
Beach Tarpon Fishing Tampa Bay on Light Tackle Popping Corks
bjbj
THAT CRAB DANCING?
IT.
THAT S WHAT WE WANT. OH, CRAB TRAP!
LITTERED WITH TARPON.
DOING HERE?
AND THEY LL STAY ON THAT LINE FOR DAYS AND ACTUALLY SOMETIMES YEARS WE FIND THEM ON AN
INSIDE LINE. A MIDDLE LINE AND THERE S A WAY OUTSIDE LINE. THE INSIDE LINE TODAY SEEMS
TO BE THE BETTER OR MORE FISH ARE THE INSIDE LINE TODAY.
COMING AT US RIGHT NOW, SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT I-PILOT?
TO IT.
HAVE TO DO IS HIT THAT SPOT LOCK AND IT LL HOLD YOU RIGHT IN THE SAME POSITION. SO LIKE
WE RE TALKING, THEY COME UP ON THE SAME LINE THE WHOLE TIME, YOU HIT THAT SPOT LOCK AND
BROTHER IT WILL HOLD YOU RIGHT IN THAT SAME SPOT. IT S A VERY COOL NEW FEATURE ON THESE
NEW MINN KOTA
US.
US AND THEM NOW. YEAH
THEY RE OUTSIDE OF YOU RIGHT NOW I THINK?
GOOD
CAN T MOVE THE BOAT. STICK EM, STICK EM HIGH!
AIN T NO LITTLE ONE IS HE. [LAUGHS] HE AIN T A SMALL ONE TOMMY Z!
EM. WATCH YOURSELF.
TO THIS EPISODE OF ADDICTIVE FISHING, WE ARE RIGHT OFF OF ST. PETE. FISHING CAPTAIN TOMMY
Z. YOU SEE ON THE OTHER END OF THIS LINE WE GOT A MONSTER ON HERE. ABSOLUTE MONSTER. GOING
SHALLOW.
COURSE, HE IS. IS HE ON THE INSIDE OF IT?
LITTLE CRAB TRAP.
YOU GETTING LINE NOW?
THOUGH.
UP LINE?
HE TOOK OUT A BUNCH WITH IT REAL QUICK DIDN T HE?
THOUGH.
SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO CATCH A TARPON.
ONE OF MY FIRST TIMES EVER USING FLOATS ON THESE GUYS AND IT S A LOT DIFFERENT THAN CASTING
A FLY AT EM OR CASTING A BAIT AT EM. A LOT DIFFERENT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT S A LOT OF
FUN AND IT WORKS. Y ALL EVER GET A CHANCE TO GET OUT HERE WITH TOMMY Z. HE PREDICTED
IT PERFECT. HE WAS LIKE AS SOON AS THAT TIDE SWITCHES, WE RE GOING TO GET ONE ON. SURE
ENOUGH, WE GOT ONE ON. ANOTHER THING TO TOMMY, THIS IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW TIMES, I VE EVERY
THROWN CRAB AT THEM.
WHEN WE GET NEAR THESE BIG MOONS.
OUT?
HERE LIKE THE SAME PLACE ABOUT TWO AND HALF HOURS SOUTH OF HERE.
PEOPLE. [LAUGHS]
OHHHH! THAT S A WIDE ONE TOO!
ON HIM.
THEIR SPIRIT. [REEL SCREAM] THEN THIS WILL HAPPEN.
TO TEXAS?
HIT THAT OIL RIG FIRST.
LAND THIS GUY IN TEXAS. WE LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH CAPT TOMMY Z RIGHT OFF OF ST. PETE BEACH
HERE. WHEH, THIS IS A MONSTER. TRUE MOGAN.
LET S GO THEN MUSIC
GOODS, EVERY SEASON STARTS AT DICK S. RANGER BOATS, STILL BUILDING LEGENDS ONE AT A TIME.
MINN KOTA, ANYWHERE. ANYTIME. HUMMINBIRD, SIMPLY. CLEARLY. BETTER, WRIGHT & MCGILL,
REAL GEAR FOR REAL FISHERMAN. AND BY LAZER SHARP, SHARPER, STRONGER, LONGER.
WELL THIS ONE S GOT ME SWEATING A BIT.
OL BEAST OF A TARPON, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MEGALOPS ATLANTICUS. AND TOMMY SAYS, WE VE BEEN SITTING
OUT HERE ALL MORNING WAITING FOR THE TIDE TO CHANGE, THE WINDS ARE KIND OF HOWLING HOLDING
THE TIDE IN. TOMMY SAYS WE COULD CAST AT THESE FISH ALL DAY LONG AND GET ONE TO EAT, BUT
WAIT UNTIL THAT TIDE CHANGES AND IT WILL BE LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH. AND SURE ENOUGH, THE
BUOYS STARTED MOVING AND I GOT A FISH ON. [LAUGHS] TOMMY, HOW LONG YOU BEEN FISHING
THESE FISH OFF OF ST. PETE?
YOU TEND TO LOSE TIME AFTER A WHILE.
LONG ENOUGH TO KINDA GET IT DIALED IN.
I MADE HER GULP AGAIN.
TARPON WAVE!
OH, UMPH.
THE REASON HE S SAYING TRY NOT TO LET HER ROLL, TRY NOT TO LET HER ROLL, WHAT A TARPON
DOES IS GET A BIG AIR BLADDER FULL OF AIR AND CAN RELEASE IT OVER THEIR GILLS AND ACTUALLY
GIVE THEM A GOOD, FRESH BREATH OF AIR IN THERE. IT S JUST LIKE GETTING A BIG SHOT OF OXYGEN
FOR US IF WE WERE RUNNING A HUNDRED YARD DASH OR SOMETHING. BREATHE IN THAT OXYGEN, SOMETHING
THAT I COULD USE RIGHT ABOUT NOW.
GO AND LET YOU GET THAT DNA STUFF.
TINY. LET YOU GET THAT DNA SCRUB WHEN WE FINALLY GET HER TO THE BOAT FOR THE TARPON GENETICS
RECAPTURE STUDY.
AND IT IS FLAT RAISING SOME SNOOK.
IT THAT MUCH TO THAT SIDE CAUSED SHE S WRAPPED.
HER ALL BUT TO THE BOAT WHOPPED. YOU KNOW WHAT I M SAYING?
BIG GREEN . . ?
I M GOING TO GUESS ABOUT ONE SEVENTY FIVE, WE LL SEE ONCE WE GET HER CLOSER TO THE BOAT
WHEN I GET A HOLD OF HER. THEN WE LL HAVE A BETTER GAUGE.
ME, SO . . .
DON T THEY?
HEAT.
A LITTLE UGLYNESS?
JUST SO CLOSE BLAIR>THAT WAS HER LAST KICK I THINK?
HOOKED RIGHT IN THE CLIPPER.
STRAIGHT UP AT YOU.
YOU THINK SHE S A LITTLE BIGGER?
ONE EIGHTY FIVE.
WIDE, THERE S YOUR LEADER TOUCH. I DON T WANT TO PULL ON THAT AND BREAK IT.
PUTTING ABOUT AS MUCH AS I CAN ON IT.
THERE, WAS THAT A BIG GULP?
DIDN T GET TO KEEP IT.
UP THOUGH.
YOU AIN T GOING TO HURT IT.
YEAH, I DIDN T WANT TO TELL YOU THAT AT FIRST.
GUN FIGHT. OH, GULP! BLOW THAT BUBBLE, BLOW THAT BUBBLE, THAT S WHAT I M TALKING ABOUT.
I SURE HOPE THE NEXT FISH IS ABOUT SIXTY POUNDS.
ONE OF THESE BUCK EIGHTIES. [BREAK OFF]
LEADER TWICE.
THAT WAS A GOOD ONE, THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE FIGHT. IF Y ALL EVER GET A CHANCE, GET OVER
HERE TO TAMPA BAY AND YOU CAN DO A TUG-OF-WAR JUST LIKE THAT. WE RE GOING TO REGROUP. SEE
IF WE CAN GET BACK ON THE BEACH AND TANGLE WITH ANOTHER ONE. HOPEFULLY, A LITTLE SMALLER,
WE LL GET HIM IN QUICK.
THEN! MUSIC
THERE S A BUNCH RIGHT BACK HERE, I JUST SAW ONE FLASH.
HEAD ON YOUR CORK.
TIME? THERE S THE BOBBER UP.
HIS HEAD.
DOUBT? HE KNOWS SOMETHING IS UP. COMING RIGHT TO US, HE JUST TURNED AROUND. HE S FIXING
TO GO APE NUTS.
TERM. I USED IT ON A SHOW ONCE BEFORE.
I WANT TO TOUCH ONE. I HAVEN T TOUCHED ONE IN A WHILE TOMMY Z?
MY BEST.
BEST EARLIER AND THE LAST TIME WE WENT OUT. LAST TIME WE WENT OUT, WE HAD THE SAME.
ZERO FOR SEVEN
ONE.
IF THE LEADER IS EIGHTEEN FEET LONG.
HIM?
TO STAY WITH THE SCHOOL.
COME CATCH A HUNDRED TO HUNDRED TWENTY POUNDERS. THOSE BUCK EIGHTIES, WHEW. IF YOU REALLY WANT
TO CATCH ONE.
YOUR FISH, YOUR FISH PICKS YOU.
HANDS ON THIS ONE.
ON ALREADY DID YOU?
THAT FISH IS TRYING TO STAY WITH THE HERD. I WAS MARKING ON YOUR MACHINE HERE THIS HUMMINBIRD,
REAL PRETTY, BIG SCHOOL.
IMPRESSED WITH THIS IMAGE.
THIS YEAR. NOT HAVE EM BREAK OFF, HOOKS PULLING, JET SKIERS RUNNING OVER US, CRAB POTS.
IT S FULL CONTACT TARPON FISHING RIGHT HERE. [LAUGHS]
WHAT WE RE DOING? I VE GOT MY HANDS FULL BROTHER. [LAUGHS]
OFF OF THE PIER OVER THERE, AND WE HOOKED HIM IN ABOUT TWELVE FEET, BUT THE FISH DECIDED
TO GROW SINCE WE STARTED THIS. NOW WE ARE IN ABOUT FORTY FEET AND THE FISH IS GOING
TO DO THE STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN GAME.
THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THEM.
RIGHT NOW WE LL TAKE THE GAME ANY WAY WE CAN GET IT.
POUND FINS XS. THAT STUFF IS THE SMOOTHEST LINE I VE EVER USED. IT S GOT A LITTLE MORE
UMPH BEHIND IT.
IS AN EIGHT STRAND BRAID.
TERRITORY.
ON THE SPOOL, YOU KNOW, IF HE SURGES . . . GET OFF THE SPOOL. AHHHH [LAUGHS] THAT WAS GORGEOUS
THOUGH HUH?
TWENTY POUNDS, SO Y ALL STAY TUNED, WE RE GOING TO BE RIGHT BACK AND HOPEFULLY, SHOW
YOU THIS BIG OL PUPPY!
IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY D.O.A. LURES, THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. FLORIDA S SPACE COAST, ORLANDO
S CLOSEST BEACHES. STAR BRITE, THE WORLD-WIDE LEADER IN MARINE, AUTOMOTIVE AND RV CARE PRODUCTS.
FINS, THE WORLD S FIRST SITUATIONAL SPECTRA-FIBER FISHING LINE. COSTA DEL MAR SUNGLASSES, SEE
WHAT S OUT THERE AND BY SEAGUAR, THE INVENTOR AND WORLD LEADER IN FLUOROCARBON FISHING LINE.
TO SHOW YOU WHAT I WAS THROWING OUT THERE WITH CAPT. TOMMY Z TODAY. NOW CAPTAIN TOMMY
Z HAD ME THROWING SOMETHING I M NOT NORMALLY USED TO THROWING AT TARPON. IN FACT, NEVER
REALLY HAVE THROWN IT AT TARPON AND ITS USING A FLOAT WITH CRABS, THE REASON FOR THE FLOAT
IS YOU HERE US TALKIN ABOUT THE TARPON COMING UP THE LINE, COMING UP THE LINE, A LOT OF
TIMES THEY RE GOING TO RIDING HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW AND YOU CAN ADJUST THAT CRAB WITH THAT
FLOAT. NOW THE FIRST FISH OF THE DAY, I KINDA MADE A MISTAKE. I HAD 2O LB TEST WINDTAMER
ON AND THAT FISH WAS ATLEAST 140, 150 LBS. I SHOULDA HAD ON 30 LB TEST XS OR SOMETHING
ELSE ON THERE OTHER THAN THIS 20 LB. IT GOT THE JOB DONE, BUT IT SURE TOOK A LONG TIME.
USING CIRCLE HOOKS, ANYWHERE FROM A 5 AWT CIRCLE HOOK UP TO A NINE AWT CIRCLE HOOK.
LAZER SHARP MAKES THE BEST ONES I SUGGEST USING THOSE. 60 TO 80 LB TEST SEAGUAR FLOUROCARBON
LEADER, USING 3 TO 4 FEET OF IT, JUST SO THE ABRASION RESISTANCE OF IT. YOU RE NOT GOING
TO GET BROKEN OFF BY MAYBE A BONE HITTING THE LINE OR HIM WEARING THROUGH WITH HIS TEETH.
THAT S THE 30 TO 60 ROD, LET ME SHOW YOU THE 60 TO 80 ROD. BOTH OF THEM ARE THE OFFSHORE
MODELS, GOING TO BE AVAILABLE HERE AT DICK S REAL SOON. FINALLY WENT TO THE 30 LB FINS
XS HERE, GOT THE JOB DONE. STILL USING A CIRCLE HOOK, LOTS OF 60 LB TEST LEADER WE WERE USING
THAT DAY. SO IF Y ALL EVER GET A CHANCE TO COME OVER HERE TO TAMPA AND FISH WITH CAPTAIN
TOMMY Z, WHICH I HIGHLY SUGGEST, Y ALL GET OVER HERE AND DO IT. I WANT TO SHOW YOU ONE
MORE THING. IF Y ALL HAVEN T SEEN THIS YET, THE SHARK TOOTH SPOOL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, YOU
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, GO TO THE WEBSITE, ADDICTIVEFISHING.COM AND LOOK UP THE SHARK
TOOTH. REMEMBER ONE THING IF YOU EVER GET OVER HERE, EVERY FISHING SEASON STARTS RIGHT
HERE AT DICK
TO GET ONE OF TWO OF THESE IN A DAY THIS SIZE. PRETTY COOL SHOT OF THAT BRIDGE HUH?
YEAH SUNSHINE SKYWAY BRIDGE, WE ARE IN HAMMERHEAD WATERS. WE VE CROSSED OVE R TO THE RED SIDE.
OFTEN TO FISH DO THAT RIGHT THERE?
CALL THIS ONE A CAUGHT NOW.
T SIGN UP FOR THAT PART OF THE DEAL.
UGH.
THAT S WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO RIGHT THERE!
TALK WHEN SHE WAS DOING THAT. WHAT A BEAUTY? LOOK AT THE REMORAS ON HIM?
WIDE SHE IS.
S DONE. WE RE IN A DANGEROUS AREA RIGHT NOW CAUSE THE SHARKS ARE HERE. ANY TIME IT S TARPON
SEASON THE SHARKS ARE AROUND AND ONE OF THEM CAN EASILY COME AND TAKE YOUR ARM RIGHT OFF.
SEE ME FIGHTING THIS FISH, IF YOU EVER COME WITH TOMMY, PAY ATTENTION WHAT HAPPENS REAL
CLOSE TO THE BOAT HERE CAUSE THIS IS WHERE YOU GET EM LOST RIGHT HERE. YOU WANT TO PULL
THAT FISH UP JUST AN INCH AND HE DON T WANT TO COME. YOU GOT TO BE REAL EASY WITH THEM.
NO GULP! RIGHT TO YOU BROTHER.
LOOK AT THAT CIRCLE RIGHT IN THERE. WHAT A LAZER SHARP JOB THAT WAS.
THE BUTTON, BEHIND ME ON THAT COOLER IS THE SCRUB.
GET THAT SCRUB.
SO YOU JUST RUB THAT WHITE SPOT THERE?
I GOT IT. I GOT MY DNA. ALRIGHT, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL JUST GET THE SLIME, YOU KNOW?
LET ME GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY.
YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN GEAR?
GOING TO MAKE MORE BABIES.
ON THIS ONE TOMMY? A LITTLE BIGGER THAN WHAT I THOUGHT HE WAS.
IT ONE TWENTY EARLIER, I M GOING TO GO ONE FIFTY WITH THE PLUS SIGN BEHIND THAT.
[LAUGHS]
THESE HUH?
YOUR HANDS ON ONE.
OUT AS LONG AS THEY DON T COME FROM UNDER THE BOAT WHICH THEY WILL DO.
THERE SHE GOES.