4/23/15 Florida Keys April Tarpon Report

Had a morning half day and an evening trip today.  Our morning was tough we managed to catch bait good and got a nice 7 AM departure.  However the fish were very finicky.  First place we stopped where I’d been having luck the last week or so every morning.  Saw a few fish but not any activity on our baits, no cheap shots or busts or nothing!  Eventually we left and ran down the road near the bridges.  Saw some fish rolling there though same thing, just not very interested in eating.  We fished hard and to no avail.  I tried another spot in the bay and more of the same saw some fish laying on the bottom but could not get them interested.  Finally we ran back near home and I saw a good group of fish in a channel I normally don’t fish so we gave it a shot.  We got ate up by big jacks and managed to land a few of those, and we finally did get one tarpon bite though he was off as quickly as he was on.  We managed to land a few sharks too.  Gave it an extra 30 minutes but fish just didn’t seem happy.  Tonight was a different story we had action right away and eventually hooked a nice 100 lb fish.  Landed him and went back to it.  The tarpon weren’t pulling you out of the boat, but we were getting bit every 20-30 minutes.  Missed a few fish and then eventually hooked another 90 lb fish that almost spooled us.  We had to get up on plane chasing him but we got him.  Ended the night 2 for 6 or so.  0 for 1 and 2 for 6

Capt. Rick Stanczyk