# Another failed Fly Fishing for Tarpon



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

So many on here know I’ve been with seven fly guides and haven’t cast to a fish. I’ve also taken my boat now 3 times and know luck. My fishing partner and I planed a trip in July during the dark moon and just before the trip I contacted Covid then 3 days later my buddy in another state came down with it. That’s 10 days of quarantine so we had to reschedule. Last week we experienced dingy water, no tides ( high tide was .86) and coming out of a full moon.
First day we went to a spot and anchored on a very large white spot in 3-4’ of water and we where on the edge in 10-15’. We saw no birds, sharks, rays but some bait. We put out a chum block of Menhaden for 4 hours and all we saw where a couple of gulls picking pieces of the water
Next day we went off the beach, found bait with Jacks in it. My friend caught a monster Jack Crevalle on a spinning rod and then I caught one on fly
My friend is going to Puerto Rico in December and hooking up with a guide to fly fish for tarpon. If he does well I may go in January
Oh Jack Crevalle are a beast on any tackle and they basically saved our trip. We came home a day early cause of a big storm that was coming


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## 7WT (Feb 12, 2016)

That's a nice Jack and on a fly rod- yup! really good. Man I am sorry for 7 guides and not one poon to cast to- something doesn't sound right there.


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## Capt. Kenny (Feb 18, 2016)

Jacks are always a great way to pass the slow times poon fishing. I'm with 7WT, 7 guides and not one cast at a poon. 😨


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## Tceva (Jul 28, 2021)

The odds are in your favor. Just go have fun and the fish will find you. One DIY poon will be worth the effort.


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

I love those big Jack's on fly...they will test some tackle and knots for sure


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## rigginuts (11 mo ago)

You're definitely having a bad luck streak but still I'd be hunting some new guides. Tarpon aren't that hard to find and you should expect to get 5 to 10 shots per day.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

permitchaser said:


> So many on here know I’ve been with seven fly guides and haven’t cast to a fish. I’ve also taken my boat now 3 times and know luck. My fishing partner and I planed a trip in July during the dark moon and just before the trip I contacted Covid then 3 days later my buddy in another state came down with it. That’s 10 days of quarantine so we had to reschedule. Last week we experienced dingy water, no tides ( high tide was .86) and coming out of a full moon.
> First day we went to a spot and anchored on a very large white spot in 3-4’ of water and we where on the edge in 10-15’. We saw no birds, sharks, rays but some bait. We put out a chum block of Menhaden for 4 hours and all we saw where a couple of gulls picking pieces of the water
> Next day we went off the beach, found bait with Jacks in it. My friend caught a monster Jack Crevalle on a spinning rod and then I caught one on fly
> My friend is going to Puerto Rico in December and hooking up with a guide to fly fish for tarpon. If he does well I may go in January
> Oh Jack Crevalle are a beast on any tackle and they basically saved our trip. We came home a day early cause of a big storm that was coming


I would say that you’re one trip/one guide closer to success. Fortunately, you seem to be pretty mellow about it. Your patience and perseverance WILL be rewarded!


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

SS06 said:


> I love those big Jack's on fly...they will test some tackle and knots for sure


I had my Tarpon rod in the boat so my knots held. Glad I had 60 lb. Bite on
That Jack was a fish of a lifetime. Great practice for tarpon. I had 20 lb. Tippet on and was amazed how much pressure I put on him


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Where have you tarpon fished and haven't had a fish to cast to?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

The keys, twice, flamingo, Tampa, South Carolina, Carrabelle


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Go on that trip to Puerto Rico or head to Mexico. You've just been dealt a bad hand.


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## Flyguy33 (Oct 31, 2021)

You might also try a dock light trip if you haven’t considered it. Tarpon, at least my experience, also tend to bite a little better at night plus you aren’t dealing with the heat all day.


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## Kirc (Jan 18, 2020)

permitchaser said:


> The keys, twice, flamingo, Tampa, South Carolina, Carrabelle


_The keys, twice, flamingo_, ..........................(what about here, in between?)........................_Tampa_

Upper 10k, Early Spring / Spring I just couldnt imagine not getting a shot at least one time, maybe an area to look in to?

...and yes, you will find fish inside / outside, skinny water/ deep water and also dependent upon time of year, 4-5 miles out.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

Flyguy33 said:


> You might also try a dock light trip if you haven’t considered it. Tarpon, at least my experience, also tend to bite a little better at night plus you aren’t dealing with the heat all day.


Try the docks at Bud and Mary’s with a bread fly!😉


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## skinny_fishing (Aug 30, 2021)

Wow I don't feel so bad now after getting one hook up (spinning) on our last trip to the Keys for Tarpon. I thought it was a complete failure. It seems Tarpon are really hard to catch at times, but then other people seem to have an easy go of it. Luck of the draw I guess.

Congrats on the Jack tho that must have been fun, I need to get a fly rod.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

I don't know where your picture is from (location) but by FL standards you are way too far out.

Here the tarpon cruise 100-150 yards off the beach in 7-9 foot of water.

Maybe you need to change your profile name to Tarponchaser.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

DuckNut said:


> I don't know where your picture is from (location) but by FL standards you are way too far out.
> 
> Here the tarpon cruise 100-150 yards off the beach in 7-9 foot of water.
> 
> Maybe you need to change your profile name to Tarponchaser.


I would concur with this unless your fishing bait pods out deep. 

Look for pinch points and edges near major passes as a place to start.


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## messin.with.sasquatch (Aug 10, 2021)

permitchaser said:


> So many on here know I’ve been with seven fly guides and haven’t cast to a fish. I’ve also taken my boat now 3 times and know luck. My fishing partner and I planed a trip in July during the dark moon and just before the trip I contacted Covid then 3 days later my buddy in another state came down with it. That’s 10 days of quarantine so we had to reschedule. Last week we experienced dingy water, no tides ( high tide was .86) and coming out of a full moon.
> First day we went to a spot and anchored on a very large white spot in 3-4’ of water and we where on the edge in 10-15’. We saw no birds, sharks, rays but some bait. We put out a chum block of Menhaden for 4 hours and all we saw where a couple of gulls picking pieces of the water
> Next day we went off the beach, found bait with Jacks in it. My friend caught a monster Jack Crevalle on a spinning rod and then I caught one on fly
> My friend is going to Puerto Rico in December and hooking up with a guide to fly fish for tarpon. If he does well I may go in January
> Oh Jack Crevalle are a beast on any tackle and they basically saved our trip. We came home a day early cause of a big storm that was coming


Where are you fishing out of?


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

. Thanks for everyone’s help. I know how to find and fish for tarpon. I had good intelligence for this trip. Before a trip I look at charts and maps to see where points, drop offs, sand bars and beach depth. Yes we where off the beach about 4-5 miles but that was because off the Jacks. That morning we hung around the beach to see if we’d see any rollers it was too dirty to see in the water. We also didn’t see any laid up fish
Thanks again all information is appreciated


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

I always had good luck finding them. Making a good cast and getting a eat is where my problems start. Still haven’t broke into triple digits😩


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## Joe52 (10 mo ago)

Oh man the fishing luck is fickle. Good luck on your next trip. Hope the trips are fun beyond the fishing


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

jonny said:


> I always had good luck finding them. Making a good cast and getting a eat is where my problems start. Still haven’t broke into triple digits😩


The big boys are overrated?


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

The Fin said:


> The big boys are overrated?


I really want to find out for myself. Look at this beast my neighbor got solo in his Jon boat 😮


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

jonny said:


> I really want to find out for myself. Look at this beast my neighbor got solo in his Jon boat 😮
> View attachment 215137


That doesn’t look like a real fish and you can’t take them out of the water here


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Kirc said:


> _The keys, twice, flamingo_, ..........................(what about here, in between?)........................_Tampa_
> 
> Upper 10k, Early Spring / Spring I just couldnt imagine not getting a shot at least one time, maybe an area to look in to?


So where is 10k near. I’ll look it up


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I looked up 10k and it’s almost to Miami that’s a poke for me. I have a friend that goes to Chockoloksi or whatever and goes in like March or April. I may go with that group


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Flyguy33 said:


> You might also try a dock light trip if you haven’t considered it. Tarpon, at least my experience, also tend to bite a little better at night plus you aren’t dealing with the heat all day.


Just the no see ums.

shouldn’t be hard to find tarpon during the day in the keys. Getting g them to eat is another story!


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

permitchaser said:


> That doesn’t look like a real fish and you can’t take them out of the water here


Oh it’s real my friend 76x37 155ish and he landed on the edge of a mud flat. Fish never left the water 19 minute fight from hook up fish swam away healthy and revived


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## Dom Guarino (Jan 24, 2020)

permitchaser said:


> So many on here know I’ve been with seven fly guides and haven’t cast to a fish. I’ve also taken my boat now 3 times and know luck. My fishing partner and I planed a trip in July during the dark moon and just before the trip I contacted Covid then 3 days later my buddy in another state came down with it. That’s 10 days of quarantine so we had to reschedule. Last week we experienced dingy water, no tides ( high tide was .86) and coming out of a full moon.
> First day we went to a spot and anchored on a very large white spot in 3-4’ of water and we where on the edge in 10-15’. We saw no birds, sharks, rays but some bait. We put out a chum block of Menhaden for 4 hours and all we saw where a couple of gulls picking pieces of the water
> Next day we went off the beach, found bait with Jacks in it. My friend caught a monster Jack Crevalle on a spinning rod and then I caught one on fly
> My friend is going to Puerto Rico in December and hooking up with a guide to fly fish for tarpon. If he does well I may go in January
> Oh Jack Crevalle are a beast on any tackle and they basically saved our trip. We came home a day early cause of a big storm that was coming


A good guide should at least put you in front of castable fish. The hard part is getting a take and then landing the fish. Suggest you find a better guide at the right time of the year. Otherwise, consider night fishing for tarpon. Its an easier game.


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## Kirc (Jan 18, 2020)

permitchaser said:


> So where is 10k near. I’ll look it up


 Upper 10,000 Islands. I would consider from around Chatam River / Pavillion Key area up to Marco Island


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Kirc said:


> Upper 10,000 Islands. I would consider from around Chatam River / Pavillion Key area up to Marco Island


I found Marco Island and a bunch of keys but not the ones you mentioned 
I bought my boat from a widow in Naples and that was 9 hours from my house. So I’m sure my boat has been to those places but not with me on it


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

OP book a trip with Capt. Bob LeMay if you have not fished with him. Flamingo, Chokoloskee or Biscane Bay.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

finbully said:


> OP book a trip with Capt. Bob LeMay if you have not fished with him. Flamingo, Chokoloskee or Biscane Bay.


I fished with him


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Choko in March/April can be great. This is one of two I got one day. Didn’t measure but guessing 130+ Those fish are a lot more likely to eat then Oceanside keys fish during the regular season. 

I’d speak to Capt Russell K. out of MiamI/Keys if you haven’t already. He catches a lot of fish on fly and spinning. Also, have you tried any night time fly fishing? Can be very effective when the shrimp are running.


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## Smurfy (Dec 28, 2021)

Jacks will save a fishing trip if poons and others are being stubborn. I caught a 48" jack from tip to fork that saved a tarpon trip once.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Str8-Six said:


> View attachment 215313
> 
> Choko in March/April can be great. This is one of two I got one day. Didn’t measure but guessing 130+ Those fish are a lot more likely to eat then Oceanside keys fish during the regular season.
> 
> I’d speak to Capt Russell K. out of MiamI/Keys if you haven’t already. He catches a lot of fish on fly and spinning. Also, have you tried any night time fly fishing? Can be very effective when the shrimp are running.


Thank you. That’s a massive Tarpon. One day I’ll catch one


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Smurfy said:


> Jacks will save a fishing trip if poons and others are being stubborn. I caught a 48" jack from tip to fork that saved a tarpon trip once.


Yes that Jack was the largest I’ve caught on fly and saved our trip.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

permitchaser said:


> Chockoloksi


Of living (dreaming) in Florida I'd rather live in Chokoloskee than the keys.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

mro said:


> Of living (dreaming) in Florida I'd rather live in Chokoloskee than the keys.


Me too but the wife has different plans


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

I fished tarpon 50+ days this year. I didn't see anyfish 3 of those days. Those 3 days were bad conditions, I didn't see any other skiffs on the water. Although oceanside keys tarpon are some of the toughest to get to eat the fly I enjoy the challenge. I also like being able to see the fish coming. Panhandle is my second favorite to the keys, fish tougher to see but they eat more readily.
In general I mostly fish with friends, but every guide I have been out with has put me on fish. Both in panhandle and keys.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

permitchaser said:


> the wife has different plans


They are first on any list.


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## Kirc (Jan 18, 2020)

permitchaser said:


> I found Marco Island and a bunch of keys but not the ones you mentioned
> I bought my boat from a widow in Naples and that was 9 hours from my house. So I’m sure my boat has been to those places but not with me on it


look at a marine chart and they will be named,

come out of Everglades City - Indian Key Pass and head southeast to your first first large island off the shoreline, thats Pavillion Key. Just a little further you will see Chatam River where it empties into the Gulf,...some may argue Lostmans River up is considered upper 10,00 Islands. Regardless, its a completely different world than the areas you fished below here, Flamingo & Florida Bay.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Kirc said:


> Regardless, its a completely different world than the areas you fished below here


A little more Jurassic


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Funny thing.. I fish both areas, Flamingo and Chokoloskee (and enjoy them both) but I can always find tarpon on the Flamingo side of things a heck of a lot easier than I can out of Chokoloskee.... There are just as many fish in each place but the tarpon are one heck of a lot easier to find and get on top of out of Flamingo - year round for me... Over on the Chokoloskee side they're just not nearly as obvious - but maybe that's just me.. 

For anyone wanting to tangle with that first tarpon on fly you might also want to consider a night trip to Biscayne Bay when the shrimp are moving (two times for shrimp runs in winter it gets started in January (mostly) then lasts all the way through April... A secondary run happens, starting in June and lasting until mid-July... There are occasional flurries later in summer and again in early fall but the most reliable shrimp movements are the two times I've mentioned.. When the shrimp are moving (riding a falling tide out to the ocean..) small to medium sized fish, mostly 20 to 40lbs and occasionally bigger, line up in the shadows under one bridge or another and feed as long as the tide is moving... Perfect fish for a first timer - we generally use an 8 or 9wt and the fish are right at the surface for good sight-fishing shots at fairly close quarters... Over the years a lot of fly anglers have gotten their first tarpon on fly with me at night...


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Kirc said:


> look at a marine chart and they will be named,
> 
> come out of Everglades City - Indian Key Pass and head southeast to your first first large island off the shoreline, thats Pavillion Key. Just a little further you will see Chatam River where it empties into the Gulf,...some may argue Lostmans River up is considered upper 10,00 Islands. Regardless, its a completely different world than the areas you fished below here, Flamingo & Florida Bay.


Thanks


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## OrFish (5 mo ago)

That Jack photo is brilliant. Sounds like you persevere, and that's usually rewarded eventually


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## mightyrime (Jul 18, 2016)

west coast puerto rico and fish with poche rosario. There are many many tarpon there willing to eat flies.

I have had great luck in the everglades as well with a guide.

i tried the keys twice and it was an epic fail. On the last trip i did i never even made a cast.... done with that place


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I looked up poche rosario fly fishing Puerto rico and couldn't find him


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

permitchaser said:


> I looked up poche rosario fly fishing Puerto rico and couldn't find him


C’mon maaaan!



Capt. Francisco "Pochy" Rosario - Google Search


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Nice Jack @permitchaser but Ike Turner called and wants back his sunglasses.


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## Featherbrain (Nov 5, 2021)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Nice Jack @permitchaser but Ike Turner called and wants back his sunglasses.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

I'm 1-7 on tarpon in 3 separate trips including my last trip which was 3 days in late May this year of dedicated oceanside tarpon fishing in the middle keys. Saw plenty of fish but there is definitely a learning curve to feeding those fish. Starts with a really good cast and from what I can tell, a pocket full of luck until you learn enough about them to use hard earned skill. Tarpon have been a very frustrating fish for me.


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