tampa bay tarpon

[wallacewt]

any tanites been having a go at the tarpon in tampa bay area?
i couldnt get there this year and was wondering what im missing
cheers

[ReelFishingProblems]

Never been Tarpon fishing but live here and would love someone to show me the ropes

[0119]

Never been Tarpon fishing but live here and would love someone to show me the ropes

Its a lot of work.  Iv'e been here since 61' and can remember when folks considered them trash fish...I kinda still do.  Burned up drags, busted expensive lures, bloody boat that takes the rest of the day to clean up.  Just a lot of work and a lot of money....

[rippin_lips]

I don't live in Tampa, but tarpon fishing has to be the most frustrating seemingly pointless endeavor I've tried.  That being said, I still do it sometimes .

[steelhead_killer]

Well this is discouraging.  This is one of my bucket list fish.  I still want to catch one, a big one, and I think I have the reel for it.  Perhaps soon!

Andy

[wfjord]

But there still must be a reason so many people put so much money, time, effort, and pain into trying to catch 'em.

[otownjoe]

Ive hooked over a dozen 100# plus tarpon. I have one catch. Very frustrating and exciting fish to catch. The funny thing is all the big ones I've hooked were while I was fishing for something else. Most were hooked while shark fishing and the one catch was while grouper fishing in Tampa bay. I got it on a 4/0 and it was close to 200 pounds. Without a doubt the biggest fish I've ever caught. I got  it from a pier which made it even more improbable. Joe

[rippin_lips]

But there still must be a reason so many people put so much money, time, effort, and pain into trying to catch 'em.

Because they taunt you, rolling on the surface as if to say "here I am, come catch me".  Then they proceed to ignore every bait you try and throw in front of them.  Which of course makes you want to try to catch them even more.  They are also spectacular jumpers and it's amazing just hooking one.  Most fishermen count how many tarpon they can jump instead of how many they can actually land.  My best tarpon catches, are when I'm not tarpon fishing.

[oc1]

I squandered my youth tarpon fishing.  On the other side of the Gulf; beach, pier and jetty only.  Landed a four footer and a six footer.  I got back into it with a boat in later years but never even jumped another.  We don't have access now.  How I miss them.
http://reeltalk.orcaonline.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19710
-steve

[Meanwhile]

I'll have April 4-12 around Palma Sola Bay, just north of Sarasota.  I'll only have one of those days to fish.  Anyone have a guide they can recommend?

[Dominick]

Check out this thread.  http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=1963.0 Dominick