# Biscayne night tarpon



## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

you have my phone number right?


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

yup, another case where a fly is just the best presentation to get that strike. Of course the ensuing battle in and around all that structure with the long rod and a pile of line at your feet is another matter.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I didn't even get to that "pile of line" with fish less than 30' away, and next to dock pilings.... Didn't take long for me to be rigging a new fly. For some reason fish in docklights seem to be less boat sensitive for me if I sneak up from the side, particularly when there's an outlying piling to hold onto while picking one to cast at. I use my pushpole even in 10' of water at night to slip up on them. These were the same fish that had totally frustrated my anglers an hour before. 

Not much of a fishing report when the fish are giving the lessons....


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## MATT (Apr 30, 2007)

Bob stay away from my pet fishes....



they are mine all mine


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

I was out on Sunday night.
I have never seen so many Tarpon in dock lights.
Some of these docks had around 8 big tarpon on them.
We tried gulp, and some live pilchards.
I didn't even bother my fly rod cause it's only an 8wt and these were some BIG boys.

I ended up losing the biggest tarpon I have ever had on my line after the second jump.
My 20lb PP didn't stand a chance.


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Wow, thanks for sharing that bit of knowledge. You are always taught to not bring a spinning rod with you if you want to improve your fly fishing. Or some fly fisherman believe you should always keep a spinning rod in the boat when the conditions for fly fishing are not good. You almost never hear someone say keep the fly rods around for when they just won't take traditional lures or bait.


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## capt_gordon (Sep 10, 2007)

The dead drift you can get with a fly rod is superior to anything you can do with a spinning rod in this situation. it's not just the fly but the presentation. Nice write up Bob.


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## adc77 (Jul 23, 2009)

wow dock light tarpon. i bet that is insane! i have never seen them in the lights up here in Clearwater. is that a east coast thing or am i just not on the right lights?


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

There's probably lots of docklight tarpon south of you along the Gulf coast.. I'd check with local fly shops. Most of the night tarpon that I work are actually under bridges in the shadows. They're much, much easier to approach and feed in the shadows. Fish in docklights are very careful what they eat in my experience. As a matter of fact I expect a bite within those first two or three casts. More than that and you're just practicing. I try to stay as far away from a docklight as possible in my area. That's the only way to get the bite. Under bridges we get bites almost right at the boat some nights.

By the way, tarpon around a docklight in my area frequently don't show very often - maybe every three to five minutes. They seem to cruise around, behind, and everywhere but the actual lit area... Then like magic there he is and if you're ready you'll get a shot.


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## adc77 (Jul 23, 2009)

ive herd of them working the gandy bridge at night up here but i think there all monsters. im lookin for some babies to jump with my 9 weight. i think ill have to go visit some family in naples as soon as my boats done! thanks for the tips


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## natasha1 (Jul 27, 2009)

Clear sinking line, 3ft floro, and a white clouser with black bead chain eyes and you will out fish conventional tackle 5 to 1 on the lights here in TX.

Great report on the tarpon.


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