# Let's talk about tarpon!



## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

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Tarpon season is almost here, what are some tactics y'all have found to be consistent in getting tarpon hook ups off the piers. I have hooked several off live Ely but never off artificials. I have seen people hook up using something that looked like a 5" hard plastic shad with maybe 3 joints. I picked one up from Outcast today and was casting it in the bay and it doesn't cast far, and has a problem turning so the hooks catch the line messing the retrieve up. But the action looks great and it's a suspending lure so it can be pause so it could be stopped near a tarpon. 

What other lures do y'all like, and produces consistent hook ups?


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

We use to use mirrolures...5in..greenback ...I haven't seen them lately I guess they stopped making them.....they can be finicky eaters sometime... the ft Walton guys jack them every year..I might just make a trip or two down there to jack some up...Cloudy or stained water ,rough days IMO you have a better shot of hooking one also early and late in the day and at night......I like using a 4 ft or longer leader.....its kinda a PIA but the Tarpon won't tail whip me when they jump and make their run.....The biggest Alewife I can catch....it sucks we can't use ribbon rigs anymore.... is great bait during the run because usually they start dying off and the sick ones from the schools float down current and make a natural chum line....It seems a big cig or hardtail dead floating in front of a hungry tarpon ends up being bucketmouth and its on from there.....
good luck and I'll see you out there sometime..........
Fairpoint


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

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Yeah it sucks about the red ribbons, when the alewives are not hungry you can't catch them on sabiki. That's why I would like to find a decent lure, and I have been hearing that the tarpon have showed up but not eating. As far as last week the alewives haven't showed up at the piers yet.


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## BrandonFox (Jan 31, 2013)

If the fish are not in big schools and when singles are just cruising the beach large swimbaits have worked well for us. Saves you the time/hassle of having a live bait ready to go in the short window your presented to get a cast off. A nice lively cig or LY is unbeatable though.

Brandon


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

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Are you referring to the soft swim baits like a 5" Storm? The lure I bought the other day is a 5" Revolution swim bait but it is a hard plastic with the joints in it, ill post a picture of it tomorrow sometime. How fast do you have to retrieve those swim baits, seems like they would sink pretty fast, and tarpon are sometimes lazy...


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I so well with swimbaits too. I like them in the 5-6" range with a fairly light head but they need a very stout hook. I've caught them on other lures as well but I like the single hook on the swimbait


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## Redtracker (Dec 28, 2011)

I know the big ones in big pine key will crush a chicken dolphin head right at day light. We woul float it with 100 lb mono leader and wait. Then fight for a hour or more.


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## wdrummel (Apr 12, 2012)

Just got this guy while sharking off Navarre Beach. He ate a whole 12 inch mullet.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

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That's awesome, how many jumps did he do? Did you have a lead weight on?


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

The revo swim baits have an awesome action, but will not hold up against a tarpon. I have caught boat loads of bass on them, but also had SEVERAL come apart with 6-8 pounders.


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## BrandonFox (Jan 31, 2013)

Randall2point0 said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> Are you referring to the soft swim baits like a 5" Storm? The lure I bought the other day is a 5" Revolution swim bait but it is a hard plastic with the joints in it, ill post a picture of it tomorrow sometime. How fast do you have to retrieve those swim baits, seems like they would sink pretty fast, and tarpon are sometimes lazy...



I use the Storms, sharpen the hook before you throw it though. 

Depends on the fish. Slow pumping the swimbait usually gets them. Be prepared for plenty of refusals, theyre still tarpon after all.


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