by Capt. Matt Fueyo
The spring break season is over and the summer heat is starting to set in. For us fishermen this means one thing…Tarpon! Our captains and guests typically like to start fishing early in the morning. Once on the beach they tuck the boat up close to shore and wait for the sun to expose the beautiful shimmer of the silver king! Our captains then line the boat up with the school, as we look for the next tarpon to “roll”. We prepare to launch our crabs (bait) at these 100+ pound fish and then hold on for on an epic battle. Once hooked up with the mighty fish the crew will clear the rods and anything that could get in the way. We strap in for what can be a 10-minute fight or a 2-hour battle. These fish have no quit! You have to respect the fish and the angler who both are completely worn out at the end of the fight. We revive the fish and make sure they swim off healthy and congratulate our angler on his victory. One thing is certain-our crew keep their head on a swivel because we aren’t the only ones in search of the silver king (Megalops).
Big hammerheads, bull sharks, and tiger sharks patrol the beach in search of a shiny treat!
At Reel Tight Fishing Charters we use 7’6” Shimano Terramar medium-light rods with 60-80# fluorocarbon leader. A 6-0 7-0 circle hook with a bobber 30”-36” inches from the hook. Our bait is a silver dollar sized pass crab that is very, very alive and ready to swim!
