# Targeting POC Tarpon?



## Capt. Kendrick

Ive been fishing in Port O' Connor for about 17yrs and ive never targeted tarpon. Not looking for any special spot's but some ideas and help on how to target them. What to look for, bait etc.

Thanks


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## TrueblueTexican

*Fish sand ledges in Pass Cavallo*

On offshore push tides(current coming into pass) , about an hour into it - anchor up along the tide rip washing machine sandbar dropoffs - tarpon cruise along them, pick ledges at 10'-15' chum heavily - use live or dead mullet (I prefer fresh dead) fish em on a carolina rig - of course you will have to put up with sharks and jacks, but we REGULARLY catch tarpon in September and October and at times some 90"+ fish - average fish those months is usually from 100-150#

WE take a live mullet pop its head backwards and off, done properly the red gills stay with body, insert 14/0 diaichi circle to penetrate to the top dorsal side , slide knife to split mullet like you would fillet it ( from tail up about three inches) (has more action) and cast it out, don't dunk the mullet before the cast and you will have a good blood trail - the tarpon will pick em off the bottom - at times the hardheads can be a real pain in the arse - we also use fin clipped live hardheads too -

Never a dull moment and if you aren't nailed in fifteen minutes move toward gulf 50 yards and set up again, fish will run sand guts on Decros side or Army Range side -- been fishing and catching big poons at POC for the last fourty years this way -- some days you jump ten , some days nothing but sharks , bull reds and jacks - its all good --

This also works on the 50' contours at the ship channel

BE prepared to be hooked up after dark ---


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## Trouthappy

Many of our tarpon were landed _way_ after dark. Some were hooked around midnight. Best carry a decent light, maybe a Q-beam, for the ride home. That's Miss Marilyn with a POC tarpon in 1992. No Columbia Wear, in those days.


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## Capt. Kendrick

Man thanks for the info... definetly going to have to try that... sounds like a blast if you get one hooked up


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## TrueblueTexican

In de pas after dark strange thangs can happen


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## TrueblueTexican

*And the Right Time to be in the Pass*










Dat danged tarpon jumped, got tangled up in the sun, and was having to drag both of em up:cheers:


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## Capt. Kendrick

I cant wait.... im getting the itch


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## YakSerious

shoot, dang, I wish I wasn't such a beeotch...i'm hesitant to anchor my 16ft alum boat in that pass along those rips on the left...sometimes its just sketchy going to the right side of the tip of the pass.


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## TrueblueTexican

*BTW*

Tarpon catching method above WORKS from Brownsville to Parismina River, to Gabon Africa to the 40' curve drifting the beachfronts


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## Gleds

TrueblueTexican;5246009
This also works on the 50' contours at the ship channel
BE prepared to be hooked up after dark ---[/QUOTE said:


> What are the 50' contours in the channel? Is that the area just outside the small East jetty?


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## TrueblueTexican

*no*

Matagorda ship channel, from towers east -50' deep ledges


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## Gleds

TrueblueTexican said:


> Matagorda ship channel, from towers east -50' deep ledges


Thanks!


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## Ranger R

Friends post from this weekend. PB's

I caught my first tarpon with Jesse and Eric, back in August. But this weekend, it was great to hear they caught one over 7 foot! and hooked up on several others!

http://www.austinbassfishing.com/forum/coastal-reports/39323-poc-september-27-28-pb-tarpon.html


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## TrueblueTexican

*Following instructions*

Good to see some people GET -It !!!

Be patient, fish in the right spots, and hold on - really not much more to catching Tarpon along the Gulf Coast unless your deal is to burn 100 gallons of fuel looking -

Very few days do we go without putting five or more into the air --all by being in the right spot when they do cruise by ready to eat !!!


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## 1born2fish

great article guys, I'm one of those guys who run over the fish only to burn fuel and time on deep water, may be I'll stop and fish the jettys next time, I always wanted to catch a Tarpon.


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## 24lonestars

Thanks for the info trueblue, I have fished the pass for years for bull reds and sharks, hard to believe I haven't jumped one yet. I pulled my 18' down to the keys for a week to catch tarpon, but this sounds a little more feasible. And yes strange things do happen at the pass at night


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## Empty_Stringer

Just found this. I'm going to spend a week in POC in late September & try this!


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## skinnywaterfishin

TrueblueTexican said:


> Good to see some people GET -It !!!/QUOTE]
> 
> The ones that get it are the ones that don't take them out of the water, into the boat or hang em by the lip with a gaff. :headknock


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## cpthook

Joe not sure if you remember, but when you were living in POC, Ferguson, Puryear, Smoe and myself came down to tarpon fish with you. I want to say it was the early 90's. You were with Keith, and your friend, he's a doctor(got his name on he tip of my tongue but can't think of it now)in his 25 foot mako. You told us just prior to dusk the tarpon would come thru Pass Cavio and sure enough they did. Smoe, Puryear, Ferguson and myself were in my Mako anchored about 60 or 70 yards away from you guys. They brought a 1/2 gallon of Mount Gay Rum so we sat in Pass Cavio getting smashed and caught bull reds after bull red until the tarpon showed. We both hooked up simultaneously, Puryear had a rod with the line going under the line (if that makes since) so the line broke on ours but you guys chased and landed your fish back in the bay. That was my first experience with tarpon, I didn't start actively pursuing tarpon until 2006, out of the same 1975 20 foot Mako.


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## TrueblueTexican

*Used to Love the Poons*

But after a few trips to Florida and Parismina, its just a lotta work now - although I will still take newbies for a few coca-cola can sized trophies - as for puttin em in the boat we only do that if they have been deep hooked and are gonna die - I have also had the misfortune way too many times lipping a big **** with some idiots cut line and circle hook still embedded in their jaw - makes for some interesting moments with a **** hanging to your hand via some dumbass who was too lazy to get the hook out -

Never used a lip gaff in my life, don't intend to start either - man up - had a few grander Hammerheads in the Keys that wanted a big minnow more than I did a few time , that will always raise a hair or two, and make ya let go pronto


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## markmc2

i would like to try fishing here with my family. are you anchoring near the j-hook shore or closer to the gulf? what about near the hump?


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## chumy

TrueblueTexican said:


> On offshore push tides(current coming into pass) , about an hour into it - anchor up along the tide rip washing machine sandbar dropoffs - tarpon cruise along them, pick ledges at 10'-15' chum heavily - use live or dead mullet (I prefer fresh dead) fish em on a carolina rig - of course you will have to put up with sharks and jacks, but we REGULARLY catch tarpon in September and October and at times some 90"+ fish - average fish those months is usually from 100-150#
> 
> WE take a live mullet pop its head backwards and off, done properly the red gills stay with body, insert 14/0 diaichi circle to penetrate to the top dorsal side , slide knife to split mullet like you would fillet it ( from tail up about three inches) (has more action) and cast it out, don't dunk the mullet before the cast and you will have a good blood trail - the tarpon will pick em off the bottom - at times the hardheads can be a real pain in the arse - we also use fin clipped live hardheads too -
> 
> Never a dull moment and if you aren't nailed in fifteen minutes move toward gulf 50 yards and set up again, fish will run sand guts on Decros side or Army Range side -- been fishing and catching big poons at POC for the last fourty years this way -- some days you jump ten , some days nothing but sharks , bull reds and jacks - its all good --
> 
> This also works on the 50' contours at the ship channel
> 
> BE prepared to be hooked up after dark ---


Good advice!! You ever fish for them around San luis Pass area?


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## armadillophil

Any recent reports of tarpon action in poc. Heading down on Thursday and the weather is looking good.


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## Empty_Stringer

We were down last week and tried this very thing. No Tarpon but we caught blacktips until we got tired of catching them. It wasn't what we were hunting, but it was fun


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## armadillophil

That is the second recent report of no tarpon I've heard. Im sure they are around. Last year at this time we jumped three of them in the jetties and saw a lot more. Ive been waiting a whole year to go back!!!


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## Empty_Stringer

Good luck hoss!


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## Trouthappy

Every year is different. I sure didn't see many this year in POC. A few at the jetties in mid-August, and the occasional school offshore. I never see them rolling in the rocks like 20 years ago. Maybe too much boat traffic.


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## remo

*Mitchell's Cut Tarpon of '98*

This was the first Tarpon I ever caught. Was caught in Mitchell's Cut in POC on Labor Day Weekend (full moon) in '98. Caught it on a mullet head with a Penn #9 20lb. test. Awesome experience of this monster flying next to the Moon!


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