Contributing Writer Capt. Alex Moran
SpiritFly Fishing Charters
I know, I know, we all want to know when the "Green Drake" hatch goes off in Billings MT every year but unfortunately for the trout bums that make their way down to Southwest Florida this time of year the only hatches you'll see on ACthe water are skiffs and tower-boats. Sprinkle in a little bit of mosquito love garnished with sweat and toil and you've got tarpon season!! For dessert we have less crowded roads and boat ramps since most of the snowbirds followed the easter bunny back home.
Now, my good friend Gina's birthday happens to be May 1st (happy birthday kiddo!) so that's the date I "officially" kick off my tarpon season but I'm usually seeing them all through April if the weather is right.
If you haven't found any yet, you're not looking hard enough. These damn things sneak up on you in three feet of water like a water ninja made out of dragon scales taken from "Falkor". I'll finish that story another day.
One narrative that will be written this month is that of the "5th Annual Tarpon Fly Fishing Invitational" (Hosted by the historic "Tarpon Lodge" May 17-19). Over twenty boats will be trying to knock off Captain Mike (The Hawaiian Lion... a nickname I just made up after cracking this delicious beer).
I've been fortunate enough to participate in the last four events and it has been a blast to fish with folks from all over the country. John Abitante (the event organizer) has done a killer job gaining traction to the tournament and, holy smokes... the amount of talent, both casting and drinking, after a day on the water is unmatched. It's a fantastic event so if you ever want to jump into the ridiculously dumb, but hilarious, fun fray of tournament fly fishing for tarpon, but can't get into the events further south in the "The Keys," this is one to get on the list for for sure.
As the kickoff draws near you'll be sure to see some goofy guys in skiffs all over Pine Island Sound sharing "dock talk" and a beer while hunting the poon. If you see Big John give him a wave!
As for the actual fishing part of this month's article (I do actually fish, I promise folks). After my last season's "personal success" (the fish I was able to cast at and leader) I've become a firm believer in having a slow intermediate tip fly line on the boat.
Most companies now make them with a clear tip that's usually 10-15ft long which can be extra beneficial in clear waters, as it essentially makes your leader 20+ feet #stealthmodeactivated.
Many times, if a string of tarpon is coming down a bank, the "lead fish" won't eat. I have my anglers cast over their backs to feed the fish following (which are generally smaller, more eager males) and have had good success. It's hard to pass up that big 120lb babe leading the pack but as they say "the tug is the drug". One benefit to the intermediate tip is that I can still use light flies that land softly while still getting down to the fish if they're swimming deep. The downside is that unless you're experienced in saltwater fly casting, it can be difficult to pick up long amounts of line off of the water, so weigh your options accordingly.
Ideally all the fish would swim nice and high with the sun behind you, closing slow at 11 o-clock for a righty or 1 o-clock for a lefty but the universe never seems to make that the case. Listen to your guide as they spin the boat and get ready to have the ride of your life when you hook one of these stupid things. Please do yourself a favor and practice casting in all directions because you never know when or where the fish of a lifetime is going to come from.
If the tarpon are being jerks, or just nowhere to be found, I'm switching over to snook mode by the beaches. Sometimes on the beach, but generally just inside the pass if the wind and tide are right this time of year you can get some great shots at large snook before they follow the water out to run the beaches.
A day or two before/after a full or new moon can be quite productive. If the tide is high and falling early before the sun gets up I'll have my anglers toss a gurgler or topwater plug by any structure that has current. You can never go wrong with white in the skinny water but black sure doesn't hurt!
Big trout will be sitting deep in the channel edges as the water warms up. I'd recommend a 1/20z jig head and a paddle tail or swimbait fished slow after the sun comes up. If it's early in the day, find a flat before the tide floods and toss a big spook (bone is my favorite color for that) over any potholes and you should see results. You might even find yourself an errant redfish as a bonus!
Alrighty, time to wrap up this essay and get back to laundry (being a fishing guide is super exciting). If you see any of these goofballs out on the water this month give us a wide birth and a big wave. We don't bite!
Take care folks. Give me a ring if you want to fish!
Capt. Alex Moran
Spiritfly Fishing Charters
SW Florida
