Captains Corner: Tyson Wallerstein

The Tampa Bay Times

Mid-summer fishing can be spectacular if you pick the right species to target. Big tarpon and even bigger sharks can blister a reel and give many anglers the experience of a lifetime.

Tampa Bay is a summertime hot-spot for bull sharks and late season resident tarpon fishing. Deep holes of 15 to 20 foot or more will often hold bait this time of year and in turn predators.

Fishing with big cut baits such as half a mullet or half a mackerel, will keep the catfish at bay and allow your baits to let the scent out in order to entice the big fish into biting. Tackle is the same for both species, you’ll need a heavy action seven-to-eight-foot rod either spinning or conventional and a reel that can hold a couple hundred yards of sixty-five-pound braid. A heavy monofilament leader of 80-pound test or greater or some heavy piano wire will work for both species as long as you’re using a big enough hook, if you’re using a one-pound bait or better you need to be using a 9/0 or 10/0 wide gap circle hook.

Tarpon are excellent night predators, thet can be found cruising the shadow lines of almost any bridge this time of year. A cautious approach with the trolling motor will allow you to stalk fish along the shadow line without spooking them. Try casting artificial lures like a half ounce buck tail jig with a 4in soft plastic jerk bait tail as a trailer, both in white. This lure closely resembles a shrimp drifting by, which is what the tarpon are looking for.