maestro
06-28-2009, 05:00 PM
Just got back from a week of fishing, eating, drinking, and relaxing with my brother and our families on Marco Island, Florida. The plan was to fish the beach for snook in the flat calm crystal clear gulf water, hunt Tarpon off the Gulf beaches and passes with kayaks, and fish the back country of the 10000 Islands on the Kayaks for what ever swims. Our plans changed when we got there and found the WIND blowing 15-25 out of the west and it did not stop all week. In June in SW Florida the winds are supposed to be 5 or less from the east. You should be able to stand in chest deep water and see your toes. Not this week, surf was up to 4 feet, water was murky green. We made the best of our week by fishing the canals on the worst days, and getting out on the beach on a morning or 2 when the winds were in the 15 mph range. We caught numerous snook from 18 - 28 inches under canal bridges and on the beach. Live shrimp were the ticket in the canal while DOA glow shrimp worked well in the surf. Also cought Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, and some real nice Mangrove Snapper around the dock and Rock piles. Our 3 boys were busy chasing girls on the beach and catching snook in between.
The highlight for me was TARPON!! Two years ago I caught my first poon with a guide and this year I was on a mission to catch one on my own. Not only on my own but under paddle power on the kayak. Last thursday I launched at the base of the Jolly bridge over the Marco River before sun rise. I paddled out under the main span and there they were, perfect arches of rolling Tarpon laid up behind the current on the bridge pilings. I had 3 rods, and grabbed the biggest one, a 7 foot 20 lb spinner with a Daiwa BG30 filled to the hilt with 30 lb power pro, 80 lb leader, a 6/0 Owner super sharp hook 6 feet under a float. Baited up with the biggest shrimp in my bucket, I paddled towards the pod. Here's how stealthy the Kayaks are...a Tarpon actually rolled next to me and hit my paddle!! My heart was already pounding, I think it skipped a couple beats about then. So after a few casts, the float disappeared just 20 feet away, I wound up the slack and pulled up tight, gave him 3 hard yanks, and it was on!! The tarpon pulled out about 70 yards of line straight out then made the first jump. It wasn't huge, but respectable, about 4 feet of flying silver fish! Another nice jump closer to the boat then after a relatively short 10 minute fight close in I had the leader on the rod, the 35 pound fish calm and alongside the boat, the paddle across my lap, and I'm digging for the camera in the zip lock bag. Before I could get a photo, the fish got a second wind and went airborne and threw the hook back at me. Would have loved to get that photo but trust me it's burned permanently into my mind. The last photo below is the Jolly bridge and my truck with the yaks strapped on the roof.
Next morning, I'm psyched. I'm taking my brother out to the Jolly bridge to do battle. I get up at 4:30am, make a pot of coffee, walk out back to the canal to sip a coffee, grab my rods, and check the "snook" light. There are 2 little tarpon sitting right under the light!! Smaller fish, but still 3 feet long. I can't belive my luck, I have a rod in one hand, a bucket of shrimp in the other, staring at these tarpon while the rest of the house is sleeping. One cast, one hook up, and this little tarpon is doing cartwheels down the canal. I actually fought this guy for a good while and had him up close, when he jumped and landed on the line. It went slack. Somehow the 20 lb power pro broke. I guess maybe it got around a gill plate or something when the fish landed. Anyway back at the Jolly bridge we saw plenty of Tarpon, including some bigger guys, but they were not eating. Would have loved to have some blue crabs or threadfins to throw at them.
So needless to say I had a great trip. If you ever get the chance to visit southwest Florida in the summer go for it!! Even though the weather threw us a curve, there are so many possibilities to catch something. Because of the wind the temperatures were mid to upper 80's all week and quite comfortable. Here are some pics. Enjoy, Don
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000059.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000060.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000127.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000131.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000132.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000170.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000115.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000178.jpg
The highlight for me was TARPON!! Two years ago I caught my first poon with a guide and this year I was on a mission to catch one on my own. Not only on my own but under paddle power on the kayak. Last thursday I launched at the base of the Jolly bridge over the Marco River before sun rise. I paddled out under the main span and there they were, perfect arches of rolling Tarpon laid up behind the current on the bridge pilings. I had 3 rods, and grabbed the biggest one, a 7 foot 20 lb spinner with a Daiwa BG30 filled to the hilt with 30 lb power pro, 80 lb leader, a 6/0 Owner super sharp hook 6 feet under a float. Baited up with the biggest shrimp in my bucket, I paddled towards the pod. Here's how stealthy the Kayaks are...a Tarpon actually rolled next to me and hit my paddle!! My heart was already pounding, I think it skipped a couple beats about then. So after a few casts, the float disappeared just 20 feet away, I wound up the slack and pulled up tight, gave him 3 hard yanks, and it was on!! The tarpon pulled out about 70 yards of line straight out then made the first jump. It wasn't huge, but respectable, about 4 feet of flying silver fish! Another nice jump closer to the boat then after a relatively short 10 minute fight close in I had the leader on the rod, the 35 pound fish calm and alongside the boat, the paddle across my lap, and I'm digging for the camera in the zip lock bag. Before I could get a photo, the fish got a second wind and went airborne and threw the hook back at me. Would have loved to get that photo but trust me it's burned permanently into my mind. The last photo below is the Jolly bridge and my truck with the yaks strapped on the roof.
Next morning, I'm psyched. I'm taking my brother out to the Jolly bridge to do battle. I get up at 4:30am, make a pot of coffee, walk out back to the canal to sip a coffee, grab my rods, and check the "snook" light. There are 2 little tarpon sitting right under the light!! Smaller fish, but still 3 feet long. I can't belive my luck, I have a rod in one hand, a bucket of shrimp in the other, staring at these tarpon while the rest of the house is sleeping. One cast, one hook up, and this little tarpon is doing cartwheels down the canal. I actually fought this guy for a good while and had him up close, when he jumped and landed on the line. It went slack. Somehow the 20 lb power pro broke. I guess maybe it got around a gill plate or something when the fish landed. Anyway back at the Jolly bridge we saw plenty of Tarpon, including some bigger guys, but they were not eating. Would have loved to have some blue crabs or threadfins to throw at them.
So needless to say I had a great trip. If you ever get the chance to visit southwest Florida in the summer go for it!! Even though the weather threw us a curve, there are so many possibilities to catch something. Because of the wind the temperatures were mid to upper 80's all week and quite comfortable. Here are some pics. Enjoy, Don
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000059.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000060.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000127.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000131.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000132.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000170.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000115.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s23/maestro1963/MarcoIsland2009/P1000178.jpg