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.