Going to Florida

[M_ray]

I'm heading to Florida next month taking the kids to Disney World, Going to a NHL Panthers game and relaxing  ... Oh and the wifes Uncle just happens to live on a canal that leads right to the flats and has a boat! Oh and what's on my to do list? ... TARPON! And what are peak months? ... I'm told March through May! 

I have a bit of an idea but I know some of you have done this before so I'll ask  ... What type of gear should I use? Rod,Line,bait, hooks? ect... I thought it better to ask than spend the whole week trying to figure it out    and then have to leave right when I get er dialed in! Thanks for any help.

[jackelope]

you SHOULD do it with a fly rod!! 
do not overlook bonefish and permit and any other flats fish if you have opportunity. a grand slam would be nice, but the permit is the top challenge to get.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Redfish with a fly rod is awsome!   

[M_ray]

Ok Ok you guy's I'll try it all but what do I use? 11, 12 wt? I don't own one all my fly gear is 5 to 7 wieghts and I can't buy it all! I'm allready looking at 250 bones just for a entry level rod reel and gear for Tarpon. It's too bad the Uncle doesn't have gear I'm gonna have to buy what I need to use ... hell it's only money right? and I can't take it with me! 

[jackelope]

12 wt if the big boys are around.
if the big boys aren't around and you're fishing the babies...use your salmon gear.

[M_ray]

Thanks Jakelope, From what I'm told there should be big Tarpon around but I'm not sure about Red fish or permit. What is big for a Red fish and permit anyway?    I'm sure this will be more like a scouting trip and I'll get everything figured out for the next time!

[popeshawnpaul]

After law school I was worn out and fished and lived in the keys for a few months.

You need a 10-12 weight rod.  Mostly for throwing in the wind and handling a big one if needed.  Fly selection is easy.  There are a number of fur/skin flies that work great in various colors.  They are basically big leach looking flies.  Don't overlook a nice spinning fly outfit that you can toss a long way and live bait with.  I would start with that.  Once you get down there you'll learn the local tactics.  At times they take live crabs or other baits locally sold.  You can strip flies as well but I found it to be less effective.  The flats fish are a bit more difficult and I suggest, once again, a good spinning outfit that can cast a long ways.  A nice steelhead type outfit with a 9 foot rod would be great.

One thing I found that was fun was shark fishing.  I know it sounds ridiculous but I kind of happened upon it by accident.  Just don't hook one too large...

Oh, it might be good to buy a local guided trip the first time to figure thing out, then you'll have a better idea on what to do when on your own.  I did this.

[M_ray]

Thanks Pope, I was looking into a guided trip and they are pretty spendy (you see I'm not a lawyer!) And I am taking the kids to Disney too and I'll get boned there not to mention I am trying to save something in the budget for Alaskan steelhead trip in April. So my plan was to try and figure out the flats thing on my own and hire a guide for Lake Okeechobee for monster Bass, I think that would be a blast! An all day Bass guide will be about $350 and are about 1/2 the price as a 4hr Tarpon flats guide and an all day sun up to sun down trip for the flats will run you about $900-1000. At least this is what I have found so far on Google ... there may be someone cheaper I will keep looking.

[Michelle_Nelson]

M-Ray, I tend to agree with Pope.  I would suggest a charter your first go around.  Their are some decent charters out their at a reasonable fair.  I still have a few clicks down that way let me see if I can dig something up for you.

[M_ray]

Thanks Michelle I would appreciate that. 

[Michelle_Nelson]

M-Ray I need to know how far you are willing to travel?

[M_ray]

Michelle A PM has been sent.

[Intruder]

M_ray.... I generally go down there at least once a year to flyfish.  If you talking Central FL you're probably a little early for Tarpon.  The Keys can be good but Homosassa/Tampa is more of a May/June deal.   Your best bet would probably be sight fishing for Redfish on the space coast.  It's less than an hour from Orlando and the fishing can be awesome during the times you're targeting.  As with all the fishing down there you are really dependent on the weather.  If you hit when the weather is stable you'll kill em. 

Call this guy (Capt. Scott M.) ... I've fished w/ him several times.  He's top notch... great boat, great gear, good guy, good guide.  His partner Nick is really good too:
http://www.mosquitolagoonflyfishing.com/

[Intruder]

If you do end up going after tarpon on the fly an 11 wt is pretty tough to beat.  The top quality 11's have enough backbone to pressure big fish but are generally much more pleasant to cast than a 12.  The jump from 11 to 12 for whatever reason seems big to me.  I have a 12 that I've used for billfish and tarpon but I rarely throw it any more for tarpon cuz it's such a stick.  In a lot of places the fish aren't real big and you can actually get away w/ a 10. 

No clue regarding convential gear but I have heard they do pretty well fishing around the bridges down in the keys using live bait (crab, pilchards, etc) on circle hooks. 

[popeshawnpaul]

The fishing on the flats can be outright tough if you have no clue what you are doing.  Unless you want to chum and fish some shark...lol.  Just go into the local bar down there and get a little liquored up, then start asking around for who is the best fisherman.  Then when they say they are, tell them to prove it and go out with them.  It sounds ridiculous but it just might work...

Shawn

[M_ray]

Intruder, Thanks for the info I will be in Orlando for 4 day's so I may look into Capt. Scott allthough Michelle might have some info for me as well.

I'll be spending the rest of my time in Pompano beach but I will be willing to drive anywhere I may also be visiting an old friend in Tampa. So I do have some options and I just want to make the best of it.

And Pope there will be plenty of gettin liquord up trust me! That sounds good I'll probably get more than one trip out of that deal, I'll bet there will be more than one guy caiming to best!

[HawkenBob]

M_Ray, Last year I did a trip to Tampa to see a friend for a few days. I too was also going to fish. But we targeted the biggest run of Giant Tarpon anywere. Its at Boca grande and there were 75000 or so giant Tarpon in the 120 to 240 lbs class. My trip was based on the crab feed they show up for every year. Its called the Hill tide. On there migration North the Tarpon stop here to feed heavily. But this is end on May.

After much research we decided we wanted a guide and booked the best on the Gulf coast from Hermossa to Boca. You would be doing yourself a favor by getting ahold of Rob at www.gianttarpon.com
He just recently won the Jim Beam Tarpon cup and has more records and championships than almost anyone. You may not need to book him but he will be able to tell you what your options are.

He fishes Tarpon all year and knows the Tampa area extremely well. You may be in for some night fishing on anchor at the Skyway or inshore for juvies. Either way I garentee there available.

If Im not mistaken you may be there in time for there short Snook season. And the Cobia should be around too. Both are the best eating of almost any fish. The Cobia are bad ass to fight too.


Also, he has extensive write ups for whats available for any givin time of the year and where. I believe rob is part Tarpon. After seeing his accomplishments, I think you'll agree!

He is 600 for 6 hrs. 75 for each additional person up to 4 total.

It was the best money I ever spent on fishing and in 2 days me and Doug jumped 11 Giant Tarpon and the biggest boated was 180. Cant wait to get back this year.

50 pound class spinning rods with a 60 size Cabo and 65 power pro for chuckin crabs is what we used. 150 lbs flourocarbon leaders.

[M_ray]

Thanks Hbob I looked at his site already but it helps to hear from someone that has actually been with him! Like I said I'll be on Orlando so it's not that far but maybe a little early in Tampa for the big boy's ... the wife's Unlce in Pompano claims he can find them on the Atlantic shore most of the time. If I can't get into a Tarpon I'll defiantly fish for whatever is available thanks for the tips on rod and tackle selections I have been trying to figure out if I want to get it all here and drag it down there or just make a list and buy it there. I'm not sure that one of my heavy Salmon/steelhead set ups would be suitable for some of the smaller stuff around there but I may bring one anyway.

[huntnphool]

Well!!!!!!

 Still waiting for those tarpon pics.

[M_ray]

Well Phool you'll be waiting a while! Sorry for the delay reporting but sometimes it sucks coming back from Vacation and having to catch up at work! 

We started off the trip going to Disney world for my girls birthday present
and after dropping 650 bones in a day at Magic Kingdom I couldn't even $hi+ a greased BB! 



But I found a way to go fishing and booked a Guide for Toho but ended up on Johns Lake in Orlando. When we hit the Lake it was beautiful but we knew we were just on the front of a storm and optimistic we would find Big Bass ready to gorge themselves.



And we were right for the first 1/2 hr the action was so hot I didn't even stop to take any pics caught several in the 1-3 pound range lost a bunch and caught 2 pickerel and then the front hit us and the fishing was tough for the next few hours. It just figures a guy from Seattle goes to Florida and ends up fishing in the first rain they have had in 2 months!


I was able to boat a few despite the conditions.




The last 20-30 minutes of light the front settled down and they were on the bite again most were about this size allthough I did loose about a 5-6 pounder and one that made my guide sick that he estimated at 9-10 pounds! he was more angry than me and said it would have easily been the largest fish any of his clients had boated.

The next day we headed fro the Uncles house in Pompano and I thinking about how I was having trouble with that greased BB I figured I would just see what kind of gear the Unlce could come up with. I was able to find a 10-20 pound fiberglass rod in the pile and allthough the line was a little suspect and reel took some TLC to get it working right I thought I would just make the best of what I had and just see what happens.
After dropping the girls off at the beach M_ray was now the captain of this ship!

It was interesting trying to take my picture with the timer and being the skipper at the same time but I wanted to give it t trial run so that if I caught something I could document it.
I took off to the north and found my own little piece of Paradise!

I no sooner popped my first Corona and something slams my rod and almost pulls it out of the boat ... the way he was pulling I thought he was allot bigger than he tuned out to be and I caught several of his buddies nothing big all about the same size but these little guy's had attitude I think they call them Blue Runners!






I ran back into pick up the family and headed for deeper waters with hopes of something bigger but ended up with nothing big but some cool looking fish non-theless.






So I didn't land this one but the wife caught the action on film just before I was snapped off By something as big as me and silver! ... could it have been my tarpon? what ever it was I didn't have the 30 pound main and 80 pound leader it would have taken to land him but it was an exciting 20 seconds at any rate!



So allthough I didn't get to scratch the Tarpon off my to do list I will return and I know now what It will take to get it done and I won't have to do the Disney thing again.  We also had many old friends we were trying to see as well so time just wasn't there to do it all, I kinda thought this would be more of a scouting trip. Thanks to all for your help and advise I could see how your gear suggestions would have been what I needed and I will have my own stuff for my next trip.

Here's my next fishing boat ... just a cool 25 million or so!!!! whadaya think?

[Michelle_Nelson]

  M-Ray my friend that is a Chain Pickeral.  Not a Gar.  They are kinda like a miniture Pike.  Almost identical in look.  They differ in the number of pores on the bottom of their heads and the chain look on their sides. 

[Michelle_Nelson]

Gar rearly get caught with hooks.  People normaly fish for them with their bows or frayed nylon rope. 

CHAIN PICKEREL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_pickerel

http://www.unb.ca/cri/projects/Fish_key/Esocidae/Chain_pickeral.htm

GAR

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gar

http://myfwc.com/Fishing/Fishes/gar.html

[M_ray]

Michelle, Thanks for that yeah I was surpised too the guide called it a gar but it looked more like the pickerel to me!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yep deffinatly NOT a Gar.  Wonder what the guide was thinking.  He may have had his mind on other things and just threw out a name.

I beleive they get around 1 - 1 1/2 pounds on average.  I believe the Geargia record is 4 pounds, but don't quote me on that.  Not sure how good eating they are.  Never tried em. 

I was a little  the first time I saw one.  I wasn't familure with fish in the south and I thought that someone had stalked Pike in the ponds and rivers.