By: Capt. Greg Poland
I’ve been patiently waiting for the silver kings to return to our waters, and it’s finally that time of year. Everyone has a favorite fish to chase, and mine has been the tarpon ever since the first one I hooked nearly 50 years ago. I recently visited that very spot, and it took me right back to the day the obsession began.
What’s not to like about tarpon fishing? They’ll eat everything from a chicken feather placed in the right spot to a live mullet swimming under a bobber. And once they bite, the show begins, acrobatics that could win a gold medal at the Olympics! I honestly enjoy catching them any and every way possible, and from now through July there will be plenty of tarpon talk in these reports.
Tarpon season in the Keys is one of the most exciting times of the year. From ocean-side migrators moving down the beaches to laid-up fish in the backcountry and channels, there are plenty of opportunities to connect with one of these incredible fish.
For some strange reason, if tarpon fishing doesn’t sound like your idea of fun and you’re looking for something that ends up in the Yeti and eventually on the dinner table, April is also a great time to head offshore. The mahi-mahi bite is starting to pick up along the weed lines. I recently added the Fish Mapping service, and I think it’s really going to help dial in the offshore program and save a little fuel while searching the Atlantic for productive weed lines.
When I’m offshore looking for mahi, I like to have a fresh, or even better, live ballyhoo rigged on a 20-lb spinning outfit ready to go. You never know what might show up behind the boat. In fact, I landed a sailfish on a recent trip while we were searching for mahi. Luckily, we had a rod ready with a live bait in the well, or we probably would have missed that opportunity.
There never seems to be enough time to rig a bait once you spot the fish, so always keep a rod or two ready to cast. Another tip is to keep a bag of cut ballyhoo chunks ready to toss in the water. When you run into a school of mahi, those chunks will slow them down and help keep the fish around the boat.
April is shaping up to be a great month on the water, whether you’re chasing tarpon or filling the cooler with fresh mahi-mahi.
I still have a few prime dates open if you’d like to get out and wrestle with a big tarpon or chase any of the other species swimming around Islamorada. I’m really excited about my new boat, and careful planning helped me lay out the rig so it can fish everything from the reefs to the Everglades. If you would like to come aboard and participate on how we get it done, call me and let’s get you out on the water!
— Visit Capt. Greg at 305.393.3327 or email gregpoland@icloud.com | Instagram: gregpoland Facbook: Fishing in the Florida Keys with Capt. Greg Poland