BigBendFishing.Net

(Im new to the forum) Is anyone interested in tarpon fishing from a kayak? They will be here in numbers soon. Ive hooked them from a boat but not from my kayak yet. It would be nice to have someone around for the pic (and in case things got a little out of hand). Last year I fought a large shark at Wakulla Beach for more then thirty minutes before it broke off. it was quit a thrill. A jumping tarpon would be a lot of fun. If anyone want s to meet to fish the salt (WB or SM) Id enjoy the company.

I have been fishing Jackson a lot lately to get my kayak rigged and ready for the salt water experience. I enjoy redfishing as well. Hope to get to know a few of you guys that enjoy kayak fishing. I am an avid fly fisher (but use lures and bait as well). I also enjoy going to the Keys each year.

Welcome, abcarias.

I'm sure you'll stir some interest.

Welcome, abcarias! I just sent you PM with a link to the KFS forums. There's a good deal of talk about going after Tarpon in a yak there.

Like I said in my PM, count me in!

Ken Dauber has a whole two hour video of it.

Steve,
A hearty welcome to the Big Bend Forum--always great to find another local yaker! We are trying to get a list together of a core group of yakfishers who might be interested in getting together for a future trip or three. In fact going after tarpon from a yak has been a subject of interest for several months now. Check out this Forum for info on future trips.
Best,
Dick

Welcome and, short answer, yes. I've raised this topic for quite a while now. The time is almost here. We may be able to organize this here with a call out for dates, locations, and a decent list of necessary equipment. Safety is an essential with this mission.
Perhaps we should start with narrowing our likely sites. To keep sites off the E-World we might need to consider actual sites via PM. Then we could reference sites by number or some similar code.

Yeah--several friends of mine frequently target tarpon from their yaks in South Florida (and occasionally get some 50-100 pounders!), but I don't know of anyone up here who has ever caught a medium-sized to large tarpon from a kayak. Sooo, the field is wide open at present! Gentlemen, start your engines...!

Definitely count me in!

Hey Ron & Steve,
I hear ya--will be looking forward to meeting up with you guys. In the meantime, you can savor these pics of one of my fishing partners from GAFFE I in South Florida--the legendary lconn4, who paddles solo 5-10 miles out into the Gulf Stream in search of sails, marlin, and big sharks off the Dania/Lauderdale area. Some of his tales will have you in stitches, or tears, as the case may be. He works nights as a limo driver for some "professional" ladies. When he gets off at 2 am, 3 am, 4 am or whenever, it's time for some java and off he goes to the Keys or Flamingo in ENP for some snookin', sharkin', or 'poon. When I first met up with him at John Lloyd State Park in Dania on our trip together, he had been up for 48 hours straight! Here are a couple of pics posted by another one of his fishing buddies, Reel Rush, from over on KFS to give you a taste of what we might expect in going after some nice N.Fla. tarpon from a yak.

A nice Flamingo morn last April with the tarpon fisher ready for action.


Fish on!


And here’s the REST of the story:

I was reluctantant to start this thread on Tarpon fishing from yaks but the dialog has been great! Nice pics too!! Keep it coming guys!

It's time.
Mud Cove off Bay Mouth Bar at Alligator Point? Anybody had consistent reports anywhere? What about off the FSU Marine Lab? I've seen them there predictably in the very early AM from the middle of June through July. I plan to have live Mullet, 80lb test, a drouge (drift anchor), a camera at the ready, and extra water to drink. As usual, I will have my PFD on.
Anything else I need, besides somebody to share the event? Maybe a motorcycle helment?
I'll be ready to do this at either of the above locations on many weekday mornings after June 15. I have to work at the lab Mon-Fri through most of July (~10:00-3:00)
Sun comes up at between 6 & 6:30.
Ready?

Thursday and Friday mornings are good for me during the week until the 19th. Weekend mornings are fine also. After the 19th I'm free every morning until July 8th when Ill be heading to the Miami area for a week or two. I am definitely into getting on the water by dawn. We can eat later. Whats your schedule looking like Apalach? I know Ron can only fish on weekends. Lets choose a good morning tide if possible. Anyone else up for this? Lets do this thing!

Steve,
My family (daughter's wedding on 10 June) and work schedule (class and exams for 235 students next week) put me out of commission until about 19 June also. After that, my work schedule has Wed. and Fridays open during the week, and most weekends open. Mebbe we can pull something off here.

Just for grins, here is the rigging info that my buddy Lconn provided about catching his tarpon back in April (as I implied, he is a real character!).

"Caught on Abu Garcia Tournament Graphite Rod, found in waters of Punta Gorda.
Used a Daiwa Laguna 2500 Spinning Reel found in waters off Weedon, near Tampa.
12 lb P line....I paid retail.
Caught on Rapala X Rap lure."

No fancy gear purchases for him, except that he does use one of my favorite reels for many of his offshore exploits--a Shimano Baitrunner 4500. He is on his fourth of these reels, I believe. I have been using this reel (the 450 and 650) since they first came out about 20 years ago. The 650 (or 6500 now) will be my reel of choice (because of the larger line capacity, if nothing else) on a sturdy medium, or med. heavy 7 foot fiberglass or composite rod. Of course, lots of folks go after tarpon with fly gear (Littoral??), but I think I will stick with spinning gear.
Dick

Think about this while you have a fish on.

Tarpon

abcarias wrote: After the 19th I'm free every morning until July 8th...

Excellent. The first day I can be near certain of is the 21st (Thur) and then I should be in good shape most mornings well into July. I will also be able to do some weekends but they're not as easy (got little kids).

abcarias wrote:I am definitely into getting on the water by dawn. We can eat later.

Sounds like somebody has their priorities right.

abcarias wrote: Lets do this thing!

Not too many mountains to climb around here but we got Tarpon.