Sun 5/4 SSP

[GoinDeep]

Got there around 9am, bait hard to come by till about 10:30am, then it was everywhere on top near the end of the pier. Couldnt find any pinfish though, tried about 8 spots

Around 11ish started seeing Bonita come over the rail near the end, saw 3 landed and heard of another or 2. One guy said he had a big mack that broke him off.

As for us, its becoming the norm now: catch some keeper mangos, and a bunch of short grouper. That was about it. Grouper to 16" today. 10 keeper snapper total. Was reeling in a grouper when flipper decided to reach out of the water and snag it from me juuuust as it was out of the water and rolled on his back as he did it. A little girl right next to me was right on top of it and had the best view of it. It totally made her day. That was pretty cool.

Stopped by and met Ripnlips and Knotty, I saw Rip's tarpons last jump as I was heading towards them. Wicked awesome From where I was it looked about a 4+ footer, Im not sure how big it was though. Made for an awesome show for the folks fishing nearby. Nice job guys.

I told Rip I had a video camera and was hoping to get a vid of them hooked up, but they didnt have much luck after the jumper...maybe next time.

A nice day on the water but Im beat.

[ripnlips]

estimated 60 to 70 pounder. really acrobatic, gotta love it. the first jump nearly hit the bottom of the pier.

[havetofish]

Started out around 11:00 on the NSP. The place was loaded with bait and ran into Eaglesfanguy and waited for the tide change. Nothing biting, although he caught a mack.
Talked to BigMike...no King Winners yesterday or today.

Went to the SSP around 3:00 for more of the outgoing. Ran some plugs, cut bait, pins etc. til 9:00 pm...nothing but some shorts and my buddy took home a few snaps. Saw nothing caught anywhere near me. Watch a guy on a boat battle a poon for about 45 minutes, I think he got him to the boat.

Had a freelined bait out about 200 yds and a boater comes zippy past and snags my line and then he laughs. Boy was I pizzed. Guy next to me had a whole mack on the bottom in the same area and thought he got missed, only to find out later when flipper stole his bait, that the 100lb ande was chewed up from the same guy. I know...don't start the boater stuff again. Can't help it, these were some punk kids with no business being on the water.


Guess I should have started on the SSP earlier from the sound of it.

[GoinDeep]

C'mon folks, I know there had to be other forum members there. Lets hear it!

[furrypirate]

GoinDeep, You on the ocean side yesterday about 50 - 75 yards from the end? I was about 200yrds south of the end I'd guess but I think I heard you yell about getting the next tarpoon on video, and there was someone in the same area that had a grouper taken by Flipper.

It's hard to walk around and say hi when you're by yourself, certainly can't leave stuff sitting unattended.

SSP till 4pm or so then over to NSP, nothing to take home or take pictures of. :-( Missed two bigger macs on the NSP about 7:30pm. That was it. Going to be back next weekend on SSP Friday night and Saturday

[GoinDeep]

pirate...Yup that was me yelling to Ripnlips when he was on the other side right across from me about getting a video of a tarpon. You probably heard my girlfriend yelling at a boat that was about 100yds out from the pier going towards the tollbooth around 3 or 3:30...she had a balloon rig out about 150yds, and the people to my right also had long lines out....luckily none of em got broke.

I was also robbed by flipper of a short grouper earlier in the day just as he was coming out of the water.

[yammiestyam]

Havetofish...what did these kids look like and what type of boat? jc

[havetofish]

There were 4 of them in a small like 16' boat no top up. I couldn't even see a registration number. They were going in and out of the pier for bait.

[yammiestyam]

Oh ok good because I have a 20' Pathfinder and as a forum member I stayed well away from the piers and decided to catch my bait at the tower..I was just making sure I didn't cause any problems

[havetofish]

The worst is the guys that troll about 75 yds out...now give me a break... The rock piles go out about 250 yds from the pier. If you want to get to the grouper that don't get to much pressure on them thats where I'd be trolling

[newyorker1]

Monday ssp report. 5/5
got there early , bait was deep, around 11:00 am bait was on top. netted a few green backs nada most of the day. saw a few shorts come over the rail . no pin fish. saw a school of jacks chasing the bait around, gone in an heart beat, the same with the bait, only to reappear an couple of hours .later. flipper was around most of the day, enjoyed the day.tight lines newyorker1

[furrypirate]

GoinDeep, Ya that was you, I think you floated a balloon out as well or someone near you did. I had a couple lines out floating under pink balloons. And yes that boat was heading straight for my balloons and then just went around the far by a couple feet. Duh!

[Floridaboy]

Hey Ripin:

Are you gettin those tarps on live bait, or dead on the bottom, or some other method? Are you summoning the Alltel Wizard to get them interested or what?

[ripnlips]

good old fashioned dead threadfins on the bottom. fishing between the spans in the shadowlines. gotta use heavier tackle to keep them turned your way.

[Floridaboy]

Between the spans!? Boy you are a glutton for punishment aren't you. Don't know if my back can take that.

[pascosal]

am i understanding this right, you are fishing for tarpon basically right at your feet down below. if i am wrong explain "between the spans" thus far i have been only to the NSP but next trip i am going to be SSP just to give it a shot fo the first time (i hate crossing the bridge)

[Floridaboy]

Yes, he means straight down in the shadow, between the two bridges. Then it's a wrestling match to keep them out of the pilings.

I usually fish straight down on the down tide side of the bridge (not between them). That means gulf side on the outgoing and bay side on the incoming. I like to use a livie (pin, thread...) straight down in the eddy of a piling. Probably fewer bites, but a better chance of the fish running away from the pier, and having it last a little while. I am going to try a dead thread on the bottom next time.

[SkyJay]

Try a live, or fresh dead Spanish Mackeral, or LadyFish, around the tide changes... (Give the dead ones a couple little slices on both sides for added "Smell" apeal)


Not quite slack, but almost... They'll usually run away from the bridge. And the larger bait, usually means a larger Tarpon.


Works every time. Pin the bait to the bottom, with a breakaway sinker, so when the fish jumps, you don't have to worry about the weight causing the hook to dislodge. Try to follow em when they first hit ya, and don't apply too much pressure to start, and the fight will last longer. Let em run a bit, and get out away from the bridge some, and THEN jump em! YOO HOO!
If ya horse em, they're goin under, and then it's sianara' baby.

[pascosal]

Thanks for the info guys. next trip out gotta git me a tarpon. is there a certian time of day they are most active? sunday morning i watched one leap out of the water about 4:30 ish am.

[ripnlips]

skyjay's right on the money. half a spanish mack or a whole ladyfish works great if ya don't have threadfins. usually the bite turns on 1 hour before a tide change and goes on about 1 hour after. they do hit with the tide ripping in but this time is primetime. breakaway sinkers are a must have for tarpon (learned that one by trial & error). cast to the opposite span when you can. seems to be better than straight down.

[ripnlips]

typical rig. 8/0 circle hook, breakaway weight (attached with rubber band about 3 feet from the hook), 8' to 10' of 80 or 100 lb. leader.

[obxjunkie]

so what breaks the weight loose, the first headshake?

[pascosal]

i will let you know when i go to the SSP probably in a few weeks, ripnlips and skyjay thanks for all the valuable info!!

Sal

[furrypirate]

Ripnlips,
"cast to the opposite span when you can. seems to be better than straight down. "

Are you talking casting in the middle of the pier, between the two road ways? Like from one side to the other? Or side ways from one span to the other on the pier with down side of the tide flow? I thought I knew what you were saying but now I am cunfused?

We are heading out late Friday night to SSP near the end if we can find a spot to park. Old Ford explorer gun metal color with "Texas Longhorn Decal" on window.

Brian

[ripnlips]

[furrypirate]

Very clear now ;-) see / meet you on Sat.

[pascosal]

i was pretty certain that was what you meant Ripnlips, however when you said between the spans i thought you meant by the bridge (i was thinking that is a long freekin cast ) but it is as crystal clear as it could get LOL