Tarpon
“The Silver King of the Lowcountry”
A
BY CAPTAIN JASON DUBOSE
ngling options are plentiful in the Lowcountry during the summer months, but if I had to choose a couple of my favorite summer time pursuits; tarpon fishing and stalking tailing redfish on the high tide flats, would no doubt be at the top of my list. These two styles of fishing are about as different as can be, but both unbelievably addictive! Try either one of them once and I can promise you’ll already be planning your next trip before you reach the dock at the end of the day. For me, the draw of tarpon fishing lies in the fact that nothing about it is ever “a given”. There are few other fish in the ocean that will chal-lenge an angler’s skills quite like the mighty “Silver King”. From finding the fish, to getting the bite, to getting the fish to the boat for a successful release, you better bring you’re “AGame” to stand a fighting chance. The only guarantee in tarpon fishing is once you’ve hooked into one, you’ll be left dumbfounded by their shear strength, blistering runs and amazing aerial displays. Tarpon typically make their first appearance in our local waters during early July, as they migrate up the coast from as far south as the Florida Keys. This year, however, we were fortunate to have an early influx of tarpon during the middle of June. The presence, or absence, of large schools of menhaden (aka Pogies), one of the primary bait fish on a tarpon’s menu, is a main factor in determining whether the migrating tarpon stick around our area in large numbers throughout the summer or continue pushing north in search of forage. So far this year, all signs point toward a productive summer tarpon season for Hilton Head and Beaufort anglers.. These mighty fish will grace us with their presence through the summer months until the first cold fronts of fall (typically arriving in mid-October), drop the water temperature enough to send them south. My absolute favorite time to target tarpon occurs during those 4 to 5 weeks prior to their exodus. Those particular weeks often coincide with the fall mullet run during which, acres of mullet move into our local waters as they migrate south. The influx of mullet brings with it large schools of hungry tarpon also working their way back down the coast from as far north as the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Like sub surface bombs exploding, the sight of a school of 80 to 120 lb. tarpon blowing mullet several feet in the air as they feed is straight from the files of National Geographic. I will offer a word of caution for those thinking about doing a tarpon trip here in the Lowcountry, if you are going to get bent out of shape if you don’t catch one every time you go out, then tarpon fishing is not for you. Tarpon are a fickle fish and their elusiveness is what makes successfully catching and releasing one all that much sweeter. It’s the thrill of the hunt and the occasional hard earned successes that keep tarpon junkies like me coming back for more!
anglers refer to as “short grass flats”. These flats, as opposed to the typical soft mud bottom and tall spartina grass of most marsh areas, are characterized by a hard packed sand bottom and short, sparse marsh grass. These short grass flats are home to millions of fiddler crabs which dig their burrows in the sandy bottom. As the tide approaches, the high water mark the flats are slowly flooded with water allowing redfish the opportunity to feed on the fiddler crabs. Often times there may only be 8 or 9 inches of water covering the flat at high tide, but that does not stop the redfish from prowling the shallows in search of a meal of crunchy crustaceans. Stalking tailing redfish is truly an amazing sensory experience. The natural beauty of the flats, the briny scent of the salt marsh, the sloshing sound of reds pushing their way through inches of water to take advantage of the rising tide, and the sight of the fish’s iridescent blue tail gently breaking the surface of the water as it roots in the sand for crabs and shrimp, all make this type of fishing an unforgettable experience. In fact, the whole scene is so mesmerizing, I’ve had anglers completely forget about casting to the fish as they stand in awe watching this amazing spectacle of nature play out in front of them. For those who do wish to fish, remember to cast with finesse, stealth, and accuracy. These are key DUDE. In the shallow water of the flats, any heavy baits or lures plopped down hard near a fish is sure to send it running. Instead, small saltwater flies or soft plastic artificial lures mimicking crabs, shrimp, or small mullet, are cast in front of and beyond the fish and slowly worked back into its field of vision in hopes of eliciting a strike. This is a true sight casting game and is as much hunting as fishing. The adrenaline level when trying to close the distance between you and a tailing fish, all the while attempting to set up at the correct angle for a perfect cast is intense. Even the most experienced flats fisherman can fall prey to shaking hands and the sound of their heart pounding in their ears when they see the blue tail of a redfish rise slowly from the water several yards from them. If the cast is good and the fish eats the fly or lure the resulting scene is explosive. At the sting of the hook, the red will blow up and make a blistering run for deeper water. When a redfish is in only 9 inches of water, they have nowhere to go but away from you and I guarantee they will do it in a hurry! If you are an avid saltwater fisherman these two summertime f i s h - eries should be on your “DUDE MUST DO” experience. Don’t let another summer pass without giving them a try, But fair warning, there is a good chance you’ll be hooked for life on both of these amazingly addictive fisheries! DUDE PROFILE: Capt. Jason DuBose is a tournament and charter captain aboard Lucky Hooker, a 42’ Yellowfin sportfishing boat. Lucky Hooker is based out of Hilton Head Island in the spring, summer and fall months and south Florida during the winter months. Capt. Jason specializes in bluewater trolling and offshore bottom and wreck fishing. He can be contacted at 843-3044834 or jjdubose@aol.com.
STALKING TAILING REDFISH In stark contrast to the over the top raw power, massive size, heavy tackle that are all part of tarpon fishing, lies the stealth and finesse of my other favorite summertime fishing pursuit…stalking tailing redfish. While we are fortunate to have year-round redfishing here in the Lowcountry, it’s during the summer months when the opportunity to target reds tailing on high tide grass flats is in its prime DUDE. Laced amongst the thousands of acres of salt marsh in our region, lie a scattering of what local
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Summer 2014