Outdoors

Captain's Corner

What's hot: This weekend is your last chance to do some great tarpon fishing along the beach. The schools are large and plentiful. This changes after the Fourth of July holiday. Most of the schools move offshore to spawn. They will not return to the upper parts of the bay until August. The best action is early morning from Honeymoon Island south to Longboat Key.

By DOUG HEMMER
Published June 28, 2007

What's hot: This weekend is your last chance to do some great tarpon fishing along the beach. The schools are large and plentiful. This changes after the Fourth of July holiday. Most of the schools move offshore to spawn. They will not return to the upper parts of the bay until August. The best action is early morning from Honeymoon Island south to Longboat Key.

Tips: Use pinfish, crabs or threadfins under a cork or free-lined. Let the tarpon come to you or move to the school with a pushpole or trolling motor. Outboard engines spook the school away. Egmont Key is crab city. Most fish are feeding on crabs. Dip-net some crabs and drift out the pass with the crabs free-lined. Move to the outside of other boats before putting your boat on plane. The Sunshine Skyway's shadow is a great spot to free-line threadfin. You need a float on the end of your anchor. When you get a strike, untie the anchor line, throw the line and ball in the water and chase down the tarpon.

[Last modified June 27, 2007, 23:28:56]