by Capt. Terry Fisher
April should be fantastic based on water level forecasts, temperatures and bait availability. Tarpon and shark are here in good numbers. Snook is in season, seatrout are big and redfish on the move. The ‘stage’ is set for your ‘fish of a lifetime’. Recommendations for equipment and techniques for each species are as follows:
Tarpon/Shark; during April (early in the tarpon season), I like to target both species at the same time by utilizing an 8ft. rod with a minimum 15/30lb. butt rating. 6000-8000 series reel. 65lb. test line, with 80 to 100lb. leader anywhere from 6ft. to 7ft. long (the leader should be the size of the fish one expects to catch). Use size 6/0 to 8/0 hooks. Fish live or dead bait (pinfish, mullet, crab, catfish Fillets, ladyfish) suspended under a cork or on the ‘bottom’ behind an anchored boat or troll them slowly. Look for ‘rolling’ schools of Tarpon off the beaches anywhere from 1500 yards to 6 miles out. They will be heading (migrating) northward and the shark will follow. Get in front of them a let them come to you. Be quiet! Seek out a Tarpon Club and join for more information, specific locations and techniques (that is what I did when I got started).
Snook; 7’6” rod with maximum of 10/20lb. butt rating or a lighter, 7ft. rod length with minimum 8/17lb. butt rating. Equip with 3000 to 4000 series reel. 15lb. test line with 30lb. leader. Size 1/0 to 2/0 hook. Free-line live pilchards, threadfins, pinfish or shrimps. Cut baits include pinfish, ladyfish and small blue crabs or cut crabs. One may also place live and dead baits on seabed under mangroves or suspend under a cork with a short leader. Artificial baits include soft plastics (scented or unscented), top water, twitch and crank baits along canal walls, under docks, around mangroves and oyster bars. Fish incoming and outgoing tides.
Redfish: 7’-7’3” rod with 8/17lb. butt rating. Equip with 3000-3500 series reels. 30lb. leader and 1/0-2/0 hook size. Jumbo shrimps, cut pinfish and ladyfish are great presentations on incoming tides along oyster bars and mangroves. The baits may also be placed on the seabed or under a cork. Artificial, include weed less soft plastics, top water and gold spoons.
Seatrout: 7ft. rod with 8/17 butt rating, 2500-3000 series reels. 10lb. test line. Attach popping cork to main line. Attach 20lb. leader below the cork and suspend a shrimp above (close to) the seabed (turtle grasses), for best and most consistent results.
Capt. Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters can be reached at www.fishfacecharters.com. Call 239-357-6829 or email fishfacecharters@yahoo.com for charter reservations. He is also available as ‘Captain for Hire’ on your vessel (by the hour) for safety, navigational and fishing locations and techniques to insure your every fishing trip is a success.