You never forget the very first time you hook into a tarpon. Rarely you hook, and land your first fish but today that's exactly what happened for our client Raygin. She hooked into this 100lb + fish on a live crab and 6/0 circle hook. This fish was full of energy giving everyone an aerial show as it jumped completely out of the water a few times. Raygin did a great job of bowing to the fish ( pointing the rod towards the fish) as it jumped trying to shake and throw the hook. Gear for this fish was a Penn Battle 6000 filled with Bullbuster 50lb Braid on a Tsunami Airwave Costal Series Rod.
Tarpon are starting to show up in their usual patterns. The bulk of the fish are still south of Boca Grande near by Sanibel. The resident fish are starting to spill out of the rivers and canals into the harbor. For these resident fish target the outside of the bars, drifting live threadfins, or ladyfish. The migratory fish cruising the beaches south cast crabs, threadfins, and squirrel fish.