Tarpon

Well I had some ideas about those tarpon. Last weekend, crew scattered to the winds so I loaded up Tricia’s boat. I really loaded it up. A flat of fresh butterfish, a flat of bunker, 10 gallons of peanut bunkers (caught off of my dock under the light) and a livewell full of spot and croaker and bunker. I have caught tarpon in Key West harbor. There, we just anchored up and chunked with shrimper by-catch and free lined a bait with the chunks. Also, down there, in the Caribbean and such, I have seen those things just circling in lights at night. So I pre-cut a 5-gallon bucket of bunker and butterfish chunks. My plan was to run over there Sunday afternoon and spend the night. Well, I woke up dark and early Sunday morning and said the heck with it and ran over there in the dark (starting to get light by the time I made it to the other side of the bay). During the day, when the current was moving, I cut up chunks (I saved the pre-cut stuff for the hot night bite). I free line baits back plus I had some live baits out at all times. I caught sharks and rays. I could see Blake Hayden up above me a ways. He was hooking tarpon (4). I had tarpon around the boat but no hook-ups. Down from me a ways was Ric Burnley. He hooked a couple of tarpon. None were caught but they did have some hook-ups. They all went home and it got dark. I never moved from my first spot as I could not…engine would not start. The James of Tow Boat US were ready to come get me but I asked them to just leave me there and come get me the next day. I put out the swordfish light and chunked and fished all night. A couple of surprises to me. I never had any problem at all with bugs and very little bait came to the light. I also never saw a tarpon in the light. Sharks and rays thought the chunking thing was a good idea. I continued to fish the next morning until Tow Boat US showed up to get me (good to be a member). I will back over there next weekend, back with Capt. Blake. So much for my ideas…I see no reason to spend anymore nights over there or Key West style of fishing. Still have not tried a kite. Ric thinks bow fishing might be the answer. I still favor a shotgun.