# St. Andrews Sound Tarpon success



## TenPtr (Aug 30, 2010)

I was able to make it down to my place this weekend and had high hopes for tarpon Friday morning.  I got hooked on tarpon fishing 3 summers ago and its been a humbling journey  ever since.  I get 2 or 3 weekends each summer where my buddies can come down to Dover Bluff with me and do some tarpon/inshore fishing.  
  I had 5 of my fishing buddies out there along with 3 gals so the pressure was on to catch fish.  We had a set plan to go out Friday morning because the forecast was calling for  east winds to increase all weekend so we might just get 1 shot.  I filled up a bucket worth of pogies Thursday night off one of our docks.  They were small for the most part but there were some decent ones mixed in....  It took well over 50 throws to get my bait but the last thing I wanted to do was head out in search of bait with 8 people on board, little time, and no depth finder to locate them with in case they werent on top.  
We headed out to the mouth of the Satilla and anchored up in the one and only place I have spent my short tarpon fishing career.  Its where I have hung all my fish and landed my 1 and only but a biggun it was....rookie luck.  I got my baits set out and begin sorting through bonnetheads and sharpnose....my two least favorite customers aside from the dreaded chinese founder (ray).   After 45 minutes of vibrating/bouncing rod tips and tiny sharks I finally looked up to see my freeline rod double over and drag start screaming...  I did exactly what I have been told to do with circle hooks on tarpon and the fish was hooked....I handed the rod off to a buddy and it was on.....for several minutes....jumping like crazy....then for some unknown reason I saw the line bow and my heart sank...The hook popped out and that was that.  We gave it another go but I had noticed a ton of birds over towards the north breakers between Jekyll and the hole.. ....didnt see any shrimp boats so they were certainly on bait...off we went.  We slipped in and immidiately saw fish rolling....I got positioned in front of the school and within no time we had a fish on the freeline.....20 minutes later....We were taking pictures...  It happened so fast and so textbook it was too good to be true. It was not a monster fish but what a show it put on.  My buddy got to fight his first tarpon and it was a huge success/relief all around.  It made my summer.  I dont know what it weighed and I really dont care....All I know is that its a well earned TARPON #2 that Im proud of! I get 2 or 3 go's at these fish each summer (past 3 summers since I started on my own)and thats it.   I have landed 1 fish (160 lbs!) and jumped/lost 16 others out there so #2 was a sight for sore eyes!  2-17 .....  and I couldnt be happier...  if that were trout or reds ..or any kind of fish other than a tarpon...Id have to find a new hobby! I owe Capt Richie Lott and Capt Tim Cheek a great deal of thanks for being so helpful and informative in their responses to all my questions and emails over the past few years...... I take yalls advice out on the boat and it always proves to be extremely helpful and spot on. I basically do whatever you guys say to do. 

-There were 3 boats around us out there Friday morning....could that have been any of you guys??  Looked like Guides to me.. They all closed in on where we were after seeing that tarpon jumping like crazy on the end of our line!


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## oldenred (Aug 30, 2010)

nice job


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## cut'm and gut'm (Aug 30, 2010)

got to love them tarpon


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## Gumbo1 (Aug 30, 2010)

Tarpon juice, love it.


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## Capt. Richie Lott (Aug 30, 2010)

YUMMY!!!! Poon Slime.... Always a good day when you have to throw your shirt in the trash after Tarpon fishing.... It won't need a hanger anymore if you keep it....! WTG man...


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## TenPtr (Aug 30, 2010)

They are awesome fish for sure.  I cant believe how many years I spent cussing them for spooling trout rigs and avoiding them pretty much all together.  I grew up under the impression that they were a nuisance ..... I didnt even think people wanted to catch the things.    Now all I want to do down there is tarpon fish from the time they show up until the last one leaves.....  It reminds me of turkey hunting in many ways....  You need plenty of time in order to be there for the right days when they cooperate and conditions are ideal.  You cant go a few times each season and expect big results.... its humbling and leaves you wanting more.


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## wharfrat (Aug 30, 2010)

great story, great fish. congrats.!! got some friends in n. florida that tarpon have ruined as well. seems like no matter the tackle them rascals can break your heart with one or two jumps and throw the hook. it's awesome when you get her boat side. well done!!


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## Capt. TJ Cheek (Sep 1, 2010)

Nice work, glad you got one man. I guess my prediction about the reds didn't hold up.


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## Altamaha Stalker (Sep 1, 2010)

Way to go! I want to catch me a 'poon one of these days!

Congrats on the catch!


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## GAGE (Sep 1, 2010)

Tarpon are awesome,  congrats to you and your buds.


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## Michael Lee (Sep 1, 2010)

Awesome bro!!  Wish I could have made it over with you.


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## TenPtr (Sep 2, 2010)

No luck with the bull reds but we really didnt give it much time.  Saturday morning we went out and fished the incoming for trout and reds........in all my years of fishing down there that was without a doubt the slowest morning I have ever experienced.  We fished nothing but artificials because I told my buddies they were just as good, if not better, than live bait......I dont know if they believe that anymore!   The water conditions were not bad at all but there just wasnt a bite... It sounds like this was the case for everyone that morning.  We took it to the hill at dead tide with nothing to show for.  Late that afternoon we bank fished way back up in a creek as the tide began to trickle in.  I had been telling my crew that we were going to wear out some reds regardless of what happened out in the boat that morning because I had a hole that was a sure thing....thankfully the local fish didnt make me look like a fool.  We wore out the small reds and black drum until we ran out of dead bait and a pack of Gulp shrimp.  The reds were all in the 12"-15" range....   This should be a great fall for the reds!


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## Gut_Pile (Sep 8, 2010)

Awesome stuff. Looks like ol Ben needs a new shirt. Congrats to all of yall.


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