By: Capt. Greg Poland
Hope everybody has been having a great month of fishing, I know we have been dealing with some cold oceanside and every jack cravelle passing through the Florida Keys must have made a stop in Islamorada over the last few weeks.
It’s Tarpon Season here in Islamorada and this is the time of year I live for! I jumped my first silver king when I was in high school and honestly have been hooked ever since. I can remember it like it was yesterday, fishing with a live pilchard on a 15lb spinning outfit in a backcountry spot much like I do today, and if you have not experienced the majestic jump of a tarpon, you are really missing out as this is the time of year to get out on the water and catch one. Most backcountry guides in the Florida Keys will be chasing tarpon till the end of June, so there is plenty of time to make this dream come true. If you want to get out with me my contact info is below and have some prime dates available show you how it’s done. If you want to give it a try on your own get a 15-20lb spinning outfit and a live mullet and a cork. I like to use a circle hook and a 50lb fluorocarbon leader about the length of the rod.
If you head over to Islamorada Fishing Outfitters, which is where I get my tackle, you can check out their selection and they have a shelf of everything you will need and will also show you how to rig it. Here are a few shots of some tarpon we have been tangling with over the last few weeks. If you’re not a tarpon angler, you might give bone fishing a try, as I have been spending a little time at it recently and doing pretty well using a light spinning outfit with a live shrimp.
On the offshore scene, the guys have been catching some Mahi and a big shout out to Capt. Alex Adler and the crew on the KALEX who released a giant bluefin tuna estimated at about 900lbs! I am not sure how many bluefin tuna have been released in the Florida Keys, but these guys have done it a few times over the years and think it’s pretty cool. I have never seen one personally, however, would have loved to have been on board to photograph that one!
— Contact Capt. Greg at 305.393.3327 or email gregpoland@icloud.com
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