Tarpon Pic Thread

[Peterjay 0]

I'd say open-ended - it ends as soon as one of us has scored a fish. BTW - my wife does a few art shows in Florida, and she says the painting is terrific down there. I fact she's adamant about the fact that no serious artist should go without several Florida trips per year, especially while the tarpon run is peaking. Failure to do so could result in severe emotional damage and a tsunami of psychosomatic diseases that would without a doubt, send the afflicted painter first, to a state mental facility, followed by an early grave. In other words, lay it on thick.

[ditz2 0]

I saw the same thing last winter that Utyer reported. My wife wanted to see the manatee so I took her to Blue Springs. The largest tarpon I saw was probably in the 30 to 50# class though I am not a good judge of weight. I know it was larger than I would want to hook on a 9wt. There was also a couple schools of 2 to 5# fish of what I also thought was tarpon. They looked like great 5wt fish. Each school had what I guessed at about 40 to 50 fish. Lots of big gar too. I am not sure that boats were even allowed in the area. There was a cable at the junction of the spring stream and the main water body. I believe the comment I made originally was my surprise that tarpon would be that far inland in fresh water. It sure got my juices flowing.

[Chefben4 0]

I fished a couple weeks ago in freshwater for tarpon. I saw probably well over 150 fish. And if they could give me the middle finger they did that day

[mikechell 0]

There are tarpon all through the fresh water canals of Southern Florida. It's pretty impressive to be looking an a canal that's only 10 or so feet across, maybe 5 feet deep, and see a small school of 3 feet long fish swim by.

Just to clear up any misconceptions of Blue Springs.

You cannot fish within the borders of the park. They do have cable across the mouth to the St. Johns, but you can paddle over it. You can boat inside the mouth, without any motor ... but even that is limited to the first 50 yards or so, then no boats farther in.

The water from the spring is crystal clear, as Utyer's pictures show. But once you are in the St. Johns, it's all coffee colored. Sight fishing for bedding bass is possible, as long as the beds are in less than two feet of water. Any deeper and you can't see anything.

There are springs the length of the St. Johns, here and there, and every one of them has the same fauna ... Blue Springs is just more accessible to most.

[FLJay 0]

Here is one for a few years ago, not a big one be any means. It was blowing about 20 that day tho, so I was a happy camper. It was one of two that particular day

 

[freeflyfree 0]

Yep, that's not big at all.

[Peterjay 0]

I'd be pretty happy with one of those "runts." What a beautiful fish!

[bkatz1 0]

We got a rookie tournament out of the thread... (i want in) and some great ecological discussions.... more pics too-

 

[ditz2 0]

Yep, I'd be happy with thier little brother. I am not greedy.

[Piker20 0]

The gulf stream effect runs out just 4miles east of my window and we see sea bass now where 10years ago there were none. Bring on global warming i say.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

The big fish are in the interior of the 'Glades now but they will disappear the moment the water temps drop like they have this past weekend. I'm back on the water on Wednesday and we'll be hunting them. Should have lots of night time tarps at the end of this week as well - these are the smaller fish that average 20 t0 40 lbs but are right at the surface hanging in the shadows under bridges.... Last Thursday and Friday we had shots at fish up to 100lbs in rivers that were sometimes less than 100 feet wide back in the 'Glades - but all had lockjaw (water temps were borderline and they just weren't doing anything but trying to stay warm..)..

 

Since I finally have fly anglers for the end of the week night trips I should have some pics to post by the weekend....

Tight lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666