THIS IS REFEREED TO AS A "CROWD PLEASER".
YES, IT'S A TARPON....A GENUINE KING OF FISHES THERE IS NO DOUBT.
THIS ONE WAS 33' AND 10-12 POUNDS, I REALLY CANNOT REMEMBER.
But every trip to the jetties right now we have a chance at one.
The problem is, most are not "crowd pleaser" sizes.
"Crowd Pleaser" is defined as; no special tackle is needed, no massive hooks, no 200 pound leaders.
And the "Captain Pleaser" part of it all is no running around on a damn "snipe hunt!!"
They are right there. Right where we're fishing for Redbass, Jacks, Mangrove Snappers, Margates.
This one was caught on a 15-20 pound leader on the float-rig, and a G. Loomis 7' poppin cork rod.
With a live shrimp, at 8am in the morning.
We hook'em all the time. Tarpon that is. Just last Sunday we had one on for a nano-second.
Then we had one hooked up again on the 8th of this month.........while jetty fishing.
SO WHAT'S THE DEAL ???
Why can't any of these be landed???
The truth be told is that most people I have on board are completely shocked when a Tarpon eats their live shrimp and hauls ass for Europe. And even if they snapped to it and held on, usually the fish is way too big, for the tackle we're using.
And lastly, even if the Tarpon is small enough (crowd pleaser size) not many have the skills to battle a fish like a Tarpon on "LIGHT TACKLE".
BUT, the reason they're getting BIT, is because they are using LIGHT TACKLE in the first place.
Light and small hooks, light leaders and a frisky live shrimp will always get eaten by a persnickety Tarpon.
The tide stage is why they are there. Right where we are. Because that's where I want to be, and that's the tide I want to be there on. And Tarpon feel the same way at the Mayport Jetties.
Remember, I'm talking FLOAT-RIG fishing in the day time at the jetties.
NOT: Bottom fishing, casting jigs, or fishing via the moon at midnight. Don't think mom and dad and 9 year old Sally from Indiana want to go out at 12:00pm.
So, starting Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday's charter I will have aboard "heavier" light tackle and some one will be chosen, when the time is right to use this tackle. For one thing. That Tarpon bite that we'll probably get. If they want too, that is.
I've had plenty of people catch Tarpon over the years, but only one or two have been at the Mayport Jetties. Because it's hard, that's why I'll keep trying. Plus I'm there already!
Why run all over, when my chances are the same along the big rocks.
You can make a mistake with a Trout on. And you can make a mistake with a Redfish on. But don't make a single mistake if you have that Tarpon on for awhile. There's no room for errors.
Even with a "Crowd Pleaser".
Because Trout and Redfish don't do back flips 5 feet off the water's surface!
