Tarpon fishing off the chart last four days!!!!

With a full moon and hordes of spawning mullet flooding the channels Tarpon fishing went off the last 4 days. I really have to say it was as good as I have ever seen it.  Mullet have been grouping up in large spawning aggragations and the Tarpon just have to have them. Granted, there were certain channels and the right tides at those channels. Like all fishing it comes down to being at the right place at the right time.

This was the annual fishing trip for the "Ambulance Crew" hosted by the Martin Founder's Group. A great group of fellas that stay at Bud n Marys marina for 6 days. I had the pleasure of fishing with Martin Campbell, Bob Clemens, Del Elliot and Bob Hoyle. On day 1 Del and Ray released 7 Tarpon. We put in 12 hours and fished sun-up to sun-down. Day 2 Bob Clemens and Martin had 5 releases. Day 3 Del and Ray had an astounding 11 releases on an 8 hour session. Day 4 Martin and new angler Bob Hoyle had 7 releases. Bob Hoyle caught his first ever Tarpon at 7am and the pressure was off. 30 releases in 4 days of fishing!  Our hook up percentages were unbelievable, 85 percent. I have to attribute that not only to my fine anglers but to Fox Sport Fishing Travel rods. They have just the right stiffness needed to hook Tarpon.

We used 2 types of tackle. Eight foot long Sailfish Trek 4 piece spinning rods fitted with Diablo 750 spinning reels and seven foot 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rods fitted with EOS 30 Trolling reels.  For line we used Fox Sport Fishing Horizon super braid 30lb test.  No tackle failures at all except I lost  a set screw on an EOS handle which I am replacing this morning. Wow is all I can say.

Well day off. Off to change oil in the outboard then take my wife flyfishing for a few hours this afternoon.

Captain Skip Nielsen

7am Bob Hoyle gets his first ever Tarpon

Bob Hoyle released this one

Del cooling off with a nice Tarpon

Del Elliot had lots of jumpers

Del with a jumping Tarpon

great memories for the Ambulance Crew

just one more jumping Tarpon

just when you think he's getting tired he takes another
gulp of air and its game on again for Ray Jennings

Martin and Bob on a double,
we managed to get DNA samples off both Tarpon

Martin Campbell

not only did Bob Hoyle get his first Tarpon but
he ended the day with 3 Tarpon released

30 Tarpon released in 4 sessions using Fox Sport Fishing
Tarpon Spincast rod and EOS trolling reel, Sailfish Trek rod and
Diablo 750 spin reel

Ray used the Tarpon Spincast EOS 30 combo on  this jumper

awesome to watch

boatside view

Bob Clemens later caught 2 large Tarpon

Bob Clemens fighting a Tarpon near Channel 2

Bob Clemens said this
Tarpon was just the right size

Bob Clemens using the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo on this Tarpon

Bob Hoyle and Martin Campbell started off
yesterday morning with a double header