I’ve heard they’re hear, from this forum and on the docks. Don’t have a 12wt just a 9wt. Does anyone know if we have baby tarpon this far north? If so where would be some good areas to look for them?
no baby tarpon to speak of… other than a few ponds that shall not be mentioned…
Targeting tarpon in SC on the fly doesn’t really happen. Nobody I’ve ever heard of has pulled it off. the only way you could do it would to be to get lucky and see some working bait and cast into it… Or chum the hell out of the water and wait for them to get behind the boat and blind cast into your chum slick
If you want a poon on the fly… head to florida…
Mad Mike
"to hell with insane… I’m OUTsane!!! "
x2…on flyfishing Florida.
“The good fisherman is surprised when he doesn’t catch fish: I am just the other way around.”
Gene Hill, Passing a Good Time.
Wait till September-October. During the mullet run last year you could of easily put a mullet pattern on and got hooked up. There where a few days last year during the summer were tarpon were easily visible and feeding. Just look for large bait balls of menhaden. Until then what Mike said is correct.
It can and has been done, its just a matter of finding the proper targets. There are shots at slow moving visible fish sometimes. I can’t tell yall how many times I have had fish sliding in and out of sandbars like floating black logs with no 12 on board. Also have had some days where fish are on the surface gulping glass minnows. The voracious feeding activity is great for baitfishin, but a fly gets lost really quickly in a sea of mullet or mannies. There is a way to do it (sightfishing, not chumming) have to put the time in and have patience for the right high percentage shots.
great day, that’s years of wisdom in that CH post. thankya
couldn’t agree more with CH, i wasted a lot of great shots at fish last year by being stubborn and throwing a mullet or haden pattern at busting fish when i should have had a spinning rod with a live bait in my hand. Our brothers to the north in Gtown seem to be ahead of the curve on the sight casting game, so im definitely gonna put time in with them up there this summer.
Guys are catching tarpon on fly near Hilton Head though you won’t hear about it and I am not talking about baby tarpon in saltwater lagoons.
Several dozen were taken on the fly last year off Cumberland. I jumped one. We were casting at tarpon busting the menhaden schools moving north along the beach which is how most of the tarpon were hooked. I looked up and 2 high riders were coming about 30 yards off the beach. Gravy shot, 3 jumps and spit the bit.
Another thing to check out. Tarpon lay up at the river mouths in the ocean during the slack tide. They sit not moving with their tails in the air. You put a fly in front of them and they will take them readily.
You just have to be ready and make the most of an opportunity when it happens.
quote:thats the deal, you have to capitalize on the high percentage shots when you are given them.
Originally posted by grapexAnother thing to check out. Tarpon lay up at the river mouths in the ocean during the slack tide. They sit not moving with their tails in the air. You put a fly in front of them and they will take them readily.
You just have to be ready and make the most of an opportunity when it happens.
The chum/driftback is kinda neat, but not really flyfishing IMO. I used to fish w fuzzy some when I was younger and tried it once. I would rather just baitfish than all that. Lots of the days with him in GA and PRS we had fish on the surface on the channel ledge, fed several of em gummy minnow type imitations. One of the guys to check out in GA for throwing the fly to poons is Scott Wagner. The mid/south ga coast has so many more fish than we get here in chas county. We will be devoting more time to getting one on fly here in chas this year. Always been extremely half ass about it.
I used to guide from the same dock as Fuzzy and he caught a lot of tarpon back then. I still call him for advice because he has lowcountry fishing dialed.
(**()!! Best CF thread ever!!
My unsolicited thoughts:
- Find fish
- Dont spook them.
- Be rigged and prepared to use best technique for situation, whether its frisky mullet under cork on tld over shallow high energy area, flutterbied ladyfish pinned to bottom on mag. spin for lazier fish in less current, plug on lighter spin rig when distance and speed are critical, or 12wt for highhappy fish in calm conditions. Have all options ready, try and capitalize on every encounter, the fly shots come (esp.when 12 is at home).
Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com
Can’t we just get a Tarpon Forum on this site??
quote:
Originally posted by Capt. Newman(**()!! Best CF thread ever!!
, the fly shots come (esp.when 12 is at home).
Newman
www.gtownkingfisher.com
know that… its a helpless feeling when all you have is a weight six!
i got one on the fly here in some unmentionable ponds
Eat-Sleep-Fish
So you’re saying there’s a chance. WOW thanks for all the advice! I’ve heard about the ponds before. Was just curious if small ones were anywhere else. Thanks for the helps guys.
we caught some 10 weight sized fish last year, but there’s no way to know which is going to eat, the 180lb mamou or one of several 50lb bachelors following her .
quote:
Originally posted by CH Allenwe caught some 10 weight sized fish last year, but there’s no way to know which is going to eat, the 180lb mamou or one of several 50lb bachelors following her .
I would possibly give a left testie to cathc a 50lb tarpon OTF. I may have to travel to Fl so I can keep both testies intact.
BTW Great Post/Topic!!!
I better take my 12 weight out of the boat. It must have warded off all tarpons in my vicinty. Fished too hard this weekend for naught.