12/9/13 December Islamorada Tarpon Fishing Report

Haven’t posted in a while and that is because it is winter time now and we are not doing much tarpon fishing.  Though we did happen to catch a baby tarpon today so figured I’d mention it!  We were fishing for snook around the flamingo area casting pilchards, which the snook fishing has been very good for the most part.  Occasional redfish mixed in too.  Anyhow around one of the island moats we landed a small 10 lb baby tarpon.  I had been seeing a handful while ‘fun fishing’ deeper in the everglades in some of the creeks and such, though I am usually just fishing for snook and redfish back there when I’m out myelf for fun, so I don’t really mess with them.  Anyways it is possible to catch them when the weather is warm in the winter – I usually recommend fishing for other fish with the idea that if we see some around we may give it a try.  The normal december everglades fishery is snook, redfish, black drum, sheepshead, trout, and a few other fish.  Also the gulf fishing for mackerel, cobia, goliath grouper, can tripletail can be good when calm!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk