Capt. Rick Stanczyk's Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Got out today again for a full day of tarpon fishing out of Islamorada, Florida Keys.  Tarpon was on the agenda and we headed into the everglades.  Stopped for bait back there, it wasn’t real easy to catch but we managed a couple dozen again.  The falling tides in the morning haven’t been as easy to catch bait but we’ve been able to make it happen.  We hit the channel where we fished yesterday, saw some fish roll, but didn’t get a bite right away.  After 45 minutes or so we hooked a shark, and then a tarpon on the other line!  We chased him and landed him and the shark cut us off, but glad to have gotten a tarpon early to take the pressure off especially after the longer day we had yesterday trying to get one.  After that we moved around a bit, saw a splashing tarpon outside the channel and moved in on him.  Got bit pretty quick and landed another tarpon which was cool.  Had a few triple tails swim up and we caught a nice one for dinner.  Then we drove around looking for triple tails and saw a few more, one of which we caught which was fun.  Then we saw another tarpon rise up and we caught him near the end of the tide.  Things were cooperating nicely but we had to work for it and keep moving, no sitting in one spot like we had been the last few weeks.  After that we did some light tackle stuff catching some ladyfish for fun, and then headed home.  All in all a banner day.  3 for 3

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
@richardstanczyk

Got out with Arthur and Chris down from Miami today for a full day of tarpon fishing.  We got out early and caught some bait in the backcountry, wasn’t real easy but we managed a couple good tosses and loaded up.  We found some tarpon where they were yesterday morning, but today they didn’t want to play.  We fished hard for 45 minutes or so, had them rolling right on top of our baits, but never a sniff.  Had 1 shark bite and that was it.  We tried another channel where they had been several days ago, didn’t see much there just a bonnet head shark.  Tide was changing so we tried another channel further out where the tide would be coming in now.  My buddy had caught one there a little earlier, and said he did well there yesterday.  We had them rolling around there too, right on top of our baits again at one point, but never had a bite again.  One big shark that we had cut us off, and my buddy caught another shark too.  After that things were looking kind of glum, strange as fishing had been so good the last few weeks I haven’t had to look around in more than a couple spots.  Anyways we ran back towards where we were this morning to try on the incoming tide now that it had changed.  First stop again nothing but catfish and a small shark.  Then we tried the morning spot again.  We sat for 45 minutes or so, and was almost getting ready to move when we hooked a big lemon shark for Arthur.  Soon after Chris had a tarpon bite while he was on his phone!  Luckily I was able to get the rod from him as the fish came up behind the boat quickly and almost cut us off on the motor, but I was able to put it in free spool and clear the back of the boat and the anchor line, and get him on the rod again when he got off the phone.  We had a good fight of about 25 minutes, landed both the shark and the tarpon, but unfortunately when I had the tarpon boatside on the leader, I put the rod in the holder about to get a picture with him and the hook literally just fell out of his mouth.  But Arthur had some good pictures while Chris fought him, and we got the legal release anyways.  After that we caught one more lemon shark and it was time to go home.  Not sure why the tarpon didn’t want to bite well today, I know yesterday they got lockjaw after the first couple hours in the morning, but today it seemed to be right from the start.  Could be the full moon they may have fed hard over night and just weren’t hungry.  Oh well, hopefully it’ll get better again.  The fish are definitely still around, I think we’ll have another window of good fishing soon… hopefully tomorrow!  1 for 1

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
@richardstanczyk

Got out with Chad today down from Tennessee, tarpon was on his list and I’ve been good at finding them lately!  We had opposite tides from last week… last few hours of the fall this AM.  Bait wasn’t at the usual spot, but we found it in another area that is better on this tide.  We were able to catch about 3 dozen or so, and a ton of grass as there has been a bunch of dead sea grass floating around with all the heat, so it was a little messy but we got what we needed and then some.  We hit some channels nearby where the tarpon had been, and they were here today as well.  It was pretty windy, blowing 20 mph southeast, but didn’t seem to bother them too much early.  We had to move once but when we got in front of them, we hooked a nice 70 lb fish and Chad landed him.  We had both rods hooked up actually, the other likely on a big shark.  But by the time we landed the tarpon the shark cut us off.  We did get a nice lemon shark later on, and then we jumped another tarpon and hooked one right after that.  This one was a larger fish too, 80 lbs or so.  Nice to see some bigger ones this time of year!  He fought well and we got him boatside for some pictures too.  After that the tarpon slowed down, I could still see them rolling and busting a little, and we had good current for a while longer, but they just didn’t want to play any more.  We moved a few times, and had a couple other shark bites, and that was it for the big stuff.  We did however catch a lunker 14.5 lb triple tail which was very cool, he floated by us while we had our tarpon gear out, and got him on a small rod with artificial bait!  That was enough for dinner for both of us and the wives.  After that it was time to go home, a great morning had by Chad hopefully tomorrow will be the same.  Not booked on Sunday or Monday if anyone wants to go and plenty of time later in August, fishing is really good right now.  2 for 3

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
@richardstanczyk