Tarpon time but Snook are biting!
Capt. Jim Hobales
April 16, 2016
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
I am down at Flamingo today with Zac, he is a guide on Lake Lanier. Zac wanted a Tarpon so we went tarpon fishing. We got on them really good he had one hit a Rapalaon one of his first cast., but kind of surprised by the hit. We cast at rolling Tarpon all morning and really never got a strike. The Trout, Jacks and Ladyfish busted up his lure and even lost a couple lures to Sharks. Zac only had a short day to fish so I didn't want him to leave with out seeing different parts of the park. I took him down a shore line and got a Snook and had a big Redfish tailing on the bank. He never got a clean shot at it because the Red was cruising in and out of some dead trees. It was getting late and I wanted him to get a little bit of Snook action so we hit one last spot. The tide was really running and we were casting at an edge and they were there. He got blasted a couple time and the Snook above was the results. He was throwing a Rapala "Twitch n Rap" and it was getting hit on every cast. Zac had a couple more blow ups and caught a couple 5 lb. Jacks to end the day on.
I am fishing with Roy and Ross today down at Flamingo. The wind was forecast to blow @ 20 mph today and we are fly fishing! The day started out with a double Ross had a Snook and Roy hooked a big Trout, this was Ross's first Snook. They kept casting but the wind was getting tough so I moved to a protected shoreline. We had a few hits and misses and Roy found a nice little Snook. The idea was Tarpon for the day so we moved on and looked for them. Spot after spot had wind blowing thru and the Tarpon weren't rolling. I gave them a choice east or west and gave them the scenarios, they chose east. I tried to put them on shorelines with the wind at their backs but it always seemed to come over their shoulder. Ross finally decided to fish a spinning rod and Roy kept up with the fly. We hit a bunch of fall downs and finally got a few more Snook while looking or Tarpon. We eventually got on the Tarpon rolling around us and once in a while blowing up on the surface. Ross kept throwing his Rapala and got blasted by a 90 lb. Tarpon which jumped 6 feet in the air. After a brief fight the Tarpon thru the lure. Roy had fish in front of him but never really got a great shot . I was throwing a bait that looks like a Ladyfish trying to figure out if the would eat anything else. It worked I had a Tarpon come up behind it and I had Roy throw his fly in there, it's funny it always works on T.V.. We stayed on them fish all day as did my friend across the way from us but they didn't turn on. We made our way back and hit a few more spots but no luck. I can tell you Roy wore himself out casting into the wind all day, I know he slept good.
I Fished whitewater Bay with Bob Wegner today, his fishing buddy Charlie's alarm didn't go off. we started out with some really nice Trout that were sitting in a Snook spot. We caught some finger mullet and went looking for some big girls. We got out into the Gulf of Mexico and fished some points on a falling tide. It didn't take long and they were cashing our mullet and doubling over rods. Bob caught several upper slot Snook and a big Jack. The bite slowed so we moved on but the winds changed and the day got weird. We had fish eat our baits and not run then the bait were completely scaled. I will always think that's a Snook or Tarpon. the mullet schools were getting destroyed but never saw what it was, so I'm guessing Sharks. The rest of my game plan was changed because of the winds picking up. We caught a few more good fish and called it a day. Bob had enough pictures that Charlie will never over sleep again.
The bite is pretty good right now and should only get better thru the next few months. The wind will hopefully start laying down soon although the Snook have been feeding off the points in the back country because of the wind. The Tarpon are here, the Snook are biting and I really haven't even Red fished lately so that tells you how good its been. If you like casting and hooking fish that make your reels sing give me a call at 305 333 8149
Captain Jimbo
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