May means love bugs and to the serious angler, Tarpon time. Yes folks for the next few months Tarpon will be the target of choice. Tarpon will show up in our area around the first full moon but you will start seeing some of them earlier. The key to fishing for Tarpon in our area is best early in the morning. Yes for those of you that like to get a late start, you missed the prime time for them.
You need to be on the water before sun up and sitting in a known are of travel for them. Stealth is the key to success. In the Hudson area the fish seem to stay farther off shore than they do towards the south end of the county. They can be found off the beach side of Anclote island on the calmer days feeding on the bait schools. Just remember that if you chase them with your motor your fishing will be done for the day and if there is anybody else fishing for them in the same area you just made an enemy. Use your trolling motor to get into position if you have to move around. The key to hooking the Tarpon is a sharp hook. You always want to check the tip and keep a good sharp tip. If you like fishing artificial baits, I like to use a DOA Bait Buster it looks like a mullet and the Tarpon love them. Watch for the fish to get close enough to cast to and cast at about a 45 degree angle let it sink then work the Bait Buster back with a few twitches just to make the bait look different then the other live ones. If artificial is not your game then you can us either a pin fish or a Thredfin under a cork. Cast out in front of the fish that are moving towards you and wait for them to cross paths with your bait. Use a large enough sized tackle to not over stress the fish with a long battle to get them to the boat. A good 8ft rod with a 6000 size reel is a good start loaded with 50lb braid tied to a 50lb fluorocarbon Biminitwist tied to 50 to a
80lb leader with a good #8 circle hook. After you catch that Tarpon of a lifetime don’t bring it into the boat for pictures leave it in the water and get your pictures this will leave the fish with a lot less stress and also save the inside of your boat.
If Tarpon are not your game don't worry there is plenty of redfish and snook to target. Snook fishing has been great, look for these guys to be in their normal summer spots, around the spoil islands, Anclote Island and the beach. Best bait to use is green backs for live or a white buck tail jig for artificial. I have been finding them in large numbers in deeper holes with good moving water. When you find them they will be facing into the tide waiting for a free meal. Anchor up tide and use a live pilchard and let it drift back to them as natural as possible.It is a good idea to chum the area first to get them in the feeding mode.
While your out on the flats keep an eye peeled for that occasional cobia to be following the stingrays. The Cobia have also been hanging around the artificial reefs just off the coast along with some nice Gag grouper. The reef just off Anclote island has been productive. The bait of choice has been small pinfish.
80lb leader with a good #8 circle hook. After you catch that Tarpon of a lifetime don’t bring it into the boat for pictures leave it in the water and get your pictures this will leave the fish with a lot less stress and also save the inside of your boat.
If Tarpon are not your game don't worry there is plenty of redfish and snook to target. Snook fishing has been great, look for these guys to be in their normal summer spots, around the spoil islands, Anclote Island and the beach. Best bait to use is green backs for live or a white buck tail jig for artificial. I have been finding them in large numbers in deeper holes with good moving water. When you find them they will be facing into the tide waiting for a free meal. Anchor up tide and use a live pilchard and let it drift back to them as natural as possible.It is a good idea to chum the area first to get them in the feeding mode.
While your out on the flats keep an eye peeled for that occasional cobia to be following the stingrays. The Cobia have also been hanging around the artificial reefs just off the coast along with some nice Gag grouper. The reef just off Anclote island has been productive. The bait of choice has been small pinfish.