Where are the tarpon? Migrating tarpon were all over our area beaches at this time last year along with large schools of pogys. I guess I’ve just answered my own question, no pogys. Pogys are one of the tarpons main food source. No pogys, no tarpon. I’ve been scouting the beaches almost every day as I drive along A1A and I have yet to see even the smallest school of pogys. It’s still early in the season for tarpon so maybe they’ll show up in a few weeks. We’ll just have to wait and see.
On the ICW side I have seen a few tarpon rolling but those seem to be in the 30 to 40 lb range. I was talking to a fisherman at the boat ramp and he told me he was going out to chase tarpon. He said he had located a small school somewhere off the ICW. Like a true fisherman he wouldn’t give me an exact location. If I had to guess I would probably say it was in the Sea Ray cut or one of the Palm Coast canals.
Trout fishing in the ICW seems to be picking up as is fishing in general. I think some of the rains we’ve been experiencing lately have improved things. It’s brought a lot of bait out of the backwaters and into the ICW, which in turn gets the fish feeding. I’ve noticed more and larger trout than earlier in the year when we had a lack of rain. Flounder fishing has been good also with fish up to 6 lbs being caught. Mango snapper fishing has also been good with a lot of fish in the 14” range. Snook too are being caught anywhere from 10” to 15 lbs. I’ve received reports of good catches coming from around Highbridge at night with the best action taking place after midnight.
Last Friday Eric and Karin Hammons, in town for the races, fished with me and they had the best day fishing that has taken place on my boat this year. The day started out good when on Eric’s fourth cast he had a 4 lb flounder. Shortly after that he landed reds of 16”, 20” and 22”. We then moved to the next spot and had 2 black drum between 16” and 18” and a 16” trout for Karin. The next spot yielded a 16” snook and a larger one was lost when the hook pulled. There were also jacks and mango snapper. The last spot we hit provided a 2½ lb flounder for Karin and Eric had 3 trout, 2 – 18” and a 22”. All fish were released except for the flounder.
July is recreation and park month in Florida and Washington Oaks State Park on A1A in the Hammock is holding a Kids Saltwater Fishing Workshop July 19th & 20th and on the 26th & 27th from 10am to 2pm. For more info go to http://www.floridastateparks.org/.
Roy Mattson reports Vic Leininger had a 12’ & 14” mango snapper and 2 black drum – 2 & 3 lbs. Harold Kelly – 7.3 lb black drum. John Craig – 5 trout to 23” and released 3 others.
Ken Stone limited out on big black drum.
Photo: Eric Hammons shows off a 4.2 lb flounder he caught while live lining a shrimp.
On the ICW side I have seen a few tarpon rolling but those seem to be in the 30 to 40 lb range. I was talking to a fisherman at the boat ramp and he told me he was going out to chase tarpon. He said he had located a small school somewhere off the ICW. Like a true fisherman he wouldn’t give me an exact location. If I had to guess I would probably say it was in the Sea Ray cut or one of the Palm Coast canals.
Trout fishing in the ICW seems to be picking up as is fishing in general. I think some of the rains we’ve been experiencing lately have improved things. It’s brought a lot of bait out of the backwaters and into the ICW, which in turn gets the fish feeding. I’ve noticed more and larger trout than earlier in the year when we had a lack of rain. Flounder fishing has been good also with fish up to 6 lbs being caught. Mango snapper fishing has also been good with a lot of fish in the 14” range. Snook too are being caught anywhere from 10” to 15 lbs. I’ve received reports of good catches coming from around Highbridge at night with the best action taking place after midnight.
Last Friday Eric and Karin Hammons, in town for the races, fished with me and they had the best day fishing that has taken place on my boat this year. The day started out good when on Eric’s fourth cast he had a 4 lb flounder. Shortly after that he landed reds of 16”, 20” and 22”. We then moved to the next spot and had 2 black drum between 16” and 18” and a 16” trout for Karin. The next spot yielded a 16” snook and a larger one was lost when the hook pulled. There were also jacks and mango snapper. The last spot we hit provided a 2½ lb flounder for Karin and Eric had 3 trout, 2 – 18” and a 22”. All fish were released except for the flounder.
July is recreation and park month in Florida and Washington Oaks State Park on A1A in the Hammock is holding a Kids Saltwater Fishing Workshop July 19th & 20th and on the 26th & 27th from 10am to 2pm. For more info go to http://www.floridastateparks.org/.
Roy Mattson reports Vic Leininger had a 12’ & 14” mango snapper and 2 black drum – 2 & 3 lbs. Harold Kelly – 7.3 lb black drum. John Craig – 5 trout to 23” and released 3 others.
Ken Stone limited out on big black drum.
Photo: Eric Hammons shows off a 4.2 lb flounder he caught while live lining a shrimp.