If you have all the time in the world to catch these mighty jumpers off the waters of the
Everglades, then you may have to rent a houseboat for a more relaxed and more enjoyable
tarpon fishing. This is particularly useful if you are a bunch of folks looking for a really good time
over several cases of beer, some nice chow, and the opportunity to net a rally big silvery fish on
any day of the week.
Fishing for tarpons on a houseboat can be as simple as drifting along the mouths of creeks
especially during the late outgoing tide. What you will be looking for is the characteristic rolling
behavior of these fishes. Get your fly rods and plug outfits rigged and ready to go. Get everyone
on standby, each with a rod in hand and a watchful eye for the rolling sign. Once this is
observed, throw a Keys style tarpon streamer or even a Finger Mullet from Bagley into the
direction of the rolling. Just make sure though that the rolling signals are within your casting
range otherwise you will simply be wasting your time. It takes patience, though.
The second method is more laid back. It starts with catching fresh live bait such as small jacks,
ladyfish, blue runners, and mullets but only then such rare opportunities come. It is not
necessary that you catch these but any type of fish that runs after your lire with be a prime
candidate. By dusk, prepare your rods and cast them off your houseboat’s stern, settle for the
evening enjoying the company of fishing buddies and a few beers. You just have to let the line
and hook be dragged along as you cruise your way gently through the night.
Another method is to prepare the bait on the largest fly rod you can get your hands on, smear
some bug dope, and then sit it out atop the poling tower of the skiff. Then cast.
Now, here’s the catch. While all three methods were able to hook the prized silver kings, not
even a single one will land on your boat. Why? Well, tarpons are mean fighters and extreme
jumpers. They simply don’t give in to these techniques. But the beauty of it all is that you will
be able to hook a prized fish while at the same time enjoying the company of fellow anglers
over several bottles of your favorite liquor. Now that’s time well spent.
Small and Baby Tarpons in the Flats
You may think that hooking a baby or small tarpon will be an easy feat. However, these 20-lb
babies and 50-lb small tarpons can still pack a whopping punch when they are hooked. They can
still put on a spectacular show in wild protest to being targeted and hooked. Nevertheless,
these smaller versions of the silver king of game fishes can be managed beautifully even with
the lightest of gears provided you know exactly how to use your tackle.
So where do you find these smaller silvers? Your best bet is under the overhanging branches of
mangroves that dot the flats. You can find them here in large numbers especially during the
high spring tides of summer, early fall, and late spring. It is during these times of the year when
these fishes lie in wait under the mangroves for their prey. Unfortunately, they sit there
motionless at a time, often being mistaken by anglers as barracudas. Pay particular attention to
a deep cut or even a large hole in the bottom of the flat as you may discover as many as 20
baby and small tarpons clustered together like one cohesive unit.
They are also found in the little bays and coves that lead off the flats especially those washed
by the warm waters of the Caribbean. They often leave their signature rolling behavior – that
moment when they have to resurface and gulp for air leaving behind a trail of bubble – in these
waters. They may also be found abundantly in the flats of the Florida Bay as many have been
caught rather accidentally with blind casting.
When choosing the bait and lure for these babies, it is often best to use tiny darters as well as
small plugs as long as they don’t make an unusually loud splashing sound. Alternatively, you can
use smaller action tails and plastic worms. While some would go for fresh shrimp, know that
these babies have very voracious appetite for shrimp that they can finish one in a blink of an
eye.
Fly fishing is the best approach to landing one of these small silver 50-pounders or 20-
pounders. The ideal setup is a 1/0 hook on an 8 or 9 outfit complete with the best flies for the
job. Casting is as straightforward as dropping the fly smacked right in front of the school which
are, again, often found underneath mangrove overhangs. This should make the cast quite tricky
if you don’t want your line getting caught in the branches.
Now catching one of these babies demand absolute stealth. One wrong move and they could
be scampering away. Here’s a great tip: always be ready with your gear as you simply don’t
know when and where they will appear next. Nevertheless, your best chances will still be the
areas underneath mangrove overhangs. They stay there as it is a natural barrier against your
casts. The point is, once you cast, it’s an all or nothing game.
To help you catch one, some ingenious Marathon guides have formulated a trick to help drive
these hiding fishes from the protective covering of the mangrove and into the open waters
where you can cast your line right in front of them. Guides often slap the water as near the
mangrove as possible with a pushpole. The splashing noise attracts these fishes into
investigating the commotion. That is when you strike. And if you happen to hook one of these
silver baby kings right under the mangrove and it starts darting away, push your rod as deep as
you possibly can in the water to keep your line deep and help it avoid mangrove branches
overhead.
Opportunities like these don’t come very often. That’s why you should always be on your toes.
The moment you land a tarpon on your boat could very well be the defining moment in your
angling career.
Antabuse blocks an enzyme that is involved in metabolizing alcohol intake. Used as part of a treatment plan for problem drinking. Other remedies are used to treat combustion caused by eczema. Likely every man has heard about viagra pills like pfizer viagra. Sometimes men who drink excessively like marijuana find it difficult to get an hard-on and turn to erectile malfunction remedies. So it’s significant to know about it. The symptoms of sexual diseases in men include inability to reach an orgasm despite adequate sexual stimulation. Men suffer from erectile dysfunction need professional help. The treatment plan depends greatly on the precise cause of the sexual problem.
