Gator Creek Tarpon

Since I've been home this past week, I've noticed a lot of juvenile tarpon in the deeper shallows of Gator Creek.

This area is where I enjoy catching ladyfish for fun and occasionally for bait, but yesterday when I took Elmo and Odie out for a ride around the "swamp", I jumped one tarpon along the deeper shallows on a freshwater bass pattern Chug Bug, and a second one that was about 4 feet long that hit the Badonk-A-Donk below.

The ladyfish have been acting like they haven't had a meal in months.

When I first started casting the Chug Bug, I got a hit on every single cast until they finally wised up and stopped chasing the bait.

I managed to land 5 ladyfish that ranged from about 12" in length, to one that topped 24" in about a 20 minute period.  I lost more than I landed but since I released all of the fish, I really didn't care.

I enjoy topwater fishing, and these guys keep the action at a high level but when I hooked into the first tarpon, it really got the old muscle pumping.

The larger size tarpon hit in an area that I never expected to hold fish.  I'm keeping that place to myself but as soon as I'm finished with this post, I plan on visiting the location to see if I can get him to hit another topwater bait.

These guys are hard to hook on light tackle.  I use 10 pound test Cajun Red line with a 20 or 30 pound fluorocarbon leader on most of my topwater rods, and unless you really set the hooks, the fish usually shake off the plug.

Anyway, it's about 6:00 pm and I'm ready to head for the refuge to see if I can scarf up another Gator Creek tarpon.

Till next time, Tight Lines.

Gator Creek Topwater Fishing

Since I've been home this past week, I have enjoyed some great Gator Creek topwater fishing opportunities in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, despite the continued closure of Peacocks Pocket Road.

Almost every afternoon, rain or shine, I have managed to nail ladyfish of various sizes, spotted sea trout, juvenile tarpon, and even a large garfish that hit a Chug Bug in one of the culverts.

The best bite has been just before or during a rainstorm, but I have been having some surprisingly good topwater action from 5:00pm till dusk in many areas when the water is like glass.

Yesterday afternoon, I hit East Gator Creek late in the afternoon when the conditions were anything but conducive to topwater fishing.  The water was dead calm in most areas, the air temperature was in the high 80s, and no fish were hitting on the surface.

Despite the conditions, I started tossing a Baby Bass colored freshwater Chug Bug smeared up with some Inshore Saltwater formula Pro-Cure in some areas where I spotted fish the previously day. 

I fished several areas in the shallow water flats along the road by mostly fan casting to the opposite bank.  The trick to getting bit was to let the topwater bait sit completely still until the ripples dissipated and then just barely popping the Chug Bug.

The fish, if there was any in the area, would usually hit the bait as soon as the twitch was made; usually with explosive action.

Most of the fish I picked up yesterday were small to medium size ladyfish up to two feet, but I hooked and released a garfish in a culvert that was over 24" in length.

The garfish was never actually hooked, it's teeth were tangled in the leader loop in the front of the bait which made it easy for me to shake off at the bank.

I hooked and lost two gator sized sea trout that were both over 24" on a banana shaped walk the dog type bait that I picked up at Bass Pro Shops in Mobile, Al. (below).

   

After losing the second fish, I went back to tossing the Chug Bug.  For whatever reason, I was getting better hookups with that bait.

The only problem I have with Gator Creek topwater fishing is the gators that keep following the lures when a good fish hits.

Their predatory instincts kick in, especially when they see a fish on the line, and they become so pesky that you have to move on to fish the baits.

Peacocks Pocket road is also pretty good fishing right now close to dusk if you don't mind walking a bit.

I have been picking up some nice sea trout in the marsh canal and have spotted several oversize redfish cruising the banks after baitfish close to dusk.

I have been doing a good bit more fishing in the Mobile, Al. area, but you have to rely more on the tides to catch fish.

Regardless, you just can't beat the sunsets that we have in East Central Florida.

With any luck, I'll be able to get in a few more productive afternoons before I have to get back to work.

Tight Lines and bent rods...