# Tripletail What's your best method?



## Godzuki86 (Nov 30, 2013)

In my experience with them I just run crab trap lines and find them on the crab buoys. I've also seen them on debris in the Keys. When I see one we loop back around and pull up to the trap within casting distance at idle. They are dumb as a box of rocks.

As far as baits are concerned, Live shrimp is a good start. If that doesn't work I've caught many on gulp shrimp. I like to use circle hooks because they do like to jump more than people think.

Oh yeah, a filet knife sharpener if you are planning on bringing them home more frequently !


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

Actually where you are makes a big difference. I fish for them out of Port Canaveral mostly along the buoy line. One ounce jigs with a mullet strip jigged right next to the can anywhere from six feet down to the bottom. Live bait and shrimp also.

Occasionally we find then around weeds, buckets, boards or just plain hanging on the surface. A big shrimp fly for open water TTails are killer.

Our fish tend to be quite a big larger than the west coast. Average around 10-12lbs and my best was 22 I think. The big ones will smoke you on the buoy chains so it's best to have someone on the helm to back away quick.

One Oct night at sundown we broke off four in a row before getting our act together. We got the next four and they were all 14-16lbs.


These were an October morning a couple years back. All on the buoys.


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## TylertheTrout2 (Apr 21, 2016)

Like others have said run the trap lines, I like to have a person on the bow standing (holding a rope tied off to the bow) and have him/her watch for Trips as I navigate the buoys. Once we see one we will set up down wind from the trap and trolling motor within casting distance. Live shrimp/Gulp/DOA shrimp all have worked for me. As far as flies go I like something shrimpy or "buggy" looking (redfish and bonefish flies work good). Sometimes if they don't like the shrimpy flies ill throw a small bait pattern and that usually seals the deal...otherwise if they're that smart I just leave em and keep searching (or go to live shimp). Good luck!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

bananabob said:


>


That's a haul!!!


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

All good responses, based on that info, I have a couple ideas where to try.


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

So where are you located low hydro?


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

bananabob said:


> So where are you located low hydro?


Just N of Port St Joe not far from Panama City,
The bay channel entrance buoys are pretty large I was thinking about trying around those. And the other buoys in the bay. Water is super clear around here (right now....no rain in forever).
View attachment 3411


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

Excellent. Bigger buoys...bigger fish. Most west coast TTails are caught below Tampa on small crab floats and those fish are much smaller. Let us know how you do.


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

LowHydrogen said:


> Just N of Port St Joe not far from Panama City,
> The bay channel entrance buoys are pretty large I was thinking about trying around those. And the other buoys in the bay. Water is super clear around here (right now....no rain in forever).
> View attachment 3411


I used to live in Brevard county. Like everyone said above, you could find them on the crab buoys inshore or on the channel markers off Caneveral. Now I live closer to you (Destin) and my best luck finding them here is on FADS a couple of miles out in the gulf. But in the fall, I have seen a few inshore around the pass and in the harbor.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

We get them inshore during summer along the Gulf coast of the 'Glades up to about ten pounds (our biggest was a few years back on cutbait and went 18lbs...). Most folks in my area hunt them under crab trap floats (late fall, all winter, and spring..). I much prefer summer when we can fish near the same shorelines that hold snook, reds, and tarpon.... 

In the summer we find them in less than four feet of water at times and get them either with Gulp tailed leadheads or on Clousers.. They make a great catch when you can find them.... particularly in larger sizes on fly (they jump a few times during the fight....).


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Yea that's funny how they'll jump. But I've never noticed them in shallow water tho. Must be a unique spot.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Along the gulf coast of the 'Glades (I mostly fish between Lostman's and Cape Sable when I'm out of Flamingo... ) triples move back inshore everywhere during summer and can be found on snags, downed trees, markers of any size, etc. In the fall they move back out and that's when most find them under buoys.

When triples are inshore, many times you'll never see them since they hang near the bottom ...... so, we mostly work small jigs or clousers and allow them to hit bottom before hopping them along....

Once or twice over the years when bait is schooled up tight and inshore day after day I've encountered triples behaving like they were starved --swimming on their sides like small flying saucers, racing around shoals of bait in less than four feet of water. What you see at first looks like a very light colored ray swimming around the bait, making pass after pass into the bait.... Anytime I've seen this behavior the fish was well over 8lbs and pretty much raiding the bait....

If you find a spot or two that holds triples, the spot will be good all summer long if there's enough water present. Experienced folks out of Choko are well aware of this sort of stuff and whoever is first on the spot gets bit -come later and no one's there...


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Huh.... I fish that same area in the summer but I guess I am mainly targeting snook with big baitfish patterns subsurface, so I guess I'm missing them or fishing areas where they are just not there.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check that out.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

What I notice in my area
(swfl) if your on a row of trap lines with no fish don't waste time running many more. Move on I seem to find they all hang around the same row of traps (depth).
One of my favorite fish to eat.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Here in Texas I like to find them under weed mats and around structure just like anywhere else but learned that once you hook one, have a buddy drop a lure right behind it and keep them going and you can usually catch several. They seem to get jealous when they see one eat and you can chunk almost anything on the follow up cast and catch them.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> Along the gulf coast of the 'Glades (I mostly fish between Lostman's and Cape Sable when I'm out of Flamingo... ) triples move back inshore everywhere during summer and can be found on snags, downed trees, markers of any size, etc. In the fall they move back out and that's when most find them under buoys.
> 
> When triples are inshore, many times you'll never see them since they hang near the bottom ...... so, we mostly work small jigs or clousers and allow them to hit bottom before hopping them along....
> 
> ...


I fish from the 10k islands to lostmans and your info is much appreciated. Catching a triple tail is still on my list of things to do.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Here in Texas I like to find them under weed mats and around structure just like anywhere else but learned that once you hook one, have a buddy drop a lure right behind it and keep them going and you can usually catch several. They seem to get jealous when they see one eat and you can chunk almost anything on the follow up cast and catch them.


 I guess they let anyone on this forum Mac!! Welcome!!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Fish_specialist said:


> I guess they let anyone on this forum Mac!! Welcome!!


I need to change my name, too many people know me!
I like it here. They will boot me off before too long.


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## EdK13 (Oct 3, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I need to change my name, too many people know me!
> I like it here. They will boot me off before too long.


Too many know of you  Legendary habit of holding fish wayyyy out in front of ya.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

EdK13 said:


> Too many know of you  Legendary habit of holding fish wayyyy out in front of ya.


Man they do let anyone on here!


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

TylertheTrout2 said:


> Like others have said run the trap lines, I like to have a person on the bow standing (holding a rope tied off to the bow) and have him/her watch for Trips as I navigate the buoys. Once we see one we will set up down wind from the trap and trolling motor within casting distance. Live shrimp/Gulp/DOA shrimp all have worked for me. As far as flies go I like something shrimpy or "buggy" looking (redfish and bonefish flies work good). Sometimes if they don't like the shrimpy flies ill throw a small bait pattern and that usually seals the deal...otherwise if they're that smart I just leave em and keep searching (or go to live shimp). Good luck!


The rope will only slow you down before you have an up close meeting with the prop if you hit a wave and get ejected over the bow. Not worth the risk for a Triple Tail, Just saying.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Backcountry 16 said:


> What I notice in my area
> (swfl) if your on a row of trap lines with no fish don't waste time running many more. Move on I seem to find they all hang around the same row of traps (depth).
> One of my favorite fish to eat.


Agree on not wasting your time, but just when I think I have figured out why they group in one area, they prove me wrong. Is it depth of water, salinity of the water, temp, clarity, food around bouys, or a combination of the above? I have used shrimp flies for years on them, but they will chase a small white shiminnow type fly.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Backwater said:


> Yea that's funny how they'll jump. But I've never noticed them in shallow water tho. Must be a unique spot.


They catch them regularly in the summer in PI sound.


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