Red Hot Summertime Action

Stanley McJunkin can't stay away. He was here 4 weeks ago with his daughters. This past week he brought along good friend and business partner Tower. Stanley says its McJunkin Luck, I do know that no one else that I fish on a regular basis with gets so many calm days and hungry fish days to boot.

On day one we ran into a big school of mullet first thing. After spending a half hour or so throwing the castnet we had a 2 day supply of live and fresh dead mullet for bait. We felt good about catching with a start like this. First stop was light tackle for Mangrove Snapper. Fresh fish dinnners are part of the experience around here. While getting our limit of snapper on Bonefish Trek rods and Diablo 350 spinning reels, a school of pilchards showed up in the chum line. Well out comes the net again and now we are really ready for some action.

We moved over to East Cape Sable and looked for Tarpon but had no sightings. We anchored on a spot that I had fished with Stanley last year and rigged two spinning rods with 50lb leader, small lead weights, and 3/0 circle hooks and began casting. Using slow retrieve I was hoping for Tarpon but Seatrout were biting. Tower and Stanley released a dozen or so before small Blacktip Sharks became a nuisance. This was Towers first trip to the keys and he was somewhat new to saltwater fishing. Everything we did amazed him. Now I rigged up the Boat XT rod, EOS 50 Trolling Reel combo. This travel ready rod and reel combo was designed by Fox Sport Fishing to handle everything from Blue Marlin to big Sharks. It is impressive to use and I have never broken the XT on a fish. Well Tower caught a big Lemon Shark then a Bull Shark. And was just a little worn out. So now the tide was incoming and having had a decent Tarpon bite the day before on the incoming tide we made our move. I did mention to Stanley that it might be a good tide to catch something.. really big. So while Tower fished for a Tarpon, Stanley fished the bottom with the XT combo.

Lemon Sharks have jagged rows of teeth

Tower hooked a lively Spinner Shark around 100lbs that put on a great jumping show and was dumping his spool. Meanwhile Stanley hooked up a solid bottom dweller that would hardly budge at first. Then it took off. I pulled the anchor and gave chase. Tower finally had his leader part and we concentrated on whatever Stanley had on. Also a big thunderstorm was brewing and heading our way. Lightning was getting my attention and I said you have 5 minute to land your fish and we have to leave.

Tower gave the XT Boat rod EOS 30 combo a workout in 3 days of fishing

Stanley spent a solid hour battling a huge Sawfish on the Fox sport fishing
Boat XT rod travel rod. 
This rod can travel anywhere

That was incentive for Stanley. He gave it is all and the Boat XT rod helped him land an incredible Sawfish. aka Mud Marlin. This fish was close to 15 feet long. It took an hour to land. Congrats on a lifetime catch Stanley McJunkin. After that we raced across Florida Bay and arrived at Long Key Point to try for Tarpon. We were doing a 12 hour day. Another storm grew and we moved up to Channel 2. Our live mullet would not produce a strike but after seeing a few Tarpon feeding I switch to live crab baits and we went 3 for 3 on 100lb plus Tarpon. Tower caught his first ever 2 Tarpons.

Tower battles his first ever Tarpon on a sunset trip

Stanley just had to  bill his mud marlin. not recommended...

the ray like pectoral fins give the Sawfish incredible leverage.
The Fox sport fishing travel series Boat XT rod delivers rod strength

Day 2`was flat calm and again we headed towards Cape Sable. We started the day with Tower and Stanley each releasing a Tarpon before the sharks took over and yet another storm made us move. I took us to a spot miles out in the Gulf of Mexico where we had a blast throwing topwater plugs and jigs at schools of Crevalle Jacks and Bluefish. We even hooked a Cobia and of course more Sharks. Sharks love the summertime.

Crevalle Jack on a bucktail jig using
the Permit Trek Diablo 550 combo

Well the skies cleared and we got back to where we had been in the morning. It had really slicked off and Tarpon were free-jumping and rolling all over the place. It was game on for 3 frenzied hours. Using Fox Sport Fishing Sailfish Trek Travel rods fitted with Diablo 750 spinning reels the guys released 9 more Tarpon making it 11 for the day. A day to be remembered.

Tower on top using the 8 foot Sailfish Trek and
Stanley below using the 7 foot Tarpon Spinning rod,
both fitted with Diablo 750

Stanley tames a crab eating Tarpon with the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

Stanley admires 1 of 11 released this afternoon.
All were caught on Fox Sport Fishing travel rods fitted
with Diablo 750 spinning reel

a little rain on the lens but this is Towers' second ever Tarpon
and was caught on the 8 foot 5 piece Sailfish Trek/Diablo 750

Hammerhead caught by Tower on the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

Tower caught a Hammerhead Shark.
Western Florida Bay is a nursery for Greater Hammerheads.
The large females come thru in late spring

it was crazy fishing for 4 hours.
The Tarpon were free jumping and rolling everywhere. and hungry

Stanley looks back at Tower's Tarpon while fighting a Tarpon of his own.
note the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo. 2 doubles were released

Day 3 for a change of pace we headed way out to one of the Gulf Wrecks. There we wrestled with Goliath Groupers and Bull Sharks. Again we used the invincible Boat XT rod fitted with Fox Sport Fishing EOS reels. We All got a workout. As the tide slowed we headed back in towards the Cape. Stopping at a creek mouth Stanley landed a nice Red fish and several Snook. Now all he needed was a Tarpon for a West Coast Florida Grand Slam. Thinking after yesterday this would be the easy part we headed over to the Tarpon grounds. Well not to be. Small Black tip sharks were swarming. We could not get a bait in the water for over a minute. We could see some Tarpon rolling.

Tower released 2 Bullsharks

Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo was used on this Red fish

Tower thought he had this Goliath beat but
with one powerful flick of its tail back down it went and rocked up.

Tower used the Boatrod XT fitted with an EOS 50 Trolling reel and
100lb mono to literally pull this Goliath free of the bottom

I just had to do a little field testing.
The XT Boat rod fitted with the Fox EOS 50 is a
combo that I believe can catch just about anything

Stanley used one of my Tarpon flies on a Permit Trek to
get past the sharks to catch this Tarpon completing a
Back country Grand slam!

Tower with a beautiful Seatrout on the Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo

I had an idea and it worked out. Using a Permit Trek spinning rod and Diablo 550 spinning reel I tied on one of my home made Tarpon flies. I added a small bit of lead to make it castable. On his 3rd cast Stanley got his Tarpon. What a way to end a great 3 day fishing trip.

Captain Skip Nielsen

Palolo Worm Hatch Tarpon Action

Ty and Suzie Pollock just spent 2 and a half days fishing with me here in Islamorada. This husband wife team fish all over the world but love the variety available here. They are visiting from the UK. We left the dock at 2pm hoping for some Tarpon action on a low negative tide. Looking at a few spots and not getting very excited I moved to the ocean-side and out of the corner of my eye saw splashes off in the distance. As we putted closer we could see a Tarpon feeding frenzy. We quickly anchored up and broke out the fly rod. This was the legendary Palolo Worm Hatch going off right in front of us. It was not as easy as we thought it would be to hook up but after going to very light 15lb trace Ty hooked up a beauty. After the release we hooked a couple more before the current let up and it was all over. But it was incredible to see.

On day 2 it was quite windy. We tried some channels near the bridges but lots of seaweed and no action. I decided to make a long run to the back-country and fish near First National Bank near the Florida Mainland. It was a great move. Ty and Suzie released 6 Tarpon. These fish were in the 50lb range and provided great action on the Sailfish Trek Travel rod fitted with Diablo 750 reel. We ran out of live and fresh dead mullet and headed back to where we had found the worm hatch the day before but it was quiet.

husband and wife team of Ty and Suzie had big fun fishing in Islamorada

we found the Palolo Worm hatch and Ty caught a Tarpon with his fly rod

Ty caught 2 also on this day. Great jumper

jump shot

jump shot 2

jump shot 3

nice jump

Suzie fights a down and dirty Tarpon on the
Diablo 750 Sailfish Trek combo

Suzie scores another jumping Tarpon on the
Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

Suzie with another Tarpon

Day 3 was calm enough to take a trip out to the Gulf Wrecks. On the way out we castnetted live mullet, pinfish and pilchards for bait. The action was excellent. Goliath Groupers and Bull Sharks were swarming. Crevalle Jacks and Cobia on the light tackle were a blast. We saw a few Permit but they refused our offerings. We used Trek Boat XT rod, EOS Trolling reel for the big action.

a trip out to the Gulf Wrecks produced many Goliaths

Bull Shark for Suzie

Goliath's on the Trek Boat XT rod with 100lb wind-on mono leader 
are put to the test and win the battle

she's a real beauty

 

Trek Boat XT rod and EOS 30 and 50 reels were used 
for the Goliaths and Bull Sharks

Ty caught a pair of cracking Cobia on the
Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo.

Ty used the Fox Trek fly rod to hook up a nice Crevalle Jack
but a Goliath ate it boat-side. what a show

 Captain Skip Nielsen

Early June fishing

Brothers Scott and Brent Kephart joined me for a few days this past week and hit the weather just right. That allowed us to travel anywhere we wanted to go. The brothers had never been out to the wrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. We had ideal weather on day 2 and headed out there after catching live mullet and pilchards with the castnet. Cobias, Bullsharks, Goliath Groupers, Blacktip Sharks and plenty of Crevalle Jacks and Permit sightings though none landed. Great fishing to say the least. Brent and Scott use all their own tackle and Brent brought his 5 piece Fox Sport Fishing Tarpon Spincast travel rod and used to land Tarpon, Sharks, Goliaths and more. Scott used the 8 foot Sailfish Trek travel rod and was very impressed with the ease of walking large fish around the boat. And the strength. On the other 2 days we landed a total of 6 Tarpon and more Sharks.

Tarpon are on the move in the far back country now with more coming in every day.

Captain Skip Nielsen

another Tarpon for Brent on his
Tarpon Spincast travel rod

Brent brought his Tarpon Spincast 5 piece travel rod
and caught this Goliath Grouper

Brent casted a topwater plug for Crevalle Jacks and
was surprised when this tasty Cobia latched on.
He used the Permit Trek rod

brothers, Brent and Scott Kephart

Bull Shark for Brent and his trek rod

EOS 50 Fox conventional reel spooled with
80lb braid mounted on a Trek XT boa trod
is ideal for catching the big stuff

Goliaths were big fun on the Tarpon Spincast travel rod

lit up Yellow Jack

on the first morning Brent released this Tarpon on his own
Tarpon Spincast travel rod

Scott catching a Bull Shark on the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

Scott caught 4 Tarpon on this afternoon

Scott used the Trek Boatrod XT fitted with an
EOS 50 Trolling reel for the heavy work

somebody is happy here