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Tarpon Bite Hot In Boca Grande

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 6, 2008

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Mike Anderson, right, with "Reel Animals" partner Billy Nobles.

The tarpon bite in Boca Grande this week was as you would expect on the new moon in June - off the chain.

We started our week with my good friend David Voyken nearly jumping an 80-pound tarpon into my boat. If you have never been that close to a grumpy 80-pound fish, you have to try it. We were drifting crabs on the outgoing tide and could hardly keep our lines in the water without somebody hooking a fish.

The key to drifting crabs in a strong current is attaching a No. 3 split shot just up from the hook. This will allow your crab to get down into the feeding fish. It also works well when fishing the Skyway or Gandy Bridge with crabs or big threadfins. We probably caught and released close to 25 tarpon this week weighing 80 to 170 pounds, and we had several more fish that jumped off the hook.

The real treat of the week came from an incredible permit bite. We started by drifting across a little wreck we found that seemed to be holding about 2,000 permit in the 10- to 20-pound range. The bite and pure energy of these fish are like nothing I have experienced from any other fish. Even the small 10-pounders were just unbelievably strong. We were broken off several times, but every fight seemed to be better than the last. We caught 27, and each one of them was awesome.

Captain Chad Manning reports that he also had a great week of permit fishing on the nearshore wrecks both inside and outside Egmont Key. These wrecks should be on your bottom machine. All you need are some small crabs and a 3/0 hook drifted back over the wreck, then hold on.

Catch captains Billy Nobles and Mike Anderson on the "Reel Animals Fishing Show" on Saturdays from 6:30-7 a.m. on WFLA, Channel 8, and on Sundays from 8-10 a.m. on WHBO, 1470 AM. To book a charter, call 1-866-GAMEFISH or visit reelanimalsfishingshow.com.

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