Muskie Tatics payoff in Saltwater
Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:11 pm
I just got back from a week long vacation on Captiva Island, Florida with the family. We were at a gorgeous resort called South Seas. I brought my Muskie gear down to mess around experimenting in Saltwater. Every night schools of big 15-30# Snook would come in to the docks and feed under the lights. I was told by baitshops, local guides and resort folks they are too finicky and you won't catch them since people fish off the main dock all year. I was told I specifically need either live bait or 40# fluorocarbon leader tied directly to like with a uniknot and use a smaller rapala or bomber crank. Well, after 1 week I hooked over 12 Snook and landed 8 with biggest at 40" and weighed 20#. All fish were caught on 80# braid, St. Croix Legend Rod, 180# Stealth Fluoro leader with big stay lock snap and either a 8" Hellhound or 8" Sebile Stick Shadd. Here's the best part... All 8 landed were caught on a figure 8!! I would cast out and burn bait along dock "an edge" and then figure 8 causing Snook to storm out from under dock and smash my gliders! I lost many by having them run under docks, wrapping under docks and popping off! These snook make muskies feel like wimps when it comes to stamina or endurance! What was so funny the baitshop guys and resort local anglers never believed my stories so I had them come down to dock at 10pm to prove it. Sure enough first cast I hook one in the "8" lose it, cast out again and hook another in "8" and landing it. She was 38" and 17#. Most guys never knew or thought to throw a much bigger bait and most never knew what a Figure 8 was...
My second fish story was on Thursday. I went out with Captain Jon Sebold to chase monster 180# Tarpon in the middle of Everglades on Muskie gear!! The saltwater is too cold from them this time of year and the Tarpon come into TE freshwater for warmer temps. We went 30 miles deep into glades. Gators everywhere as well and hundreds of Tarpon ranging from 120# to 180#. We used 7'6" St. Croix legend Rods, 80# braid, 80# Fluoro leader and 8" Big Game Balsa Cranks. Here's the cool thing... Jon grew up in MN and is a Muskie Angler who has spent last 20 years chasing Tarpon, Snook and Reds guiding. He's amazing and a awesome guide/angler. I only had 1 day to fish with him since I was on a family vacation but it was well worth it! It took Jon 5 minutes and he located schools of Tarpon coming up on surface in these bays (monster lakes really in the glades). At the end of day I hooked 3 Tarpon with smallest about 160# and lost them them all after 5-7 amazing breathtaking jumps. Jon also lost 3 giants. One took a brand new spilt ring 300# and treble with him. The strikes were violent and I actually have a few deep bruises on my rib cage from the strikes! We had another 5-10 fish strike, follow or thump our baits. We saw another 20-40 Tarpon throughout the day roll or we snuck up on a few sunning in the shallow bays of glades. All fish were sitting, striking or feeding in 5 feet of water or less and had nowhere to go but up when hooking them. I learned fast you lose a lot more than
you land and if I had another 2 days to fish I probably could have had a good shot at landing one but at least I got 3 hooked, fought for a bit and experienced amazing jumping/fighting ability of these gorgeous fish! Any of you heading down to SW Florida in Spring or Late fall need to book a trip with Jon Sebold. It's right up a muskies anglers alley! The best part was there is zero fishing pressure! Zero! Nobody is crazy enough to go so deep into glades and chase these fish. We didn't see 1 boat or angler anywhere. We had the entire glades and Tarpon to ourselves and Jon said that it's always been like this the last 20 years! The power of these fish fighting them is in a whole other class of trophy fishing! Tarpon were everywhere!! What an experience and I can't wait to go back! I've now committed to no more Muskie Trips and all funds for fishing will go to chasing Tarpon in the glades with Jon. There's one ramp in the glades. One way in, one way out and little nerving to think what could happen with boat issues that far away and nobody around but your in good hands with Captain Jon Sebold. A true gentleman and sportsman! I was lost driving through mangroves within the first 5 minutes. Everything looked the same! Miles and miles of little winding canals, sawgrass, mangroves and bays. I was stunned when Jon was navigating through all of it without a GPS. He knows the glades like the back of his hand. When I asked why I didn't see a GPS/Sonar combo he pointed down to the broken bracket and wires and said last week a 180# Tarpon landed in the boat smashing the unit and bracket. Check out www.sfpfishingoutfitters.com or look for him at certain Muskie shows this winter. He's targeting the muskie crowd and pretty much knows or fished with all the big names in the Muskie world. We chatted all day about Muskie and Tarpon and how much alike the species really are. It's so funny but I now think about muskies as being such wimps when it comes to a tarpon or snook strike and fight.. I could go on and on about what we saw out in the glades with Tarpon. It's one amazing fishing trip unlike anything else. Make sure you seriously
consider a trip down there before your next Muskie trip!! You won't be disappointed! We had Tarpon bigger than me strike 5 feet from boat. Guys had have their wrists broken from such a close strike from a 180# tarpon!! I'm now haunted all winter thinking about the 3 Tarpon I hooked...can't get them out of my head....I'll post snook pics later. We caught speckled sea trout as well, jacks, grouper, ladyfish, pinfish and many other species on our vacation. My 4 year old boy was on the dock with me everyday reeling in fish while Dad kept baiting shrimp on the hook. What a trip!!'
My second fish story was on Thursday. I went out with Captain Jon Sebold to chase monster 180# Tarpon in the middle of Everglades on Muskie gear!! The saltwater is too cold from them this time of year and the Tarpon come into TE freshwater for warmer temps. We went 30 miles deep into glades. Gators everywhere as well and hundreds of Tarpon ranging from 120# to 180#. We used 7'6" St. Croix legend Rods, 80# braid, 80# Fluoro leader and 8" Big Game Balsa Cranks. Here's the cool thing... Jon grew up in MN and is a Muskie Angler who has spent last 20 years chasing Tarpon, Snook and Reds guiding. He's amazing and a awesome guide/angler. I only had 1 day to fish with him since I was on a family vacation but it was well worth it! It took Jon 5 minutes and he located schools of Tarpon coming up on surface in these bays (monster lakes really in the glades). At the end of day I hooked 3 Tarpon with smallest about 160# and lost them them all after 5-7 amazing breathtaking jumps. Jon also lost 3 giants. One took a brand new spilt ring 300# and treble with him. The strikes were violent and I actually have a few deep bruises on my rib cage from the strikes! We had another 5-10 fish strike, follow or thump our baits. We saw another 20-40 Tarpon throughout the day roll or we snuck up on a few sunning in the shallow bays of glades. All fish were sitting, striking or feeding in 5 feet of water or less and had nowhere to go but up when hooking them. I learned fast you lose a lot more than
you land and if I had another 2 days to fish I probably could have had a good shot at landing one but at least I got 3 hooked, fought for a bit and experienced amazing jumping/fighting ability of these gorgeous fish! Any of you heading down to SW Florida in Spring or Late fall need to book a trip with Jon Sebold. It's right up a muskies anglers alley! The best part was there is zero fishing pressure! Zero! Nobody is crazy enough to go so deep into glades and chase these fish. We didn't see 1 boat or angler anywhere. We had the entire glades and Tarpon to ourselves and Jon said that it's always been like this the last 20 years! The power of these fish fighting them is in a whole other class of trophy fishing! Tarpon were everywhere!! What an experience and I can't wait to go back! I've now committed to no more Muskie Trips and all funds for fishing will go to chasing Tarpon in the glades with Jon. There's one ramp in the glades. One way in, one way out and little nerving to think what could happen with boat issues that far away and nobody around but your in good hands with Captain Jon Sebold. A true gentleman and sportsman! I was lost driving through mangroves within the first 5 minutes. Everything looked the same! Miles and miles of little winding canals, sawgrass, mangroves and bays. I was stunned when Jon was navigating through all of it without a GPS. He knows the glades like the back of his hand. When I asked why I didn't see a GPS/Sonar combo he pointed down to the broken bracket and wires and said last week a 180# Tarpon landed in the boat smashing the unit and bracket. Check out www.sfpfishingoutfitters.com or look for him at certain Muskie shows this winter. He's targeting the muskie crowd and pretty much knows or fished with all the big names in the Muskie world. We chatted all day about Muskie and Tarpon and how much alike the species really are. It's so funny but I now think about muskies as being such wimps when it comes to a tarpon or snook strike and fight.. I could go on and on about what we saw out in the glades with Tarpon. It's one amazing fishing trip unlike anything else. Make sure you seriously
consider a trip down there before your next Muskie trip!! You won't be disappointed! We had Tarpon bigger than me strike 5 feet from boat. Guys had have their wrists broken from such a close strike from a 180# tarpon!! I'm now haunted all winter thinking about the 3 Tarpon I hooked...can't get them out of my head....I'll post snook pics later. We caught speckled sea trout as well, jacks, grouper, ladyfish, pinfish and many other species on our vacation. My 4 year old boy was on the dock with me everyday reeling in fish while Dad kept baiting shrimp on the hook. What a trip!!'