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Offshore

Methods vary for catching Tarpon

By JAY MASTRY
Published June 10, 2005

Mirror calm seas in the mornings have provided the opportunity to witness schools of rolling tarpon along the Gulf Beaches all week. From Clearwater to Boca Grande reports have been similar and St. Pete Beach is among the best bets.

Tuesday morning we counted two dozen schools of silver kings while idling between Blind's Pass and Pass-A-Grille Pass. Some were moving hard, seemingly determined to get to a destination south of here. Others were just milling, up and down schools that didn't appear to be in a hurry to get anywhere. Those will be the most likely to chew when baits are presented properly.

Don't waste a lot of time on schools that are traveling fast. Though they may appear often and are easy to track, they seldom eat in that mode. A rule of thumb to fish by is, if you can't get ahead of a school of tarpon when idling, let it go. Time spent will be counter-productive.

Methods of tarpon fishing in the area are as varied as the tackle and the baits used to catch them. Some prefer to sight cast to schools of migrating fish. The successful ones position themselves well ahead of an oncoming school and flyline greenbacks, pinfish, or small crabs to the approaching bunch. Another option is to suspend those same baits beneath a cork to keep baits off the bottom and in the strike zone. Yet another technique is to bottom fish for them with an assortment of baits. Mullet, ladyfish, pinfish, and grunts all run a distant second to shad.

When tarpon fishing our area's bridges,a combination of these methods is most effective. When the tide is rolling, flipping a live greenback up tide and letting it drift back naturally in the current is the most productive way to get bit.

On and around the new and full moons the passes on either side of Egmont Key get a lot of attention. Drifting the late afternoon outgoing tides is most popular. Some will rig a 4 to 6 ounce weight on their leader with a length of copper wire, bound loose enough to detach when the fish strikes. This technique allows baits to get down near the bottom when drifting in a ripping tide. Still others will hover over the area where fish have rolled and present pass crabs, greenbacks, or white bait to them near the surface.

Tackle is generally dictated by which style and bait you choose. When bottom fishing, I like an 8- to 9-foot rod. The extra length allows for longer casts if necessary. Reels should have capacity for 300 yards of 50 lb. test. A six-foot leader of 150 lb. test monofilament will prevent breaks by tail whipping and won't wear through, even in a long battle. A 9 ought hook works well with large baits like shad.

The key to live baiting is making the offering as natural as possible. Downsizing tackle is a must. Lighter hooks allow baits to swim freely and not be as obvious. A shorter shank 4 or 5 ought livebait hook matches smaller baits. Lighter line is easier to cast and lighter leader won't weigh your baits down.

Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.

[Last modified June 10, 2005, 01:12:14]