Hi anglers! So far the tarpon fishing in Charlotte Harbor has been outstanding. Right on que the schools of tarpon started to leave Boca Grande Pass and head up into Charlotte Harbor. I started tarpon fishing back up in Charlotte Harbor about the last week of June this year, about a week or two earlier than normal. There was still some decent fishing out on the beachs of Boca Grande, as I had to spend a few days out there fishing due to the wind. Unfourtunatly, the sharks had the few schools of tarpon that were still on the beach surrounded. I did not loose many tarpon to sharks this year but last week almost every tarpon I hooked in Boca Grande got harrassed by a shark, both bull sharks and giant hammerheads.

The tarpon I was catching on the beach were all caught on live threadfins, both under a cork as well as freelined. All those tarpon were well over 150 pounds. Once the weather settled down I was back up in Charlotte Harbor tarpon fishing. I have located several thousand tarpon and basically had them all to myself for the last week. The tarpon I have been catching in Charlotte Harbor have been anywhere from 10 pounds to over 150 pounds. I would say I am averaging about 5 hookups in a 6 hour trip. Mixed in with the tarpon are Cobia as well as black drum. I had a school of about 100 black drum show up on a charter this past Monday, we caught a 25 pounder on a swim bait.

I had a client request a tarpon/flats fishing trip earlier this week. I normally do not run charters for both species in a single 6 hour trip but I have been on a really good school of oversized redfish so I decided to give it a try. I had Jack Gill from Winterhaven Fl, and his two sons aboard that day. We started off the day tarpon fishing. We went 2 for 3 on tarpon up to 110 pounds, around noon Jack wanted to go try to catch a redfish as he really had no desire to catch a tarpon that day, his kids did not want to leave the school of tarpon, I don’t blame them. We pulled up on the flat where I have been catching the redfish and the first cast with a cut threadfin we landed a nice 12 pounder. We fished for about another 10 minutes, lost another overslot and called it a day.

I had a client cancel 3 days the week of June 23rd, so if anyone is looking to book a last minute tarpon trip I will be able to accomodate you. I can be reached at 239-825-8791