# Tarpon shots



## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

I know this is a "Texas Tarpon" site, but if you want to see some shots of some Florida tarpon, check out the Photography section. I just got back from the Everglades and we had fantastic time. On one day we were 5 for 5 on tarpon from 25 to 100 pounds - perfect fun catching size. There's also a pic of a 150 pounder that I "long released" the day before. 

We had caught some small mangrove type poons before, but never tangled with anything over 20 pounds. I was hooked before, but now that we've tangled with the big boys, there may be no cure!


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*For true "trophy" class*

Florida can't hold a candle to Texas anymore - I fished Florida a lot , plenty of 20-120# tarpon but the big bruisers show up more and more each year off the Texas coast - this year was an exceptional year for 90+ inch fish as born out by new state records being set. You can go hook up 20 tarpon a day in FLa. you are lucky to hook up 2 a day in Texas but they may weight 200+ when you do get one on.


----------



## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

Back up a minute there cowboy, that's a pretty bold statement you are making there. Sure there have been several big fish caught off Texas the last couple of years, but in a heads up match, I think FL will get us in both size and numbers. There are some spots in Florida, especially down along the Keys that hold some monsters, year round. Also, the state record in Florida is 243#, caught in 1975 out of Key West.


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*What was and is*

Yep Florida used to kick out a lot of big fish - that was in the early seventies and all through the eighties - too much pressure now on most areas that USED to kick out big fish - you can catch a lot of fish down there on any given day - its just getting harder abnd harder to get on really big fish - I still will take Texas when I want a legit shot on a daily basis for 90" + fish. Plus its a LOT closer than the Keys.


----------



## El Tractor (Sep 20, 2006)

*Good Sized Tarpon*

I'm guessing that you're not a true Tarpon Junkie, do you ever watch the Professional Tarpon Tournament, there are plenty of 125-175 and the occasional 200 pound tarpon that are landed, towed to a scale by boat, weighed, and then released. I have fished both Fla, and Texas- My Texn pride tells me that Texas is the best, my experience tells me that Fla has a wider size range and more fish that are easier to get to.


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*I lived in Panama City for a few years*

Know a *Little *about the fishin down there and if I were to believe the fishing films that take two weeks to make for a one hour program I would be foolish. I fished the big name places in Fla. and caught my fair share of 90" fish - but Every really big Tarpon I have ever had on and lost was along the Texas coast. Had one on inside the Jetties at SPI in 1983 that would have smashed the Texas and Florida record book - If Billy Boomerang were still alive he could tell ya about that one - never seen a fish that big since. And we would probably have landed it had we not had to give way to a container ship leavin port - he cut us off !!!

Never posted much on these forums and we didn't advertise much when it was really on down at POC in early eighties - Looks like its coming back again - I don't think that 210# fish will stand up by next season or even this year when they migrate to SPI area. Naw I don't fish for em much but have been landin em since 1970.


----------



## El Tractor (Sep 20, 2006)

That sucks to get cut off by others- I fish an area that produces some nice fish- when we can keep the guides away, one trip 2 seasons ago we caught a fish that would have been reel close if not bettered it by some pounds, would have liked to weighed it, but about dark30 it got tagged by a big bull. Last year, all BS aside, we jumped one fat sea donky that looked like a full sheet of ply-wood comming out of the water. No doubt, the tarpon fishing is getting better each year, I would like to see the record stand, but someone will kill one bigger for sure- By any means I'm not a tree hugger, but A tarpon is too valuable to catch just once.


----------



## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

If I going to go fish the Gulf Coast in an attempt to catch a 200# tarpon, I'm going to So. Louisiana, between Grans Isle and the mouth of the Mississippi. If I want to go to catch a larger fish, I'm going to the west coast of Africa, Angola, Guinea Bisseau, Sierra Leone or Gabon. IMO, that's where the 300 pounder is going to come from, and quite possibly in about a month.


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

I wish someone would land a 300# fish - as long as ya don't mind dodging bullets Sierra Leon would probably rank tops - hope ya get im. Those Grand Isle fish should be movin NE pretty quick. Never figured out whether they wintered in Florida or Mexico.


----------



## El Tractor (Sep 20, 2006)

Right On, Wish I had the finances!


----------



## Animal Chris (May 21, 2004)

TrueblueTexican said:


> Never figured out whether they wintered in Florida or Mexico.


I guess they look at it like this, two thirds of the population of the North Eastern states can't be wrong.


----------



## BentHook2 (Dec 23, 2004)

Great shots there Bruce, especially the first one.

TrueblueTexican, in North Fla we can fish for tarpon from the sand, no yaks or boats ,June thru Nov. and have a shot most everyday.New Years Eve of 2004, I was night fishing and had plenty of shots at the 40-60 pounders all night and into the morning.


----------



## tarpon_fly (Jun 22, 2004)

TrueblueTexican said:


> If Billy Boomerang were still alive he could tell ya about that one - never seen a fish that big since. And we would probably have landed it had we not had to give way to a container ship leavin port - he cut us off !!!


 In '76 or '78 I watched Billy and another guy fight a big Tarpon from the SPI Jetties for over an hour. They lost the fish when it swam around a pipe supporting a platform that was out about 20 ft from the Jetties.


----------



## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

I didn't mean to start an "us vs. them" thread, but it's been a good discussion. I think they're just great fish wherever you catch them. It does seem that Texas has a high ratio of really big fish, but the pure numbers and availability of tarpon in Florida must be much higher.

I haven't caught a Texas tarpon yet and it's definitely very high on my wish list. Since the vast majority of tarpon in Texas are caught in the gulf rather than in the bays, it really makes it difficult for me to get after them in my little skiff. I've not dedicated myself to learning the tarpon fishing business here in Texas and need to do that if I'm going to get off the schneid.


----------



## bdear10s3 (Mar 2, 2006)

Will you guys quit reading my mail! Sure would like to catch one more before I hit 70 (18 mos). Have not seen or touched one since Y2K in the Keys. It is nice to see the resurgence-hopefully kiss and release will contribute to a full comeback!!


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

Billy was a great fishing companion - we'd hit port and drive around to find him - if he wasn't on the jetty soaking a 10# Bonita for shark he was hawkin his wares on the beach- the day we hooked that monster Tarp the bluewater was in and we hooked up around 4PM - the fish jumped 3 times and we had it on with 4/0 and roller tip rod, after 2 hours we had gone from in front of Coast Guard station to midway of the jetties and had had the fish close once - it was bulldogging at 30' dead square of the channel - couldn't budge her - a container ship was trying to get out and actually waited on us for about 30 minutes till coast guard "politely" asked us to give way - we freespooled the fish as the container ship went by, with us just barely off the rocks, that #$$%@^ somehow sucked us up and cut us off - I've seen big Tarpon and I have no doubt that would have been as big as Gibsons Gabon fish - Our once in a lifetime shot - 

Magic may happen again - but I ain't gonna spend 10 grand to go to Gabon.


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*Hey Bruce didn't take it that way*

Florida hands down has the numbers I won't dispute that - I spent 8 years there fishing from the Keys to Indian River - Still in 30+ years of Tarpon chasing in the US my biggest fish have come from Pass Cavallo and SPI. Given a choice of the two - Texas or Florida - I would be in the Keys sight fishing - I just believe you have legit shots at some true monsters if you hit the migration right aound the last of September first 2 weeks in October at select places in Texas.


----------



## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

Congrats on the trip to Florida, those pics are great and looks like Paul has grown a foot since I saw him last- thanks for sharing


----------



## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

Hi, Curtiss, great to hear from you. I was down in POC for an hour of fishing right at sunset on Wednesday and for a few hours Thursday morning. We looked around a bit for the silver kings, but didn't see any. The wind started honking about noon on Thursday and we had to get back in before the front hit. I drifted a few baits in the channel, but we ran out of time. I'd love to give it another shot or two before the big guys sneak out of there for the year. I'll give you a holler if I can get away!

Here's a link to the new chapter in our photo website with other pictures from the 'Glades trip: http://www.pbase.com/bruce_j/everglades_2006

You can click on any of the small "thumbnail" pictures to get the bigger version which includes the story.

Paul is still moving on up, but I think you'll still recognize him. I heard your son had a great day catching tarpon on fly. Did I get that right?


----------



## tarpon_fly (Jun 22, 2004)

*"It aches balls"*



TrueblueTexican said:


> Billy was a great fishing companion - we'd hit port and drive around to find him - if he wasn't on the jetty soaking a 10# Bonita for shark he was hawkin his wares on the beach


Do you know the guys that used a boat called "It aches balls" to shark fish off the jetties? They used the boat to spread the baits around and faught and landed the sharks from the Jetties. They'd bring the sharks up to the jetty and shoot them with a lever action 30-30?? If my memory serves me right (I was 10-12 yrs old)... 
We'd hang out and talk to these guys till dusk and then head back at dawn to see what they'd caught. One morning they had over 10 HUGE bull sharks up to 10' in length on the Jetty. Pretty impressive especially for me at the very impressionable age of 10 - 12 yrs. All these guys were hard core fishermen and were the nicest guys we ever ran across. The Wonder Years...


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*Don't remember the boat*

But spent plenty of nights out on the North Jetty with Billy pullin some of those monsters in - nearly broke my leg out there one night, was fishing some big bonita and had fell asleep on the rocks - reel goes scream, up I jump, out go the feet on the dew wet granite (man I hit hard)and reel kept screamin, Billy was rollin laughin, and fartin a song as I finally got up to rod, was a damned 7# Bluefish that had somehow managed to take a bite out of the Bonito and find the hook. If they ever made a new JAWS movie they should put Billy look alike in Starring role - never will forget him in his captains hat as he charmed the ladies and bummed money wherever he could - a true town character,* BE KIND TO YOUR TOWN CHARACTERS* - I still have five beautiful 'rangs he made - my wife also has some of his "interesting" jewelry -

Got a lot of good memories of SPI from 1976 to 1990 - I quit fishin down there when it started looking like Miami Beach - don't like the way they messed up the view from former Fishermans Inn. Too many tourists for me. Plus Mexican patrol at mouth of Rio got a little snotty with us a couple of times fishing for pods of rollin poons there - thats still a hot spot if ya can convince them ta leave ya alone. Been thinkin about takin a trip back down there this June for a little trip down memory lane I magine it has changed even more in last 16 years.


----------



## tarpon_fly (Jun 22, 2004)

I couldn't talk you out of one of them rangs could I?????

I've been looking for one to frame and add to my trophy / keepsake room....


----------



## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*Sorry but kids*

Have spoken for them all when I croak - had em valued a couple of years ago as part of Texas heritage, I found I needed to insure em, I was "shocked" when I found out how much they had gone up in value -if you can find signed ones Billys Boomerangs have begun to fetch a pretty penny.

Guess like most artists you really aren't "appreciated" till after you pass.


----------



## Wading Mark (Apr 21, 2005)

Animal Chris said:


> If I going to go fish the Gulf Coast in an attempt to catch a 200# tarpon, I'm going to So. Louisiana, between Grans Isle and the mouth of the Mississippi. If I want to go to catch a larger fish, I'm going to the west coast of Africa, Angola, Guinea Bisseau, Sierra Leone or Gabon. IMO, that's where the 300 pounder is going to come from, and quite possibly in about a month.


For sure. LA has a lot of tarpon. After college, I plan to reward myself with a trip to Gabon.


----------



## Capt. Lowtide (Jun 30, 2004)

Bruce J said:


> I heard your son had a great day catching tarpon on fly. Did I get that right?


I don't think he boated a fish or flung a fly with KT that day, but they did have a great day casting and jumping fish in the gulf. Sterling has really matured as an angler over the past year, hopefully next season he'll be ready to cast a heavy rod to a ****.


----------

