# Homosassa Tarpon



## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

Any reports of them showing up yet? If so what kind of numbers and size? Live bait or fly rod? There is alot of history in the nature coast/Homosassa area of big tarpon taken on light fly line. I've heard some local bar stories and have always been interested to learn more about the past history of this area and the fishery.


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## redjim (Oct 16, 2012)

Making Moves, some fish are moving in. I have a friend that was on them last WED and TH. He said he jumped 6, got 1 to the boat 70 to 90, all on fly.


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## Snookdaddy (Jan 5, 2008)

> I'm headed to Homosassa this  Memorial weekend to see if I can catch a tarpon.
> 
> Currently have open spots Saturday through Tuesday. Veterans to the front of the line.
> 
> Leaving McCrae's at 05:30 sunrise.


Awful nice gesture on your part.. I'll be chasing them down in Little Gasparilla this weekend, but would like to fish Homosassa with you sometime.

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend and good luck!


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Mike let me know if nobody takes you up on it. I might be able to fish one of the days.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Got a late start this morning, launched at 1pm, had lunch and was so amazed to see what people do at the Shed I just sat there and drank.



Dancing with grandmother?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Saw one group of six 100+ pound fish roll on their way south at OK flats around noon today and that was it for my boat. Veteran Homosassa tarpon fisherman on another boat had a take without hooking up  a little earlier. They had some more shots but no eats. My favorite guide to F with stayed home. Overall it was a very slow day for tarpon, but its always great to get out on the water of the nature coast.

I did see the most sharks that I've ever seen in this area. Some of them could bite your leg off.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Another tough day tarpon fishing. Did not see one tarpon. Turtles,sharks, rays and mullet. Plus a few other boats. Guide grapevine said three fish were caught at the first place I stopped this morning and moved on.

Reminds me of an old song that came out when I was in Jr High School

http://youtu.be/HT4RainY-lY


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## Ckirk57 (Sep 27, 2009)

I live in the Ozello area and everything I've heard points to only resident fish being caught right now. The migrating fish have not shown up.


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

Not sure about those WC poons but the fish here in S Florida are swimming and chewing Mike. Even with all pressure and traffic. The days bring more shots than you can count!


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Gave it another go today and had one shot at a pair of resident fish slinking by and they gave my new mega opsicle fly about the same attention a ray does to a topwater plug.

I agree the migrating fish have not shown up. However there was a report of one school with a fish that wanted to eat, but the client decided to snatch the fly away on the take and save herself a workout. Nice folks from Oregon

There is no doubt that the Keys has better tarpon fishing, but for a guy like me that wants to get away from the masses after spending two weeks in Houston, Homosassa is just the ticket.

Along that line when I learned that scallop season opens on the next weekend I had hotel reservations I cancelled immediately. (I hear lobster season in the Keys is a zoo.)


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Mike, thanks again for the trip. It was nice to get out of my normal routine and explore some new water. Although the fish didn't cooperate I had a good time. Idling through that area and seeing all of the exposed rock is enough to keep me on the east side of the state. Had I been driving I would have ended up in a rock before we ever got on plane.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I am headed down to Homssasa in late June hope the poons will have shown up by then


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I guess I'm a sucker for punishment and went back this morning. Saw one fish roll early and then nothing until around 11:30 when I had a head on shot at a really nice fish. Things didn't work out and I'm still thinking of things I could have done differently to get that old girl to eat.

Considering she turned off the fly when she saw the boat the most important thing would have been to cast quicker and longer to maximize the space to work the fly. But I first saw her at about 30' coming head on and the boat was being pushed by a tail wind, that left me with about 5' of working space.

If someone else had been with me, maybe we would have seen her earlier.

Damn it! I'll get her next time. June 15.


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## Jeremy_James (Feb 27, 2013)

> I guess I'm a sucker for punishment and went back this morning. Saw one fish roll early and then nothing until around 11:30 when I had a head on shot at a really nice fish. Things didn't work out and I'm still thinking of things I could have done differently to get that old girl to eat.
> 
> Considering she turned off the fly when she saw the boat the most important thing would have been to cast quicker and longer to maximize the space to work the fly. But I first saw her at about 30' coming head on and the boat was being pushed by a tail wind, that left me with about 5' of working space.
> 
> ...



The beauty of Tarpon fishing.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

The quest continued yesterday. Lots of action early, not much after 9, nothing after 12.

Had a few shots, 1 eat, 0 jumps, 0 landed.

Next game today.


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## messier69 (Nov 9, 2009)

Fluff Chuckers: Keep in mind the bite is early with the early morning tides. Smaller Flies are working best and bright flies working during the PM hours.

Lots of fish but lots of sharks.

Landed a 120lb fish today, but saw many good schools of fish.

FYI: 8 lb tippet World Record was smashed on Tuesday. Waiting for confirmation from IGFA but if it stands the new record would be set at 147lbs!!!

WWW.FLORIDAFISHINGADVENTURES.COM


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## jon_jorstad (Jun 19, 2014)

Making me homesick! I grew up in Crystal River, Worked a couple years at K.C Crump on Woodies Dockside. Have they done anything with that place lately?
Last trip down hooked into some nice reds and trout with Capt. Glen.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

> Lots of fish but lots of sharks.
> 
> Landed a 120lb fish today, but saw many good schools of fish.


I saw two fish roll all morning yesterday and never made a cast. West wind sucked.

Headed in early to dodge that big thunderstorm towards the north. 

Had a BIG lunch at The Freezer. Crawfish, shrimp, snow crab, and beer of course.


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## trekker (Sep 19, 2015)

makin moves said:


> Any reports of them showing up yet? If so what kind of numbers and size? Live bait or fly rod? There is alot of history in the nature coast/Homosassa area of big tarpon taken on light fly line. I've heard some local bar stories and have always been interested to learn more about the past history of this area and the fishery.


Monte Burke's new book has a bunch of crazy stories about Homosassa Tarpon.


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