The summer trend of local fishing is really starting to show. One of my favorites has rally started to show this last week; the always fun Tarpon! I have only Tarpon fished once; last week. We saw a few fish and had a strike, and a jump but no hook up “that’s Tarpon fishing for ya”. Always good to see them around the boat; gets my blood pressure up every time!
We fish for Tarpon on the bottom using, live and fresh dead baits like; spots, bluefish and Menhaden. Rigging these baits on fish finder rigs, with three to five feet of 80 to 100 pound mono leaders. Circle hooks are the best bet for good hook ups and landings for Tarpon in hook sizes 7/0 to 9/0 depending what hook series you like. I have also had a fair share of Tarpon on my kite rig with live baits like greenies and menhaden. Nothing like seeing a Tarpon hit kite baits!
When the Tarpon start to show up, the sharks are already here! I’m not talking about one to three footers; I’m talking about four to seven plus footers, running fifty to two hundred pounds; on light tackle and fly rods. Don’t knock it til you have tried it! It’s a lot of fun most of the sharks come right up to the boat and take the bait or fly. We catch Lemon, Dusky, and Black tips and a few Hammerheads from time to time as well.
Best baits for the near shore sharks are, fresh and live Menhaden. When we use bait to catch the sharks we use spinning reels, with 300+ yards of thirty and forty pound Ugly braid super line. Rigging the baits; eight feet of 80 pound mono leader; some will wind on to the reel. Connected to a fifty pound swivel, then to Two to three foot of #9 SS wire and a 8/0 or 9/0 off set J hook. If you prefer Fly fishing, I like Striped bass flies in Menhaden patterns with 4/0 and 5/0 hook sizes. We use ten to twelve weight set ups; have lots of extra flies with you!
The Redfish are still picking good, you just have got to get out there and find some fish that have not been fished too much. Live, fresh cut bait and scented grubs have been the ticket. Spanish mackerel are biting as well, casting and trolling are best bets for these speedsters. Don’t forget that great hot summer fish the Sheephead, the hotter the better for those Sheephead. One-armed bandits seem to be one of best baits for me. Fish them around docks and bridges.
Thanks so much for reading this report, get out there and try some of these tactics you’ll catch’em!
Fishing gear we use;
Tarpon: Reels Pflueger Contender G15L, Rods Shakespeare Custom “USCB 1166 MH”
Sharks: Same as Tarpon and Penn spinning reels 560L Live Liner with Penn Torque jigging rod 7’ 20 to 50 braid.
Reds, Spanish and Sheephead: Reels Pflueger Medalist spinning in sizes 6035 and 6040. Rods: Ugly stick lites 6’6” and 7’ Med & Med-Heavy.
Good Luck,
Captain Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com
910-233-4139
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Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny and Donna
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