http://www.tampabay.com/sports/outdoors/captains-corner-tarpon-are-there-for-taking-if-you-know-where-to-look/2326927
Tarpon season is in full swing, and the general report has been either really good or really bad, depending whom you ask. This is all about spot selection. Many areas that historically have been good have not had the fish they used to, while other places have been better than average. This has definitely been the case for us. The beaches we have fished for years south of Tampa Bay have been practically devoid of fish for more than a month. This might be a big concern, but we have more than made up for it by ringing up releases in other areas. The biggest numbers have been found offshore. When the weather gets nasty, most tarpon move offshore to cleaner water until things settle down. Over the years, specific areas in the 7- to 9-mile range have been the primary refuge areas for fish fleeing muddy water caused by storms. If you know where those are, it’s a good place to start your hunt. As the turbidity inshore begins to decrease, the fish will move gradually toward shore. This is when you can really discover something special if you spend the time to look. The fish might move only a few miles toward shore each day, staging in random sites along the way in massive schools where few people ever look. Lately we have had our best success casting live crabs, but drifting live threadfin herring is always plan B in this situation.
Ed Walker charters out of Tarpon Springs. He can be contacted at info@lighttacklecharters.com.
- The Neil Blog - March 23, 2024
- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ - June 25, 2023
- Nature Coast:William Toney - December 12, 2021
