr. Sand Flea is has a couple of guides to fish with, but its $400 a day.The problem with Holbox is that if the tarpon arent rolling then thats it. There really isnt any other fishing to be done there. The locals have netted all the bones. We saw big schools of around a 100 tarpon rolling but they wouldnt stay up long enough to get a cast at them.


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## TimOBrien (Jul 15, 2005)

*returned from POC*

I had a great time there in POC. The weather was bad on Sat. morning, but I did manage to land a small tarpon, black drum(1st time on the fly), trout, reds, and sheepshead. I was really amazed with yalls waters. I had a blast chasing schools of jack around grass island. My friend brought his boat up from Harlingen and we explored the waters. I did notice that fisherman really didnt follow boating etiquette. I had boats all day cutting me off or driving 60 ft in front me or next to me instead of going around. Down south there would be filet knife fight back at the dock.


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## Sight Cast (May 24, 2004)

Welcome to POC Tim. It really is getting old down there.


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## calvin (May 3, 2005)

poc is getting to be a joke no respect


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## Farmer Jim (May 21, 2004)

I witnessed one of the worst things I have ever seen on the water at POC. A guy was trying to recover his boat and the current was really ripping in the ICW. On top of that, a cross wind blowing the same direction as the current was making his life even more miserable. His buddy was in the truck cab and was either oblivious to the problems or felt like his place was in that cab. As the poor guy struggled through about 5 trys at lining up on the trailer, each time risking damage to his boat from the concrete bulkhead, eight or ten guys were standing around drinking beer and laughing at him.

I knew how tough a time the guy was having because we had just finished loading my boat and it had been tough even with three other guys helping out. After watching this for a couple of minutes, I went over and asked what I could do to help. When I did, another guy who had been watching, and who I guess was as disgusted as I was at the crowd's behavior, also offered to help. He kept the boat off the concrete while I went down on the trailer and helped with the alignment. When the guy finally got the boat loaded, the other guy helping turned to the crowd of drunk idiots who been jeering and said "thanks for all the support". One of them shot him the finger and another said " F off". 

The whole episode was one of the more disgusting things I have ever witnessed while fishing and was the antithesis of everything I always believed of sportsmen. Unfortunately, I have since discovered that is wasn't all that unusual for POC behavior. 

Everyone I have run across at POC isn't a jerk, but there sure seems to be a disproportionate number of them down there. It's really sad compared to what it was like just 20 years ago.


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

Yep, no excuse for that. I love to fish in POC but have also had the worst experiences there from "fellow" boaters. You'd think that since POC is strictly a fishing town, that it would have the most knowledgeable and considerate crowd, but it is definitely the opposite in my experience.

Glad you did the right thing.


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## TimOBrien (Jul 15, 2005)

*Holbox Tarpon*

Here is a pic of my friends tarpon that he caught in Holbox.


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## marc (May 21, 2004)

i agree with yalls views on poc. i would like to add that one day my boat wouldnt start in the intercoastal. some shrimper went outa his way to stop and give us a tow. i tried to give him cash, but he wouldnt take it. i have never been treated so nice. not all poc folks are the same.


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## Farmer Jim (May 21, 2004)

marc said:


> i agree with yalls views on poc. i would like to add that one day my boat wouldnt start in the intercoastal. some shrimper went outa his way to stop and give us a tow. i tried to give him cash, but he wouldnt take it. i have never been treated so nice. not all poc folks are the same.


If anyone interpreted my post as a dig at the POC locals, I need to clear that up. Actually, the nicer folks I have run across down there are the locals. The trash and riff-raff are part of the visiting crowd. Back when POC was a sleepy little fishing village of mostly locals without the weekend influx of idiots, it was one of the best places on the coast.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

If you took a pole and asked where the majority were from, I bet the top spot is HOUSTON.
"Hurry,Hurry" "but there is someone right in on that point." " I dont care lets get out there"
One of the main reasons , port o'connor and I have parted ways except for a few winter trips and maybe one in the spring. And the one in spring isn't long to end.


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## LBS (Sep 2, 2004)

*Residents of Houston....*

So many people think that just because a person lives in Houston that they're some kind of weekend warrior or some idiot that doesn't know how to run a boat. I now live in Houston because it's the only place close enough to the coast where I can make "real" money. I grew up in Wharton and started fishing Matagorda when I was about 6 and was running boats in the Colorado not long after....started wading Matty bays when I was old enough to pull a boat down there. Now days, the only chance I get to make my coast runs are usually on the weekends. I'm sure I'm not the only one on this board that's followed the same timeline. Every now and then when I'm down South, someone will ask, "where ya from" and when I say Houston, I get the cold shoulder....truth is, I probably know more about boats and fishing than the majority of the people that I get that from. So just be careful when you run into someone "from" Houston.....he might just be the guy towing you in when your rig craps out.....


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## ROOSTER REDCHASER (Feb 25, 2005)

this thread has quickly gone from a good one............to a bad one.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

LBS
I know there are alot of good fishermen from Houston.
I have many friends and relatives there and they are the kind of people I would want to see on the bays.
But the majority act on the bay like they act on the freeways.
I think that crowded place just makes people products of their environment.


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## LBS (Sep 2, 2004)

*True....*

...when certain areas get crowded, people just give up on boating etiquette....seen it happen many times. I didn't mean to stir any pots here or turn this thread into "a bad one".....I just think that there's a certain stereotype about people from Houston and just wanted to vent on it a little....but I guess there's a difference in where you're from and where you live.

Hey Tim.....how did the Dunkin House fair in the storm????


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

"But the majority act on the bay like they act on the freeways."

Too **** funny!! How true is THAT. Just like the stereotypical New Yorker, right.

Jerks are jerks, whether they are from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio or Cut & Shoot, Texas. We all need to learn to be more polite. Wouldn't our mamas be ashamed!!!! Afterall, we're after only fish.... right?


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## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

Congrats on your PO'C **** catch, quite an accomplishment!


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Yeah, that's great that you caught a tarpon in Texas--not many have in the past thirty years on purpose.

Congrats!!!


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

crtarpon said:


> Yeah, that's great that you caught a tarpon in Texas--not many have in the past thirty years on purpose.
> 
> Congrats!!!


I'm don't know where you were in the hay day of tarpon back in the middle 80's.
But there were lots of tarpon caught ON PURPOSE out of galveston.
From the middle to the end of the 80's , tarpon were seen almost every day along the beach front from July to october.
Lots of people that knew about them fished for them succesfully a mile to 5 miles of the beach, drifting live mullet and dead shad. (Not just guides.)
7 to 10 hookups a day were the norm.
Thats when (late80's) most of the" tarpon guide services" where started out of galveston. And the reason was because there were so many tarpon. 
Even when people fished the sand , WE went with 8 ft leaders , 16/0 circle hooks and whole shad. (Not three ft leaders , a 6/0 j-hook and a mullet head.) To hopfully get a shot at a silver king.
Yea , there were bullreds , sharks , and jacks caught while waiting for the ONE, but thats the case in all "on purpose " fishing. Some people call it by-catch. Even the guides come home with stories of Jacks and sharks and no tarpon. And in the last 30 yrs there were a whole lot of tarpon caught in texas on purpose,contrairy to your belief
So if you're taking a shot at someone on this board by your statement , go take it somewhere else, tarpon pro.
If your not , sorry I rambled on.


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

I eagerly opened my favorite internet page and read this? 

Wow. I was trying to pay someone a compliment and had no idea anyone could take offense to it. I personally know only three people who have caught a tarpon in Texas, and though I'd like to be one of them I am not. 

This guy went to Port O'Connor for a weekend after not being there for a number of years, found some tarpon, and caught one. I think that's a heck of an achievement and wanted to congratulate him. I have tried to do that and failed.

If you don't think it's a big deal, that's fine. 

I am disappointed that in the future I will not be able to look forward to reading this board anymore.

Scott and the rest of you guys take care and good luck. I really appreciate the articles (write some new ones when you can as I've read all of them like ten times each!), advice, reports, and just kind advice.

At any rate, I am sorry that a thread about a guy catching a Texas Tarpon has turned into this. I still say congrats to him!


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## TimOBrien (Jul 15, 2005)

Fellow Fisherman,

I am sorry to have started such negative banter on this forum. I just want to clarify that I enjoyed POC and I will return for the month of August to seek out the great fishing that I encountered last weekend. I am not at all pointing my finger at locals or weekend warriors, but instead giving my opinion on what I saw. We all wish for a time where we have a flat all to ourselves, but its a dream that will not happen(especially with all the shallow running boats out there today). Just respect your fellow fisherman, and help him imagine that hes got it all to himself. Tight loops and wet lines to all.

Tim O'Brien
A young fly-fisherman from South Texas.


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

Dear Redfishr, 

Obvisousy you are a grochy old fart as am I. The information in your attack on CRtarpon was interesting but put forth in poor form and was also inaccurate. He has too much class to resopnd to you but I do not. 

Perhaps the hay day was in the early sixties when there were thousands of tarpon at Port Aransas and hundreds in the boat basin at Rockport. Or maybe it was when President Roosevelt caught his at Port Aransas in the thirties. I am sure that it was not in the eighties. 

There are about 22 million people in Texas today. How many have caught a tarpon? 

Not very many. 

In the eighties, CRtarpon was playing middle linebacker for a 5A high shcool in the State semi-finals. He was offered three scholarships to play in college but instead signed up with the Airborne Rangers. After graduating from Texas A&M, he guided scores of tarpon fishermen in Costa Rica where they caught hundreds of them.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Tarponchaser said:


> Dear Redfishr,
> 
> Obvisousy you are a grochy old fart as am I. The information in your attack on CRtarpon was interesting but put forth in poor form and was also inaccurate. He has too much class to resopnd to you but I do not.
> 
> ...


As I said if his intent was not to smack anyone on this board then I said I was sorry for rambling on.
I read his post a little differently than you.
I fished the gulf in my area through the 70's and the 80s were the hay day in my lifetime (so far), on the upper texas coast. 
You are correct about past hay days. It has been cyclycle over the last century. And around here (galveston) the 80's were as good as my generation has seen it. 
I thought he was refering to all the guys that have got lucky and hooked and landed a tarpon while fishing and catching other fish and sharks. 
My intent was to let him know just because your not sight casting to them in the mangroves or out on the key flats throwing live crabs at them, that they can still be caught on purpose.
If I'm making any sense, I hope you understand what I'm saying. I was not attacking anyone just remarking on his comment. Which I appently took out of context.
As for CRTarpon.
I appologise for any remarks I made while on my soap box.
If I were as much a man as you I wouldn't have said anything either.
Again I appologise.
You are right T C , I guess I am grouchy. But I'm really a nice guy. Its not the first time I've opened my mouth or my keyboard when I shouldn't have.
Good fishin..............


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

If you'd like a good perspective on Texas' tarpon fishing, read Barney Farley's book, "Fishing Yesterdays Gulf Coast". I think you'll find it an interesting read from one of the pioneers in Texas tarpon fishing. Along with tarpon, it addresses several other glamor species, like snook, that were much more abundant along the coast before the 1970's and one man's concern about thier future.


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

You guys are cracking me up..thats the bad part about writing words down on a forum...you can't hear the voice tones, see the facial expressions or the body language. Sometimes you perceive the post by the mood your in and some people are just grumpy in the mornings when they open these things up. I love the Texas Tarpon page. I also would love to catch a texas tarpon, and I assure you if I ever catch one it will be on accident. 
P.S.
Are hardheads considered a game fish?, cuz I catch alot of those.
And watch out for those Dang Houstonians.:rotfl:


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

Dear Redfishr,


You are a good guy. Thanks for the clairification. Have read your other posts & the verifiy that all of us got out of context or realm of our lifetime.

I know what you mean as a couple of years ago I was putting all my extensive expert skills into play and the only tarpon caught was by some dufus on the jetty throwing a trout rig. (yea the two little gigheads with pink tails & 30 # leader)

Chris,

It's a great read. I have a friend who worked on Florida Roberts boat. He was 10 years old & Florida took him out for a days work. They landed in Port Mansfield-- two weeks later. Bet mom was mad.

Another great read is "The Stubborn Fisherman". It is the life of Florida Roberts.



Bucksnort,

Well said.

Tarponchaser


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## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

I have that one too. It is a great read. There is also another one, written by Richard Sutton in the '30s titled "Silver Kings of Aransas Pass".


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Fellas:
Thanks for taking the time to write and getting us straight. Bucksnort is 100% on the money with his observation.

Redfishr--no hard feelings and best of luck to you. 

I hope all you guys have your best tarpon fishing summer ever. Maybe this year will be the new hayday.

Bill C. offered to take me fishing show me how he does it. It speaks well of him and this board that he would invite a guy he doesn't know from Adam to to share his knowledge and time with. I really appreciate that and it made me feel really good that somebody would do that.

Hopefully I will be posting my first Texas Tarpon picture in the near future.


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## Tarponchaser (May 25, 2005)

Animal Chris said:


> I have that one too. It is a great read. There is also another one, written by Richard Sutton in the '30s titled "Silver Kings of Aransas Pass".


I want it. any idea where it can be obtained?

TC


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

Try e-bay, that's where I got mine... try Amazon too.


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## crtarpon (May 11, 2005)

Scott: we found one on Amazon for $20. Thanks!


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