Mark and his son Andrew really wanted a tarpon. We knew conditions deteriorated big time yesterday with a late cold front and some hard north winds. We caught bait early on and decided to stick to the bridges, as the backcountry tarpon fishing likely will be very tough until things have a chance to warm up again back there. The bridges the water stays warmer near the Atlantic so the fish aren’t as effected. Anyways we found a few fish had several cheap shots on our live baits in the morning but no commitment. We fished hard and then things kinda died out. We made a move and then within about 15 minutes we hooked a nice 85 lber that screamed out line. He stayed on for us and we got a nice release next to the boat and plenty of pictures. It was all smiles and the boys appreciated the fish a lot and knew we worked hard for that one. Andrew was psyched to land his first tarpon! We fished some other channels for the last bit of time, saw a few tarpon there too but no love. We did catch a few nurse sharks, Jack’s, and a mutton snapper throughout the day as well. Anyways I think we will be focused on other things tomorrow, it’s suppose to stay chilly the next few nights. It’s time to fish your conditions! 1 for 1
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing
