2014 Tarpon Rookie Competition

[mikechell 0]

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

I'll be on the Atlantic coast of Africa in 10 days ... might be some HUGE tarpon there !!!!

[Peterjay 0]

Indeed there are. I read an article some years ago about tarpon fishing on an island off the coast of Liberia or one of its neighbors. The fish were gigantic and there was little or no fishing pressure. Unfortunately, the anglers could hear automatic weapons fire coming from the mainland, which didn't exactly encourage a return trip. If that part of the world ever settles down, there's probably still some great fishing to be had.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

One of my anglers (actually the guy shown in recent pics hooked up on a tarpon and holding that black drum....) has fished tarpon in Africa. He goes to Guinea Bissau (not sure if that's a country or a destination...) and reported that there are monster tarpon in the river mouths. We're talking fish well over 200 (some nearing 300 if you can believe it...). He also says that they're no where near as good looking as big tarpon on this side of the Atlantic (maybe because they're living much, much longer to get so big). The big downside to that area (other than all of the remote, no amenities, and dangerous political stuff...) is that the fish are in very deep rivers that are flowing hard (how to get a fly down in fifty feet of hard flowing waters?).

[Mudskimmer 0]

On my recent outing I had one rod with a standard intermediate line (1.5-2.5 ips) and the other with a SA 500 grain bluewater express sinking head with an intermediate sink running line. I didn't fish any spots that were 50 feet deep but I did fish a spot over 30 feet. I was on anchor and was able to feel the fly ticking the bottom when the tide was running hard so I think there are ways to get it done. When the tide wasn't running hard I just fished the standard intermediate. Even though I didn't get any takers I felt like I was in the right zone to get a bite. Of course, the other challenge is the water clarity usually stinks in deep river environments and you have to hope a fish runs smack into your fly.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Water visibility in the rivers I fish (west coast of the Everglades)is pretty much coffee colored (and tarpon are happy as clams in water that looks like mud...) so it's always a concern. I've come to believe that fish lying in nine, ten feet of water not only see pretty well (the food or fly is silhouetted against the much lighter colored surfaces waters above where the tarpon is holding...) but also feel it moving as it approaches. In that environment, vision is often poor and they're still able to accurately target anything they want to feed on. That's one of the reasons I like bushy, dense flies where we are most days. It's a completely different situation than the classic daytime sightfishing experience down in the Keys or up in Homosassa....

[Peterjay 0]

Not sure if this relates to tarpon, but when we first moved down here from New England, I couldn't believe anything would be able to see a fly in the mucked-up water we have here on the Shore, but it didn't take long to find out that the fish can see just fine - I don't even give it a second thought now. If fish can't find food, they go elsewhere, and we've got plenty of healthy fish, despite the lack of clarity. If flounder, trout, reds, etc. can see a fly, I suppose tarpon can do the same. They've gotta have some serious survival skills to have hung around as long as they have.

[Mudskimmer 0]

I'm sure you guys are right. Muddy water is likely more of an angler psyche problem than a fish problem. They got those big eyes for a reason. But I'm still sticking with my black colored flies.

 

PJ, how did you all fare in the storm?

[Peterjay 0]

PJ, how did you all fare in the storm?

John, we did fine - kind of a blustery day, that's about it. I was actually hoping for some serious rain, as the lawn's burning up fast. Guess it's time to hook up a sprinkler.

[Mudskimmer 0]

Got out yesterday for what was a beautiful day for fly fishing (not catching). Found some rollers again and one big girl surfaced only a few feet from the outboard. But still no one was interested in eating what I served. Kind of maddening, but that is tarpon fishing. They eat when you least expect it and when you think your set up for a great day they wont bite. I did get a visit from a rather large shark that swam toward my boat, took a few laps around in a circle, and then went on his or her way. I was wishing I had a bit bigger boat for a few moments.

[Peterjay 0]

Hey, at least you had a good day for it. It's blowing a lot harder today, and there's a "stormy" feel in the air. I've always heard those tarpon are a tough sell. You'll get one eventually though if you keep at it. BTW - some of the local Coast Guard guys like to swim near the old Coast Guard dock on Parramore Island. They were out there last week and spotted an eight-foot tiger swimming past the dock. Don't know how much swimming has taken place since, but I'd guess not much. There are some really nasty critters out there in the estuary, including bulls. I've seen a few little ones in the Machipongo recently, but no man-eaters.