Tarpon Running!!!

[Smiling JOe]

Plenty of big Tarpon hanging out on the second sand bar at Grayton this morning. paddle out around 8am and you may see some. Spanish and King Mackerel being caught out there off kayaks. Be prepared to hold on for a ride if a Tarpon takes your bait. I'd keep a pair of fingernail clippers handy to cut the line if need be. Sorry, no pics of the Tarpon -- could get close enough with my camera, but...

This pic will give you some idea as for the size of the Tarpon...

(photo courtesy of www.bigsnook.com )

 

[cpete]

Method??

SJ,

I'm curious. What would be the preferred technique for catching Kings from kayak on the sandbar?

 

[bluemtnrunner]

I would absolutely love to jump a tarpon from a kayak!!! It is the best fishing (besides snook) that I have ever done from a flats boat. In a kayak you could wind up like the old man and the sea out there if you aren't careful, I would think.

 

[grammyc]

cpete--not actually having fished from my own kayak, I have been on bars where it was possible and have wittnessed others do it with small rods, but then I've also caught (from our 25ft boat) near these same bars kings that were four ft. long and I'm thinking I really wouldn't want to play anything that large from a kayak! Call me chicken, but where there are mackeral there are sharks and if you go over the side into BAIT of any sort, you just might end up bait On the other hand, if I should ever try it, for it does SOUND appealing, I'm thinking a decent hand line, with heavy line and yeah, definitely those clippers!

 

[Smiling JOe]

cpete, I cannot help you out with that, as I don't fish from my kayak. Just saw Kings and Spanish being caught, and didn't even pay attention to what kind of jig they were using.

 

[yakingmike247]

I am fairly new to salt water fishing and still in need for some guidance. What is the best gig or best bait to use in order to catch tarpon, kings or spanish? I will be fishing from a kayak. Thank you for your assistance.
Mike

 

[butterbean]

I use gold and silver spoons, the bigger the better, als anything that looks like a long minnow that dives shallow, maybe to 4 feet, might suggest a leader on swivel, that way you can take different thing on and off without tying. You need to remember not to horse these fish in as they still have lots of fight in them. Retrieve as fast as you want as thes fish are usually aggressive. Let them tow you around a little. I use 12lb test, sometimes 16lb and a 18 in. liader. I like blue and black on lures. Gotcha plugs, rat-l-traps, zara spooks, look for the baitfish and throw to the side and not in the middle of the boil for best results as big fish seem to feed an the outsides of schooling bait and remember, don't feed the porpoises. Even if you don't catch fish, just enjoy the workout and have fun! Take some fotos and share them on SoWal. If you catch fish , remember to adhere to size and or quantity limits. FISH ON BROTHER!

 

[ASH]

Was walking the beaches early this morning and found two Ladyfish that were flipping in the surf with their entire tails bitten off. Must have been sharks or maybe dolphins.
Wierdest thing to see a fish 12 inches long with no tail bleeding on the sand.
I did them a favor and whipped them back out there to get the suffering over with a lot quicker.

 

[Joe Complete]

A couple weeks ago when Edouard was churning up the gulf we were sitting on the beach at the Watercolor/Grayton line and saw thousands of birds hovering and diving in the water. Next moment there were fish of all sizes everywhere in the water, including some in the sand, as they jumped out of the water to avoid being consumed by the big fish. The birds were devouring them quickly as they got stranded on shore. I was so upset I didn't bring my rod to the beach that day.

 

[yakingmike247]

Thank you very much for your information, it will be used and ill post my results.