Well we got rained out yesterday I did get booked but it looked too bad to make the 20-30 mile run into the backcountry so we cancelled. Today I had the same guys and we made it out but things were still a little nasty. Lots of weather around and blowing hard west in the morning then swung around south. Bait was tough I tried two areas and didn’t see much and we finally saw a few on the flat in a mud and were able to get a couple dozen. Saw a good handful of tarpon busting on edge of the flat of one of the channels and we set up there, though could not get any action out of them. Literally had fish rolling on top of our baits a half dozen times but they would not eat. So eventually I moved into the channel and not much, not even much for sharks. Finally jumped again further out of the channel mouth and we had a couple bites from tarpon. Unfortunately they both came unbuttoned right away. We caught a few more sharks and then ran out of bait. I caught bait pretty good after that mid day since it was overcast and we tried some other channels but the rain soon chased us back towards home. It wasn’t too bad there so we fished the last hour close by, but unfortunately no luck there with the tarpon. Tough day but we worked hard at it and had some shots, but you just don’t always connect. Tomorrow I’m just snapper fishing for a half day (hopefully) if we can get out. 0 for 2
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
7/24/15 Everglades Tarpon Fishing in July out of Islamorada
Got back on track today had a 3/4 day we left out early. Just barely made it past the rain and lightning that enveloped islamorada as we were leaving. But it wasn’t bad for us just a little drizzle. Got on the bait pretty good and managed to catch a few dozen. We saw some tarpon rolling in a local channel nearby the bait area, and after yesterday I decided to give it some time there. Not much activity for the first hour we saw fish rolling nearby and even right by our baits, but just not interested. Finally after I was a few minutes from reeling up and moving on, we hooked a nice 70 lb fish and landed him. We went back to where we were sitting and within a few minutes hooked another larger fish of 85 lbs or so. He fought a little harder and drug us through the channel into various places. Saw quite a few tarpon come up as we fought him so a big body of them must have moved in. Anyways we landed him eventually and then set back up again. After a little while we had another thump and reeled a little bit, and another 40 lb tarpon came up flying. He was hooked good we landed him and that was pretty much it for the day, incoming tide died after that and it was about time to head home. We also caught a few sharks, including lemon, blacktip, atlantic sharpnose, and nurse. Great day! No trip yet as of yet for tomorrow, but may go fun fishing. Will be going out of town next week mid-week for a little bit then back at it in early august. 3 for 3
7/23/15 July Everglades tarpon fishing report Florida Keys
Tried for tarpon again today. We got out early at 6 and had to dodge a bit of weather. I had plenty of bait leftover from the last couple days. Had the lame weak incoming tide this morning. Unfortunately for several hours too. Did not see any fish early and no bites we tried a couple channels and then off the beaches where we found the big pack of them yesterday. But today it was a different story did not see any fish at all, no jumpers or rollers, nothing. When the tide slacked I ran up and down and looked for fish but just didn’t see much. We tried moving around a couple times and tide eventually started falling, but just sharks. We did catch a nice little hammerhead, a big lemon shark, and several blacktips and sharpnoses. Last spot I tried had been one of my go-to afternoon spots the last couple weeks, but couldn’t get a bite there either. We did eventually see one fish finally roll though we had run out of bait. We finished the day catching a few nice trout and mangrove snappers. Anyways slowest day of tarpon fishing I’ve had in a long time – you gotta have one some time. Amazing with not much of a change in conditions it could go from full contact yesterday to hardly a scale to be seen today. Anyways 3/4 day tomorrow we will likely try some different areas hopefully can find a few! 0 for 0
