# Out of the kayak... yes i said kayak



## Blueshoes

I need somebody who would be grateful enough to share some information with me about catching a tarpon from the kayak. 

No im not an amateur, no im not an expert. 

I live here in galveston, I have gotten quite a bit of experience with kayaking in the surf in the past year and I have decided i want a tarpon out of the kayak. It doesnt have to be a monster, I just want to be able to say i did it and prove everyone else wrong who doubts me. 

I have personally seen them blowing up the surf twice now and I want to know what i need to do to get one.

First thing is first i suppose, I was going to freeline live bait, most likely mullet since it will be the easiest to castnet before heading out. Will that suffice if i use say a 100 lb mono leader and a good strong circle hook? 

I realize people dont want to share their information but i always catch and release and i have a great respect for the ocean. 

Thanks to any who respond!


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## Bill C

That rig should work. There are some big ones up that way. Be prepared to hang on to that kayak!


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## Te.jas.on

It can definitely be done. In fact, there was a tarpon tournament won by a kayaker (Steve Mullins aka Crazy Yak) in POC about 5 years ago. He's since moved overseas or I'd tell you to get in touch with him.

I'm sorry I can't give you more info on how to catch tarpon off the beach, but it can definitely be done and I hope you get one (or a bunch!). I've caught kings, jacks and sharks off the beach out of the yak, but I've never run across any silver out there.

Good luck!

BONUS: While researching Mullins I found a video from the tournament I was talking about. Check it out...


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## mozingo1952

On the series , " River Monsters " there was a recent episode
about tarpon in a river in Nicaragua. Short story , It can be done and it can be
done on a fly rod from a Yak.

here is a link
http://www.tankterrors.com/river-monsters-season-5-episode-3-killer-torpedo-video/

MO


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## chazbo

The aforementioned CrazyYak is now in Scotland, and still posts with some regularity in the BTB forum....


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## Blueshoes

thanks for the replies guys. I honestly thought the thread was going to go unreplied. 

I had a misfortune yesterday morning however, I was BTB out about a mile from 8 mile beach and hooked into a shark. Pulled me into the breakers, i was able to tow him back out twice. After about 30-40 minutes of fighting him I got about a 6 foot blacktip right next to the kayak. 

thats where my inexperience came into play. I had my drag just a little too tight and since the shark was still green it took off right next to the kayak and almost pulled me over, in the process i lost the rod it was on.... which happened to be a 2 month old penn spinfisher V 7500. I still feel sick...

Hard way to learn a lesson but the lesson is learned and in a little bit of time i will be ready to get tight again. 

Is the best way to find the tarpon to just stay on the beachfront until i see water blowing up?


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## Blueshoes

I guess the cool thing is i have now learned how to throw a 6 foot cast net from the kayak to catch bait while im out there. One step at a time right?


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## sfronterhouse

*CrazyYak*

Is moving back in July.


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## Tarponchaser

Steve, 

I thought you were above this. I put out a long post about the unfairness of using kayaks.

One year the only tarpon caught in the Galveston tournament was caught by a yaker.

There were numerous reasons that it is cheating:
Don't have to run for miles to get out of bay.... burn lots of gas... no motor problems... no rusting trailer/lights.... no jackplate/ no bilge pumps/livewell pumps... trolling motors plus batteries...boat/motor payments.

Have worlds largest livewells...sneak right on poor unsuspecting fish...do not pull in fish... just reel up to them. 

Not so sure that I would use live bait.... I think you will spend your day being pulled around by Mr.Big.

Jigs, spoons, there are some awesome swimbaits.

Good luck,

TC


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## fishNwithfish

Some dude caught a blue fin from a yak and also caught a sailfish from a yak can't find the video but there are some cool vids on youtube. I just wanna take my yak out there and catch something worth bragging about and not be and dang hardhead.


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## Trouthappy

I was going to suggest keeping the drag a little light, or a tarpon will torque you into flipping, but glad to hear that didn't happen with the shark. Anyway POC has plenty of tarpon water, often 20 yards from dry land, or in 6 feet of water in the bays. Also a variety of tarpon sizes. Much easier and more numerous than the Galveston surf.


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## PearlandSharkFisher

*YES!*

I hooked into a monster tarpon from my Tarpon spineyes T-140 last year from Beach access 16. I was just messing around in 6 ft of water (>100 yards from shore) and mullet was getting busted all around us, so my buddy throws his gulp ripple mullet into it. Boom tarpon busts out of the water and snapped his line! Me being in amazement decided to throw my shimano cruxis w. 150 yd of braid w. cut whiting chunk on a 1/4oz jighead into the fiasco and instantly hooked up with a huge fish. I saw the silver reflection of it's tail come up then it just took off, and my reel was getting smoked! I did not even have time to un anchor before I was spooled, no slowing him down. In fact he was moving so fast that when the braid came down to the last ten yards of the mono backing it broke at that point and it ended tying a knot by itself around on of the eyes of my rod, jig head mustve dislodged at this point. That was one heck of a time, and I will never forget that moment. Moral of the story, next time I will throw my avet out there and be prepared, because you never know what you are going to catch. So I say yes, it is more than possible, just gotta be out there when they are busting the mullet balls. BTW I have been looking forward to trying for one again ever since, so post on TKF or PM me here and we will get together and hunt them down! It should be around the right time, I think I ran into that one last year around May or June.


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## haparks

that video gave me chills----I loved it its my dream to hook one ive been trying fer 8 years now no luck I will not give up
:ac550:



mozingo1952 said:


> On the series , " River Monsters " there was a recent episode
> about tarpon in a river in Nicaragua. Short story , It can be done and it can be
> done on a fly rod from a Yak.
> 
> here is a link
> http://www.tankterrors.com/river-monsters-season-5-episode-3-killer-torpedo-video/
> 
> MO


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## lmgreeri

I have caught/landed 2 from the Port Aransas north jetty (lots of em there from now thru Nov.), both on 3/4 oz Rattletraps. They like 5-6" soft plastic swimbaits to.


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## TrueblueTexican

*I can tell ya from experience*

When one lands in your lap after a five foot jump- ya better hope your PFD keeps ya afloat till you regain your senses. Then you can pull on your leash to get your yak under you , (you do wear an ankle leash?) sort out your shattered tackle and limp to the beach --


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## karstopo

*Kayak tarpon*

I've hooked two Tarpon from my kayak. First fish was last summer. I was after trout here in the Freeport area and was throwing a little chrome Skitterwalk when a 4 1/2 foot tarpon sucked it down. I got 2 heart stopping leaps before he broke my 15# leader.

About a month ago, I hooked my second tarpon in the same general area. This time it hit a Rapala twitch bait. It leaped about a dozen times before I eased it into the kayak to remove a badly bent treble. This fish was a little over 3 foot.


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## southtexasreds

I wouldn't use so heavy of a leader. 40-50lb leader with a 6/0 circle on live mullet (but I caught one at packery on a dead frozen mullet). You could freeline that bait and/or paddle around like trolling.Throwing jigs and/or the above-mentioned lures could work too.


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## Fishing Fedora

Who needs a kayak...


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## redfish_slayer1

Watch that river monsters show where the guy fights two tarpon from a tube you'd float down the river with. It was pretty informational and a really cool episode


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## MarkU

I was wade fishing Thurs morning out of Sea Isle. This young kid (20-ish) took his yak out. For a while I thought he was on a long range tuna trip. He was out 3/4 of a mile or so. I happened to be watching at the time he hooked into something big, that jumped. I told my wife I think he hooked a Tarpon. 

The kid came back in after an hour or so. Real nice young man. Told me it was his first time to ever launch in the surf. I asked him if he hooked a Tarpon. He said, yes. Had it for a couple mins before it broke his line. Then he started talking about hooking into Jaws. That really spooked him. He said it came out of the water, and almost nailed him. 

I think he has a new respect for the food chain.


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## poolio

A guy hooked one a few weeks ago that may have taken the state record off of a rig near the packery channel by Port A. He had it next to the yak, but lost it when he paddled over to a rig for a power boater to help with a picture. Must've been exciting!


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## Blueshoes

ive yet too see them pass by this year unforunately right now. Still keeping an eye out though!


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## PearlandSharkFisher

poolio said:


> A guy hooked one a few weeks ago that may have taken the state record off of a rig near the packery channel by Port A. He had it next to the yak, but lost it when he paddled over to a rig for a power boater to help with a picture. Must've been exciting!


That was a bad *** story, exclusive of TKF haha just kidding. That sounded like one heck of a fish, AT dont play lol.


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## [email protected]

I've hooked two out of my yak. Both wore thru my 100# hand tied leader in 4 to 5 jumps. These were not small fish. I had a Sabiki caught shad about 4 feet under a balloon on both hook-ups. GOOD Luck! PM me if you need company.


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## CrazyYak

Well, I'm back and looking forward to Tarpon season. Tarponchaser is going to have a field day with the new chase boat, more unorthodox than ever! See you guys on the water soon.


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## dpeterson

*Interesting boat*

That is an interesting looking boat. Cat or just what? Looks stealthy too. I hope to see you out on the water when i'm cruising for those silver kings.


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## CrazyYak

dpeterson said:


> That is an interesting looking boat. Cat or just what? Looks stealthy too. I hope to see you out on the water when i'm cruising for those silver kings.


Hobie tandem sailing kayak: technically it's a trimaran that you can transform into a kayak within 2 minutes. Once you set sail you can relax while trolling and standup at the mast for an elevated field of vision. Hoping to try for some south Texas Tarpon in a few weeks.


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## EdK

Hooked up with one last week on a bone skitterwalk in copano cut while trout fishing out of my T160. #30 skied twice and hook came out. I caught a bunch when I lived in Florida on big Mirror lures in Green and Chart. Usually sabikied bait for the big boys. Gulp peeler crabs and the big 8" jerk shad worked well too. For Bait: Get good heavy duty hooks and sharpen the heck out of them. 6/0 #50 fluoro leader w/ a Palomar knot and swivel or line to line with uni or improved albright*. Tension hook set. From a yak I highly recommend a quick release anchor w/float to fully enjoy the forthcoming sled ride! Tight Lines!*


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## RedSniper

I'm surprised people doubted you about landing one in a kayak. It's been done before plenty of time. Not so much in Texas though...so major props bro! Congrats, did you happen to record any of it?


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## Blueshoes

what is the fight like when it gets to the boat/kayak?


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## JPO

I caught my only tarpon ever at access 4 in surfside after the trout bite slowed on a live finger mullet just outside of the 2nd sand bar on a Carolina rig. Musta landed on top of him since my rod bent soon as it hit the water it seemed. 36 inches and incredible on my trout rod! Water was amazing that day. I believe a kayak that morning and some knowledge about tarpon fishing could have produced a few more that day in water that was easily accessed by walkin in. Then again if I was trying for em on purpose in a yak I may have never got one. Good luck man!


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## SurfRunner

If I were tarpon fishing from a kayak, I would cruise the beach front in my truck with a good pair of binoculars and launch if I find them.


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## karstopo

A photo of the Tarpon I landed last summer fishing on the Upper Texas coast. It went for a Rapala twitch bait and leaped 10 or 12 times before I was able to get it in. I hooked a bigger one, 4.5' , on another outing but it broke my 15# leader on the second leap. I'll be looking for them in the surf and inlets this summer and hope to get one on a fly this time around.


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## Blueshoes

im jealous, thats definitely about the size i want to hook into to successfully boat my first one. Some people would probably want tha 6 + footer for their first... i know better than that with how unstable my yak is


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## jcm1983

****, I can't wait until they start showing up! Im another one of those guys that wants to catch one from a yak.

Blueshoes, Im also in galveston. Let me know if you ever need a yakking partner


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## justinn

It's manageable, I did two last year in the yak, at 46 and 50. I hooked into one and a buddy jumped his first on the fly out of the yak a with me a week ago. Just gotta keep searchin and pluggin.


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## Blueshoes

haha if i had that pro angler i see there i wouldnt be worried at all! I have a 62 lb piece of plastic that rolls like a pine log in the water lol. I totally want to hook up with one though! 

About a year and a half ago I was about 300 M passed the 61st street pier and had either a big king or a tarpon come and snatch my live mullet, ripped the 90 lb sevlon out of the sleeve (poor crimping on my behalf). Every since I have been on the hunt for cool fish out of the yak. I guess my best so far aside from sharks is a fairly big jack.


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## Forever Fishing

This isn't a yak but it's close. This summer it's my Tarpon chasing machine.


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## Blueshoes

lets deviate for a second here. I dont know much about tarpon behavior, I agree that by having the jeep loaded up and just cruising the beach with a pair of b-nocs is the best way to do it but aside from that, how fast do the schools move? Nothing would make me madder than getting out there and being out ran by the school haha. 

Also, I would think live menhaden would be the best bait but if im going after tarpon, sharks are the last thing i want on my line. What would you guys use? A big soft plastic? **** pop rig?


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## karstopo

Blueshoes, if you look close at my photo you can see what I used. Its a Rapala twitch bait. Suspends in the strike zone.Looks like a shad/menhaden. I made a couple of casts into the small school and gave a little twitch. School was feeding on shad and rolling within a 50 yard circle. Second cast, second twitch, fish hammered it and went airborne. 

I fish estuaries and marshes more than the beach. I do wade the beachfront for trout, but never have seen confirmed tarpon come within the surf zone. Last year I saw tarpon, but couldn't stay with them as they moved around. I haven't seen any this year. all the places I have seen them are fresh now. I have seen them around San Luis pass in years past, but I haven't been out there recently. 

From what I understand, juvenile tarpon go up rivers and are freshwater tolerant. The size I've seen are typically around 3 feet or a little more. I fish rivers during dry times when saltwater fish move upstream. I always keep an eye out for tarpon.


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## Chadgreen

If you need a yaking partner im so down for this!!!


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## spitfire

*Landing*

Nice pics guys but you know it's illegal to land them!


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## Paul-nm

spitfire said:


> Nice pics guys but you know it's illegal to land them!


?? I looked in the TPW book and it says daily bag limit is one over 85 inches.

Not trying to nitpick, just wanting to clearly understand.

Thanks...


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## Scott

spitfire said:


> Nice pics guys but you know it's illegal to land them!


In Texas, it is not illegal to pull a tarpon into a boat prior to release. While that is not a good practice, because survivability is significantly decreased by removing a large tarpon from the water, it is not prohibited in Texas.

Florida has implemented stricter rules - i.e. "People will be allowed to temporarily possess a tarpon for photography, measurement of length and girth and scientific sampling, with the stipulation that tarpon more than 40 inches must remain in the water."

This is a good rule and one we should likely implement in Texas. But as of now, this is the ruled - "Fish caught and immediately released are not considered to be in your possession. Any fish not immediately released that are retained by using any type of holding device such as stringer, cooler, livewell, or bucket are considered in your possession and must adhere to established protected length and bag limits."


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## Blueshoes

I kept the kayak loaded Friday, Saturday and Sunday but each day when I drove up to the seawall I called it off... just slightly too rough to go. Experienced enough now to know when its best to call it off


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