# this week's report, 1 December down at Flamingo



## Semper Fly (Jun 11, 2011)

As always a detailed report Capt Bob, thanks.  As you pointed out we will be experiancing gusty winds from the NE with each passing front. Boat and gear is ready, just need that one calm day in between fronts. 

Great pics of some nice fish. I love that darken color of the deep backcountry snook.


----------



## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

I enjoy your reports as well! I'm jealous of your winter tarpon fishery. I hooked my first one this summer and now I have a big time itch to actually land one.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Water temperature is everything for tarpon in cooler weather. If the interior warms up nicely (the way it's going right now) one day I'll start finding them in the interior again. If temps drop they'll be gone in an afternoon (nothing for big tarps to cover 10 miles without effort in an afternoon.

When they come up inside they're only inside to get warm. They spend their days loafing around and occasionally eating - but only if it's with very little effort. Some years it's fantastic -other years we'll hardly see a single fish until mid-March... Just nothing like a big tarpon -particularly when you can get within thirty feet of a hundred pound fish laying in three to five feet of water.

This vid was taken on 9 Dec a few years back, and it shows one of the prime areas. This was for the only tv show I ever did.... on Shallow Water angler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf_iBPhqNoQ


----------



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Cool video, Bob. I never saw that episode. Do you ever remove the treble hooks and replace them with j hooks or circle hooks for tarpon?


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

That day the folks from the show had an agenda (as they did with every show before filming). On this occasion it was to catch fish with suspending plugs (and several manufacurers had ponied up enough to fill a Plano box -all brand new and just the way you'd get them at the store...). Needless to say the fish took turns tossing them after a big blowup...

Here's the routine I follow for most of my tarpon plugs (flies actually work much better and the fish have a very hard time coming un-buttoned -but that's another story...). If it's a large three hook plug the first item to go is that center set of trebles. For every plug meant for tarpon I leave the factory treble in place for the hook at the front of the plug -for the rear hook I remove it and replace it with a 4x strong treble that's at least two sizes larger than normal... On the Bomber 16a (which is a three hook plug that weighs in at 7/8oz the rear hook is actually an Owner Stinger that's amazingly strong and pretty large....). 
One item to remember is that any split rings for tarpon trebles need to be extra strong -a big fish can easily rip hook right off of a plug with a light or ordinary split ring connection....


As much as I love tossing plugs at tarpon (a big tarpon goes absolutely ballistic with a plug in its mouth....) plugs aren't the best way to stay connected even with the larger rear hook... I have several rigs that are based around a large black worm that are rigged with a 6/0 Owner circle (the offset variety if you can find them anymore...). That rig is amazing since it hooks and holds just like any circle does with livebait and a big tarpon...

I did try going to single hooks or circle hooks for plugs but never had any success with them. I think most plugs need those trebles or they don't move right.


----------

