Got out for a half day this morning. We had another weak cold front hit us though the temperature didn’t drop much the wind swung around from west last night to north this morning. We found plenty of fish everywhere though they were in that unhappy mood. Giving high tail flaps when they were rolling and smacking the water – usually not a good sign. We had several fish up and after the bait but they were making an almost angry pass at it, slapping the water very hard and creating a big explosion, but would keep missing the bait. Never to come back again for it. We also had about a dozen fish ‘flash’ the bait, where they come right up like they are going to eat but turn away at the last second, leaving a big flash of silver in the water and a boil in the surf. Anyways it was frustrating there was one group of fish biting though only a couple boats were properly lined up on them out of about a dozen boats fishing the bridge. We did manage to hook a fish nearby there though we jumped him off soon after. Sucks to strike out but I gave it everything we even tried a last spot where we probably saw 500 fish rolling but they kept doing what I mentioned above – never quite getting the bait and flashing it most of the time. Winds are suppose to stay north tomorrow but hopefully they will be more cooperative. I’m sure the weekend will be even busier than today, I hope we can get a fish! 0 for 1
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
4/7/16 half day islamorada tarpon fishing charter
Had a morning and an evening trip today. This morning we got bait good early and I loaded up and headed out. The morning bite was slow we saw plenty of fish though they were unresponsive, kind of similar to the previous day. The wind had really slicked out as well. Later in the morning we eventually had a tarpon flash and crush a mullet, but not an aggressive eat where we got the hook in him. We moved around a few times and eventually once the tide slowed they did start biting a little, several boats around us hooked up and I moved with my trolling motor into ‘the zone’ and we soon hooked up ourselves. I put in a little overtime but we finally got a good fish to make the morning.
This evening the bite was much better we had a ripping falling tide, about as hard as I’ve seen it fall out. The west wind was a light breeze but behind the tide pushing it harder. We had two bites in the first hour though both fish jumped off after several seconds it was hard to keep them on in the hard ripping tide I think. Later we moved near a bridge and we had some cheap shots, several flashes on the baits. We had another decent bite we didn’t hook the fish though, and finally I dragged over with the trolling motor again and we got a bite while moving. We hooked the fish and what a fight I had to float the rod through the bridge though we landed the fish. No pictures today as I was playing with the bridges on both fish landed and didn’t have the time nor skill to also hold a camera. 1 for 2 and 1 for 4
4/6/16 Islamorada full day tarpon fishing report
Got out again for a full day tarpon fishing with same crew from last night Dennis and Allen. It started off slow the wind was howling and current ripping. We tried a few spots but didn’t see much a few fish roll in a couple spots but no activity. I had been in touch with a few other guides and it was a similar report. We finally set up near one of the bridges and as the tide slowed a hair the fish start to respond. We had lots of cheap shots and did finally hook a fish but we jumped him off soon after. The few boats around us had similar activity everyone got a bite or so and lots of cheap shots. After the tide quit we left and caught some more mullet and then caught the start of the falling tide in another area. The fish were there and as soon as I put the baits out, we had a couple tarpon up immediately and hooked a nice 100 lber and had another one trying to eat the other bait! This fish was a beast and took us in and out of the bridge pilings like he knew what he was doing. Luckily I had the trolling motor down and we used that to make quick turns around the different pilings, some how managed not to slam into anything. Eventually he made his way into the open water and up in the shallows and we landed him. He cooperated and we were able to jump in with him and get some pictures as you are not allowed to boat tarpon any longer though once in a while in the right spot you can jump in and hold them in the water. After that we hooked another nice fish though he ran out a lot of line and got tons of grass on there, while removing it we got a bit of slack in the line and got tip wrapped and broke him off. After that we had several more cheap shots but no real takes, anyways lots of activity it was definitely exciting and glad to have gotten one up especially with the great picture! 1 for 3
