Wish I had seen this earlier. Tarpon and snook fishing is all I did growing up.

Dont stop growing up!

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

The guide was telling me about how we should come back in October once it gets cooler and he would take us up to flamingo where we would catch 30 to 40 snook for the trip. I'm starting the long process of working on my wife now.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

That's the problem with tarpon, they will fly right through any leader less that 80 lbs and will refuse to eat anything connected to 80 lb leader and beyond. You gotta get lucky with circle hooks.

We used #9 single strand wire at Inlet back in the day and the hookup ratio was amazing. Wire slides right through their super gripper mouths for a solid hook set and you don't have to worry about them chafing through it. That won't work so well in the Gin clear water of the Keys.

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I was right.

We were hooking up left and right and the boats beside us were just catching sharks and watching us.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

Going back to the keys in two weeks for a long weekend. I will report back with my efforts to replicate this on my own. Looking forward to hear Cole's efforts too. I feel like I judged a cooking show and now I have to make the meal.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

I'm headed out this week. This vacation is going to be anything but a vacation. Tarpon, flats and it's looking like the ocean is going to cooperate too; then sharks for the kids in the evenings.

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I was right.

I will be down there this weekend in islamorada. Can't wait to see if I can do it alone.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

So went back out to the same spot with the every thing I remembered and got squat. The wind is howling, the tide was high and outgoing and it should have been perfect. We got a few nurse sharks snd bonnet head.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

different moon maybe? Fish are funny like that I have yet to find a way to use the moon to my advantage but sure do find ways to blame my bad days on it LOL

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I troll 2L.com to be a better person in real life

Many Tarpon migrate north to south in cooler months and south to north in warmer. Some of them do the offshore to beach/inshore circuit as well, especially around spawn. You are always going to find local fish in south florida and the keys that don't move around as much, but they are a bit more finicky eaters than the ones making the migrations.

I've also found they tend to feed at night all the way to mid morning more, with big bursts of activity around bait pods happening from first light to an hour or so after sunrise. Around the pods, match the hatch is the safest bet, keeping your live bait on the edge of the pods or just below them so they look like stragglers. You can also do pretty good by using some of the other predators feeding on the bait, like lady fish, lizard fish, etc. or of you know threadfins are flashing around the area, you can never go wrong sabiki-ing a few of those up to free-line. Night time on out going tide you can do pretty good with crabs and even shrimp. They will sit around the passes letting meal come to them.

When it is cold, murky like during the winter months, you can do pretty good down south sinking mullet, whiting, ladyfish on the bottom ...preferably live, but dead works too if you can avoid catfish and the like. Providing of course you know they are around. If it has been cold for a few days, the water dark or chocolate brown from a good blow, and there is no bait around most of the Tarpon will have moved offshore.

Just my .02

Thanks.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

The wind was howling and I had boat issues. We managed one good sized fish that threw the hook (circle) after wrapping a crab pot. The normal nightly sharks were none existent and the reef was as slow as I've ever seen it, dolphin fishing as well - the local charter guys were coming in with a handful of peanuts and I wasn't running all over hell and back for them with gas $4.30 at our marina. Snapper once again saved the day and we caught enough for several dinners, but they were nothing special. It was the slowest I've ever seen the Florida Keys.

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I was right.

I think every one and their brother has been down there and there is so much stress on the resources that this is what happens.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

I agree, the place was a mad house. I go before lobster season and endure the heat to find solitude and the fish that solitude provides. People's desire to escape the grip of Covid shot that plan all to hell. Early tropical weather doesn't help much either and that is becoming the norm. I might shoot for spring break next year in hope of better weather and live Pilchards.

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I was right.