Its summer here is southwest Florida. It's time for some of the best fishing of the year. Year round the fishing is great. But summer brings "tarpon season". Last year I became addicted. If you've never hunted tarpon you may not understand.
Last year I caught my first tarpon. I have had tarpon on the line before but never successfully battled one to the boat. My first tarpon was over 100 lbs. That's when the obsession began in earnest.
I spend many mornings in my quest. I search the waters for rolling tarpon, hoping to place a lure or bait in front of the pod. Most days the tarpon beat me. They find my weakness and exploit it.
I use braid with a fluorocarbon leader. Early this season I lost tarpon as the braid cut through the leader during long runs. My support group at Fishin Franks in Charlotte Harbor suggested that I double the braid. So I've made the modification and double the last 3 feet of my braid using a spider knot. Then connect the fluorocarbon to the doubled braid using a uni to uni knot.
Then I started losing tarpon on the jumps. I'd been tying my hooks and lures using a uni-knot. After a series of radical jumps I'd find that my line came back without a hook or lure, just a little pig-tail. My knot had unraveled. I'm now using a palomar knot for my hooks.
This season the only tarpon I've gotten to the boat is a little 80 pounder. But the season is not over.
Tarpon migrate just off the beaches here in Venice during the early summer. They are found in Boca Grande pass in huge numbers. Charlotte Harbor and the rivers feeding it will hold some tarpon year round.
If you fish and want the experience of a life time, you must come here and try this amazing fishery. Call an area guide that specializes in Tarpon you'll avoid the learning curve I'm going through.
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