6/21/17 June Islamorada Tarpon Fishing Report

Got out for a full day with Paul and his father today.  Winds were out of the south still a little windy, but not quite as crazy as yesterday.  We tried to fish close early where I had been having luck the last several trips, however another boat had moved in on my spot and beat me out there.  Wasn’t the start to my day that I wanted!  Anyways we were going to move to another area in that spot but there was even a 2nd boat there now too, so I got frustrated and just left.  We ran out into the backcountry and ended up getting lucky and finding a good school of tarpon in one of the channels.  We caught one on the last of the falling tide, then as soon as it started in we had 3 more bites and landed 2 more.  It was a great flurry of action and to be honest with it blowing 15-20 out of the south, I wasn’t expecting it to be so good but was really just hoping we’d get a bite or two throughout the day.  Anyways after 9:30 it was over, we also had caught some sharks including a big nurse shark and bull shark, as well as blacktips and bonnetheads.  W spent some time reupping on mullet as I went through all the bait I had, and we then fished another channel to finish it up.  Made a couple moves in there but no more tarpon action, though we did catch plenty of blacktips.  After that called it a day.  Have a half day tomorrow but may just do some rod bending not sure yet.  Looks like the winds will be steadily getting nicer as we get into the weekend, hopefully it’ll get 10 mph and under and the backcountry fishing will fire up more!  3 for 4

Capt. Rick Stanczyk