03-03-2003, 02:59 AM
[font "Arial"][size 2]When I do tarpon fishing seminars, one of the things I discuss is the fact that tarpon do not settle into any one pattern for too long. This week was a prime example of that fact.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]In the late afternoon, we were getting several strikes from the fish through Thursday. That pattern changed completely on Friday. Just after the dusk period, the fish started popping baits on the surface as they made their way south through the tarpon hole. Thursday saw this pattern stop. On Wednesday, during the outgoing tide, there was a major shrimp run that had the fish feeding the entire evening. Thursday and Friday there was no shrimp run. Saturday, we saw just a few at the top of the incoming tide. Also on Thursday and Friday, the tarpon seemed to disappear after 7:30 pm. If you hung around long enough, we got one more bite each night after 9:30 pm. Saturday, the tarpon started popping baits again after dark, but not in the large numbers like Wednesday. So you can see that you just had to be there and fish the conditions presented by the tarpon. They never seem to do what you think they should.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Despite all the changes they threw at us, our week at Haulover Inlet went as follows. Monday was an 0 for 4 night. I must have had some rubber hooks mixed in with my regular ones. Tuesday, we bounced back with 3 for 5. Wednesday was the best evening with 6 for 8 including a double header. Thursday, the wind died after it got dark and we had to use floats to keep the baits away from the bottom critters. The results were 3 for 5 including another double header. Friday was a 2 for 4 night and we had to use the floats again. Saturday there was a drastic slow down. We managed to catch 1 of the 2 fish we hooked and a 6# spanish mackerel along with a ladyfish gave us some more action.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Saturday morning, we had the bottom fishing trio out again. When the first grunt came aboard, the 
s got really big. We caught a lot more. Add in triggerfish, porgy, and yellowtail snapper and the visions of the fish fry scheduled for the next day became a reality.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Sunday morning we started by looking for dolphin. No one I spoke with was having any success, so we moved back in to 200' and set up a drift. A 4.5 mph current had us flying to the north. In 185' we had a triple header hook up of skipjack tuna. All three lines crossed and the end result was that we caught 1. The next hook up acted like it might be a sailfish. It seemed as if the fish didn't even know it was hooked. After 2 minutes of fighting the fish, the hook pulled and it will remain a mystery fish. We ran back south for our last drift of the morning and as Alex Slobodski was putting his bait out, he got a strike and caught an even larger skipjack tuna.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]On Tuesday (3/4/03) evening, I'll be doing a kingfish seminar at the South Florida Fishing Club meeting. The seminar is in conjunction with the Annual Bill Smith Memorial Kingfish Tournament that is being held on March 15th. The tournament is open to the general public and has cash prizes. Call 954 455-2219 for information or entry forms.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Captain Dave Kostyo[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Knot Nancy Fishing Charters[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]305 620-5896 Charter[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]305 732-2628 Beeper[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][#0000ff][size 2][url "http://www.knotnancy.com"]www.knotnancy.com[/url][/size][/#0000ff][/font] [font "Arial"][#0000ff][size 2][url "mailto:nkostyo@bellsouth.net"]nkostyo@bellsouth.net[/url][/size][/#0000ff][/font]
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s got really big. We caught a lot more. Add in triggerfish, porgy, and yellowtail snapper and the visions of the fish fry scheduled for the next day became a reality.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Sunday morning we started by looking for dolphin. No one I spoke with was having any success, so we moved back in to 200' and set up a drift. A 4.5 mph current had us flying to the north. In 185' we had a triple header hook up of skipjack tuna. All three lines crossed and the end result was that we caught 1. The next hook up acted like it might be a sailfish. It seemed as if the fish didn't even know it was hooked. After 2 minutes of fighting the fish, the hook pulled and it will remain a mystery fish. We ran back south for our last drift of the morning and as Alex Slobodski was putting his bait out, he got a strike and caught an even larger skipjack tuna.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]On Tuesday (3/4/03) evening, I'll be doing a kingfish seminar at the South Florida Fishing Club meeting. The seminar is in conjunction with the Annual Bill Smith Memorial Kingfish Tournament that is being held on March 15th. The tournament is open to the general public and has cash prizes. Call 954 455-2219 for information or entry forms.[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Captain Dave Kostyo[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Knot Nancy Fishing Charters[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]305 620-5896 Charter[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]305 732-2628 Beeper[/size][/font] [font "Arial"][#0000ff][size 2][url "http://www.knotnancy.com"]www.knotnancy.com[/url][/size][/#0000ff][/font] [font "Arial"][#0000ff][size 2][url "mailto:nkostyo@bellsouth.net"]nkostyo@bellsouth.net[/url][/size][/#0000ff][/font][signature]