Tarpon help?

[scottgor]

Moved up from West Palm in February and was hoping for a few tips on big bend tarpon. I have learned my way around St Marks a bit and with Tarpon season here was hoping for some info on what to look for in locating the fish. Ive read the tactics here are generally the same...small blue crabs under a cork, pinfish, and possibly some tarpon flies (is a 9 weight to light here?). My initial plan was crack of dawn, channels leading out from the lighthouse, beginning outgoing tide, and look for rollers. Not looking for spots per say, but more on what types of water/structure the schools key in on here, tell tale signs, time of day/tides, and methods that you guys use.

[wevans]

Turkey Point is the main place that folks look for Tarpon round here The easiest way to get to it is to put in at Lanark Village and hang a left for about 3 or 4 miles and then just look for the guides set up everywhere I don't fish for em, so can't help ya with anything else

[Atticus]

Dock talk says its a bad year for the poons out at TPS. Just what I heard as I don't target them either.

[konrad]

If you like to post up and wait on them Turkey Point is a good place but it gets boring. I like to put in at Mashes Sands at the mouth of the Ochlocknee River and ride along the shore line to Bald Point and Mud Cove. Just look for the bait and birds. At the elbow there is a bar that creates a funnel for them. Also at the mouth of Ochlocknee river there is a bar that stretches out several hundred yards on the north side. I see them hanging their too. If you have a high tide at sun rise with no wind go post up about 100-200 yards in front of Palmetto Island near St. Marks. This is only good first thing after that they seem to disappear. If you make it down to Apalachicola try west pass. It is in between St. Vincent Island and little St. George. The Tarpon really stack up in their on an outgoing tide. Don't use live bait there unless you want to catch allot of sharks and catfish too.

[woopty]

Hooked and lost one yesterday and sunday evening off the lighthouse near number 1. Great jumps but I'll be danged if i can't get one to the boat. just have to keep trying.

JB

[scottgor]

Thanks for the replies. Ive heard about Lanark Village so seems like a good place to start. I fished for reds around Palmetto island just 2 weeks ago and thought to myself it might be worth more investigation. Gotta say the area to fish up here versus St Lucie is insane. So much more real estate to cover its awesome.

[Reel Cowboy]

I saw 1 Saturday out of Keaton Beach but I had no itention of trying to hook him.

[What a mess]

I saw a bunch sky on bait on the end and beside Rock Island never even got close to a hookup.

[jsuber]

They were running along the beach of Alligator Point gulfside moving east to west Saturday. Saturday they had lockjaw but Sunday they did not. Pinfish under a cork or LY on a 7/0 Circle hook freeline will work. Next three weeks is primetime now that summer has begun (June 22). Flys work too, but I'm not a flyfishermen. Any deep hole around the coast and even on the grass flats will work. They just cruise the land and hit the bait pods on their way west. Sometimes they stick around if the bait is thick enough. Turkey Point works because the water is clear and site fishermen can ambush the poons with flys. Find a good spot. Outside Indian Pass works real good too and the water is real clear there.

From Sunday.

[Jumptrout51]

You can have what is left of the one we caught Saturday at Lanark.
It taste like crap.

[What a mess]

Using puppies for bait no doubt.

[Chalk]

Asking for Tarpon help in the panhandle is like asking your pastor about sex during the sermon on Sunday morning - you can do it...not many folks are gonna help...some may consider the gesture taboo. But you seem to heading in the right direction....9wt for Tarpon would be like taking a knife to a gun fight.

[scottgor]

Thanks again for the advice. I knew Id get some replies but you guys went a step further. Truely appreciated. Chalk I hear ya. Same religion in South Florida and the keys, so I made it a point to not ask for spots but just tactics, especially on my 6th post. But I got the itch and want to hit it next week on my few days off. Anyone sees a light blue 16 redfisher say Hi Ive got a beer for ya.

[captkeyser]

Turkey point. NOW!

[FUTCHCAIRO]

A FRIEND OF MINE CAUGHT ONE LAST TUES. JUST EAST OF LANARK , HE WAS USING A STEEL LEADER 10 FT. LONG , #8 LONG SHANK CIRCLE HOOK, 16 INCH BULL HEAD CATFISN FOR BAIT. CHARLES WAS FISHING IN THE DRAW OUT FROM THE MARINE LAB. HE CAUGHT 3 AND THE LARGEST ONE WEIGHED 129 # AS BEST HE AND HIS PARTNER IN ANOTHER KAYAK COULD WEIGH HER. SAID SHE PULLED HIM ALMOST TO THE APPALACHICOLA RIVER MARKER BEFORE GETTING HER CALMED DOWN SO HE COULD RELEASE. HE USES THE SAME SET UP THAT WE USE TO USE DOWN IN CAPTIVA MANY YEARS AGO, WE ALWAYS USED BIG CATFISH FOR TARPON DOWN THERE, A STEEL LEADER IS A MUST OR THEY WILL CUT MONO WITH THEIR TAILS.