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