tarpon and jacks

[Stephen Hull]

Matt/Steve P

Courland River is flowing a little, but most of the action at Plymouth continues to be around the jetty. Had another couple of tarpon runs at Plymouth this morning but didn't manage to hook up either. A fair number of tarpon were around, munching on a dense shoal of friars. The tarpon seem to drive the friars inshore at about 5:15am every morning, just as the skies start to lighten.

The tarpon are also still thick down at Sandy Point. Even Mike & Richard have resorted to livebaiting (!) and have hooked a tarpon and a big snook in the last couple of days, but both fish got off. I think pretty much any livebait will work - they were using small grunts caught on bits of fish. I have had takes on sprats, herrings, jacks, baby catfish and various other unidentified fish. When the shoals of friars are dense, I think it's a case of 'the bigger the bait the better' both in terms of visibility and movement - something of 2-3oz (now what would that be in grams?) or bigger possibly ideal.

Steve

[David Watkins]

Steve W,isn't it time there was a "fishing and wishing" section of it's own?
I couldn't tell a tarpon from a jack or anything else(are they edible?)
David

[Steve Wooler]

Hi David

You may have a point there. Certainly something I'll bear in mind.

[Brian Taylor]

good point, david. I did not want to bring it up, since part of our business is just that, but me (STEPH) mostly eats fish and that is that.... always thinking something is going on in th sighteseeing sections and then it is just fishes again meanwhile I already don't check when I see certain names coming up
david, maybe you should start to tell them how to cook them best

STEPH

[Steve Pitts]

Steve W,isn't it time there was a "fishing and wishing" section of it's own?
I couldn't tell a tarpon from a jack or anything else(are they edible?)
David

All part of our plans for World domination Mr Bond
(spoken with a heavy Eastern European accent)

[Brian Taylor]

no offense, but that approach to take over the world sounds more like a "pinky an the brain" idea
don't bother Mr. Bond with that (especially since noone knows what he lokks like right now, for me it is still roger moore or sean connery )

good appetite, good fishing and have fun taking over the planet
STEPHANIE

[Stephen Hull]

Steve P

Shhh...zey might break ze code. Let them keep thinking we're talking fishing.....

Steve H

[Steve Pitts]

good appetite, good fishing and have fun taking over the planet
STEPHANIE

Steph
We have had to scale back our plans for World domination (slight cash-flow problems).

We have now selected a small, but perfectly formed Island off the coast of Venezuela as our secret base.

Our spies have been making regular visits and one has taken up temporary residence, disguised as a tarpon and jack angler.

I hope his cover hasn't been blown.

Steve

PS I really should have a vacation

[Steve Wooler]

Steve

Don't mind me asking, but does your island need a nice website to promote tourism?

I might be persuaded - as long as I don't have to dress up as a fish.

[Steve Pitts]

Steve

Thanks for your kind offer - but it already has a website, hosted from our UK HQ in Long Melford - just across the green from the village hall.

We've recently had problems with vandals dumping empty Champagne bottles in the garden - but we know who the culprit is and we have sabotaged the brakes on their sports car.

If our current web-master decides to throw in the towel, I'll let you know, but I'm afraid you'll have a lot to live up to - even if you were to dress up as a fish.

Must dash - 'Q' wants me to drop her around Tesco's for some bread and milk.

With all these interruptions, this World domination business could take longer than originally planned.

This message will self-destruct in ten seconds

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Bug*er!
These Taiwanese timers are useless.

[Steve Wooler]

Alright. I know when I'm beaten. I shall now slink off and hide in the corner with my tail between my legs.

[Stephen Hull]

This is a coded message for all tarpon fishermen.

Tarpon: "Tarpon to jack, tarpon to jack, do you read me? Over"

Jack: "Roger, I have now established visual contact"

Tarpon: "I've got a crush on you"

Jack: "Not so tight, my eyes are popping out"

At this point the transmission was ended and the rest of the proceedings are covered by the Official Secrets Act.

Steve H

[David Watkins]

'n orl i aksed was em eatabl

[Steve Wooler]

David

We are very anxious to preseve standards on this site. Can I please ask you to run your posts through a spelling checker before posting them in future.

Any idiot surely knows that it is 'orle' not 'orl'.

[Matt Jenkins]

I hope all the spy work has been going well of late. I shall be out there on the flight on thursday and if i make good time i hope to join some of my fellow agents that evening but if there are any delays i'll RV early the next morning. Tight lines!

Matt

[Phil Dean]

hope you have a great flight tomorrow matt, i look forward to hearing your reports.

[Stephen Hull]

This is a belated report of my last month or so's fishing in Tobago.

Most of the tarpon moved away from Sandy Point in July, although a few hung around. A couple of trips with Matt Jenkins produced nothing better than a lizardfish. Some of the Sandy Point fish moved to Buccoo. I had one last trip with my son Chris and nephew Joe on Grand Slam 2 before we returned to UK. As we arrived at Buccoo around 3pm, there was a shoal of big tarpon charging bait close to the shore - a spectacular sight to see half a dozen large dorsal fins in formation cutting through the water. I was quickly into a big fish which once it realised it was hooked tore off about 150 yards and then alternated between leaping and running for around 10 minutes before it came off. Joe and Chris then both missed good runs before the shoal moved off. We then spent a frustrating three hours trying to find some feeding fish - the tarpon seemed very spread out and while we had one or two half takes (possibly barracuda or jacks) we didn't see any more action.

I also had one last trip with Rusty at Castara for some kingfish. I took a novice friend along who caught five kingfish and a rainbow runner before losing the killer lure (Rapala floating magnum silver mackerel 5.5inches)to another large kingfish. I fished redheads and other coloured magnums and caught nothing!

Steve H

[Steve Pitts]

A couple of trips with Matt Jenkins produced nothing better than a lizardfish.

I was wonderng why we hadn't heard anything from Matt, since his return.
Matt - if you're still out there - how about a few lines by way of info exchange.

A good end session with Kevin/ kester considering the movements of the tarpon. A long-lasting memory for sure for both you and young Chris.

You are now both imortalised in the Caribbean film (with a couple of good Tarps) and when I get around to putting some voice-overs in that section, I'll send you a copy.

Cheers
Steve

PS - looks like Kester's got a new fly rod !
see here http://www.trinidadtarponbash.com/index.jsp
Top marks for Grand Slam II

[Matt Jenkins]

Hi steve (and others!)

Sorry about the late report but i had resits of exams and have just returned to uni to a busy term!

Hmm not 100% sure where to start. I met steve H on the first day there at plymouth jetty and the water was thick with fry, with tarpon boiling everywhere. We tried both baits and lures with no result. There were just too many bait fish there for them to show any interest in our offerings!

Over the next few days i tried at black rock headland on both sides with just a couple of very small jacks to show for lots of effort. The ground off the right hand side of this rock hold some fish but is very rough and i lost lots of tackle. There are some very big mullet literally metres off the relic reef at black rock but again i had no luck.

Steve H and i tried buccoo but there was no bait activity and no birds in sight and we blanked on all lures. We tried sandy point after stopping to get some live baits and saw a few tarpon close in but had no luck apart from steve's magnificent lizard fish

I had a boat trip out with stumpy but just caught a few tuna and kingfish...nothing of any great side. It did give me an idea though...
We were heading out of plymouth with muppets on handlines and my brother had atake so big he very nearly went in headfirst! All we could assume was that it was a big kingfish first thing in the morning...So i was wondering if anyone had tried trolling a chug bug slowly? It would create huge disturbance and i'm sure it would be hit.

I tried a few times in my last week early morning and evening but had no obig fish to note at all....my poor record was mirrored by steve in those 2 weeks.

What's so frustrating is being able to see the huge tarpon and not even having a take! I can thoroughly recommend the shimano exage specimen 3lb rod i took as at 12' 6" it gives you a big more length to play with when casting a float or dead bait. I can't think of anything else right now (brain isn't working that well just now) but if anyone has any questions i'll do my best to answer them now i have internet again!

Matt

[Stephen Hull]

Steve P

177lb tarpon from Trinidad - what have we been playing at all this time! Kevin was telling me about the competition before we left - sounds like they had a ball.

Steve H