Capt. Rick Stanczyk

Got out for a full day with Scott, Tom, and Tim down from Arizona.  We hit it early the boys were up for it.  Fishing was good today we caught bait on the way and proceeded to catch some fish!  The tide was trickling in when we got there and then slacked off.  Then it started to fall and things started to bite!  We didn’t miss a single tarpon bite and got eight fish to the hand, and one for a technical release for a total of nine!  Incredible!  We also got two bonus jumbo snooks, one of which got eaten by a shark unfortunately.  Also a few lemon sharks and black tips.  The tide only fell for a couple hours and then started in again which was strange.  Just an incredible day and my best day this season as far as landed fish goes.  I’m off tomorrow but back at it Thursday I think we will be doing this same routine.  Hope it stays like this for a while longer!  9 for 9

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Got out with Sarah and Barry for day 2, they fished with me the day before yesterday.  The other day we blanked on the early morning deal.  It was surprising as it’s been pretty consistent for me the last 10 days or so.  The fish were there but just didn’t bite…  But yesterday I did well there so I figured we’d try it again.  Today it paid off.  We got some bait on the way and set up.  Plenty of tarpon around and the action started pretty quick.  Barry hooked up and lost a small tarpon.  Then a little later landed a nice 20 lber.  Then Sarah got a big brute, a nice 80 lb fish or so.  This one did not want to give up we chased it and fought it for 50 minutes or so!  We got it boatside for some pictures and release it.  I thought the bite may have died after that.  We set back up and didn’t see much so we moved around.  I did see a couple fish which gave me hope.  We set back up and then soon after Sarah jumped another fish.  Then we hooked another big one of about 80 lbs.  Barry got this one and it came in fairly quick.  After that we were done and mixed up the rest of our day.  We caught a handful of snook, had a few shots at tripletail we missed, and that was about it.  But all in all another great day!  Back at it tomorrow will likely be doing the same routine if my anglers are up for getting up early.  3 for 5

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Took the old man out today and our friend Ron Modra for some fun fishing.  We ran deep into the ‘glades early on.  Caught some bait on the way.  Found the tarpon back there.  They didn’t really bite yesterday but today they did… strange.  Winds were a little more easterly instead of south maybe that helped.  Anyways lots of small guys.  Ron caught a small 15 lber, we got to the boat but then he jumped off but had the leader for a release.  Then we jumped a couple more.  My dad hooked a nice 25 lber himself on light tackle which was lots of fun that we got up for a picture since he was small enough.  We then jumped one more fish and then that was about all she wrote.  The tarpon seemed to disappear by 8:30 or so, so not too long of a bite.  We caught some other bait and found a good pack of snook on the way home along with some trout and jacks.  We then found a few triple tail where we had seen some yesterday and there were a few tarpon there too but not as many as yesterday.  Though I had some better reports from other areas too so I think a lot of the summer time fish are showing up in the usual haunts which is a good thing.  Those areas had been pretty dry as of late which is why I’ve been making this longer run but will be nice to have some fish closer.  Back at it tomorrow with Sarah and Barry for Day 2.  2 for 5

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

P.S. Again small tarpon under 40 inches we are allowed to lift out of the water for a picture, but we make sure to lift them carefully and not wipe off slime, don’t drop them on the deck, get a quick picture, and release them healthily swimming to battle another day.