Bonefish/Tarpon Trip (update pg 2)

I wanna do that too. Interested to hear how you do.

I can't tell you much about tarpon on conventional tackle. My old man has made a couple trips and had success, but I haven't. Bones eat hair jigs and live bait. Accuracy of cast is important, but presentation is more important. Bones are very spooky. I'd line with braid and a long fluoro leader (+3'). I don't find bones to be very line shy, but they are leader shy. Try to pinpoint which way they're heading, and lay your line out a good ways in front of them. Then work the bait when they get close.

If you see a school and you cast into the middle of the school, they'll spook. Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don't. If you cast at fish and they seem to spook, leave the jig for a second to see if they come back. Don't immediately pull the cast, because sometimes they'll make a really quick, small circle, and come right back to your bait.

Best advice I can give you is avoid getting frustrated. Flats fishing will make you realize very quickly how easy sight fishing redfish is. Redfish are stupid, and if they don't eat, it's normally just because they're not eating that day regardless. Flats fish - especially bones - are prey fish. They're scared of their own shadows, and a lot of times they'll tail and wind up spooking themselves. If they're not eating, you'll immediately start questioning what you're doing wrong. It's still fishing, so try not to overthink it.

It's difficult, but you'll come back a better angler and wanting to go back as soon as you can. Flats fishing is awesome.

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sight fishing trip out of Islamorada next month

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Jealous.

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I don't know much about bonefish

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Spooky little shits. Don't bang the boat.

Definitely never planned on big tarpon. Originally I was hoping to get back far into the mangroves and catch juveniles, reds, and maybe snook. But I just booked a morning trip and needed a full day to do that. This is first and foremost an anniversary trip, but I'm going to get some fishing in. I've been waiting to do the Keys for a while now. But it's hard to leave my wife at the hotel for the whole day. I've caught a 135# tarpon before, and although that's not huge, I know I have a better chance topping that out of LA than a single day charter there. And I want to fish the flats bad, so I'll take what I can catch there.

In regards to bones, it looks like live shrimp on a small circle hook from everything I see. If not that, than an artificial meant to mimick the shrimp. Actually looks like very little working of the bait. Just put it out there and let them find it.

I haven't fished much in a while, and I used a bait caster when trying to get really accurate with my casts. It's VERY annoying starting over again and trying to make those perfect casts with the spinning reels. Don't plan on bringing my own as it's just a pain with the flight and I hate my current rods anyway. Plus my reels are only 2500's.

To be honest, if I see fish and don't even come close to catching one, I still see myself getting off that boat with a grin from ear to ear. Only thing that could ruin it is extreme cloud cover and wind (knock on wood).

Trip was actually really inexpensive overall. 5 nights at Hawks Cay (which is nicer than I'd do for just a fishing trip), car rental from Miami, and the charter all for around 2k (flights were free on credit card miles). I could easily get cheaper lodging and stay at a chain to use more rewards points and do this trip yearly with more fishing days. Going to have to keep the wife happy and see if I can make that happen.

Only time I've been on a boat when it was not a fire drill with a tarpon is when everyone was hung over and one of our friends hooked one on a casting line while we weren't seeing shite or marking any fish. People were laid out on the floor half asleep and nobody believed he really had a tarpon (he was not super experienced) until you could damned near touch the leader . I was one of the first people to stand up and look and it happened to jump....I was like "ummmmmmm, he's actually got a tarpon!". I don't even think we reeled up the drift lines.

Now every other time it's been a madhouse. I've been on charters with Capt. Coon before where you are the customer, but you are going to get yelled out while fighting that fish . No time to screw around, everyone has a job, even if it's just getting the hell out of the way.

can you not fish the flats with a baitcaster?

true i didn't think of that. Recipe for disaster

You both will have a great time. Weather will be awesome. Expect a daily afternoon shower and all will work out.

Yes, The jigs we work do imitate shrimp jumping up off the bottom and fluttering around. Also don't throw that baitcaster. Heaviest jig will be 1/8 oz and down to 1/16. Any kind of headwind and its bird nest city.

Agree on the action of your bait too it's pretty limited. Adding that pro cure helps find them when they bog down in some turtle grass.

Ear to ear grins are easy to come by in the Keys. Make sure you give the Mrs a few along the way as well.

Bud N Mary's. I think I'm with Al Polofsky. Looked him up and he was/is Bush 41's guide when he's down there. That's about all I know. Figure he can't be terrible. The marina recommended him for what I'm doing. I know I can take that for what it's worth, but hopefully it all turns out good. Like I said, I'm fine striking out as long as I get a good experience.

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understand that sight fishing is as much hunting as it is fishing

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I got my poling skiff with absolutely no experience at all. No friends who were all that interested in it. Rough first summer learning how to pole in small duck ponds in cocodrie that were filled with chocolate milk . Once I got to a point where I could put someone one a fish (and I wasn't great at it), I had a blast just seeing fish.

I typically don't have the desire to do things like shrimp under a cork. Yeah it's fun catching. But fishing is more fun. I'd rather catch 1 red stalking it than a limit with live bait. Kind of why I'm not interested in the tarpon trips where they appear to just drop live bait under the bridge. Not saying it's easy as the fight is tough. Just not what I'm looking for.