Capt. Rick Stanczyk's Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Got out with Shane and his son Jackson today for the day.  We ended up cutting things short and just doing a 3/4 day as we fished locally and with our bait supply and how fishing seemed to work out, it just made more sense.  We focused on tarpon and actually had some decent action.  Nothing at first we tried a spot early in the dark and no hookups, did have a few fish swim by and watched someone else hook one up and catch it.  After an hour or so and sun up, we ran to the bridges.  Caught the last of the incoming tide an hour or so.  Tarpon were biting some here, a boat hooked up as we pulled up.  Then we had a bite and jumped one off.  A few more boats had some bites, and then we hooked another that we chased but unfortunately he got wrapped in the bridge!  You can usually get through this bridge easily but the line got caught in barnacles and we could not get around the piling and eventually we got cut off.  So goes tarpon fishing!  After that things slowed down and the tide quite.  A lot of boats left but we hung around and went to the other side and waited for the tide to change, which happened quick with the west wind helping push the tide out.  We had another mystery bite on a live bait but I think it was a tarpon because the bait was in good shape and not cut up, then about 5 minutes later the same thing but this time about a 50 lb tarpon Jackson landed!  Had to chase him around a few boats but luckily everyone was helpful and got out of the way and even untied there anchor.  Combat fishing but it’s nice when people know what they are doing.  After that Shane had another mystery bite that broke us off in the bridge again possibly a tarpon.  We headed back towards home to try the channels there with the rest of our dead bait.  After about 2 moves, we saw some tarpon rolling and moved a little more to get in front of them and hooked up one more time!  But unfortunately he threw the hook.  So tough keeping them on for us today but actually good fishing getting 6 bites.  Glad we got one though that is always a good thing especially when fishing/conditions overall have been a little tougher.  Wind is gonna blow hard again tomorrow and swing back northeast, which usually isn’t a bad direction but not excited about the howling wind.  All the early spring weather we are still getting late now.  1 for 6

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

Got out with my dad and Brandon today.  Last minute cancellation on my trip that was booked!  So dad jumped at the chance.  Too bad as it was great conditions, finally a reprieve from the crazy wind we’ve had the last several days.  We weren’t really targeting tarpon, but looking in the gulf for some opportunities at whatever may be out there.  But we saw quite a few tarpon in some of the usual backcountry haunts.  We found some near some structure where we were hoping for some big snook, and ended up catching one out of two small guys there.  We also got our big snook and lost a couple others.  Later in the day we found a nice permit as well which was awesome and what we were really hoping for!  Nice when I take my dad as we don’t mind taking big risks and striking out, but sometimes it pays off.  We got real lucky finding that school of permit honestly it was like finding a needle in a haystack!  You can read my full report on my other website fishingislamorada.com  1 for 2

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

Fished around town again with Nathan and Jeff.  The bite was decent we had a few shots in the morning in the first hour, missing one bite and the hooking one that we jumped off.  A couple other cheap shots that missed the live baits too.  After that things went quiet for us.  Seemed a lot quieter too over all, a handful of boats caught fish but most did not.  We stuck it out waiting for the tide to turn and hoping it’d turn on but it didn’t seem to happen.  Weather kept us from going much further, had to hide under the bridge for 30 minutes while a squall went through.  After that we ran and tried another area where we had luck yesterday.  Today it worked out again, and Nathan got a nice 90 lb fish.  We got her to the boat several times but she snapped the line before we could roll her over on a last little splurge.  But we got another one later about a 60 lber to finish the day, and jumped off one more tarpon.  So a lull in between, sometimes its tough to sit through especially with so many other boats around but right now the tarpon fishing is just better locally so you have to stick with it.  Unfortunately when there are 20 boats in an area you can’t always just move where you want if you see fish or whatever, and its often just luck of the draw which boats are in the fish that are biting.  But we always give it a good effort and do what we can!  That’s why I prefer the backcountry fishing but right now there are just a lot more tarpon locally.  2 for 5

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