|
|
Key West Tarpon Fishing
If I had
to choose one type of fishing as my favorite, tarpon fishing in the Key
West Harbor would be the one. Key
West offers many different techniques to fish for tarpon. Some
like to pursue these giants on the shallow flats, fishing with spin
tackle or fly fishing for them. Others, like myself, like to fish for tarpon in
the Key West Harbor area with conventional or spin tackle using shrimp boat
by-catch (chum). My customers like this style of tarpon fishing
because you can hook and catch an outrageous amount of tarpon and other fish
as well. This chumming technique can produce some unbelievable
catches. There are many days when you can see tarpon flashing
right behind the boat as they inhale the chum and your bait.
Most of the season you will see huge schools of tarpon rolling
right there in the Key West Harbor. It is a beautiful site
to see. |
|
|
 |
Tarpon Catching in
Key West
If you really want to catch a tarpon and a lot of
other fish, chumming them up is the way to go. I firmly believe
this to be the most effective method to catch a tarpon in Key
West. I will also bring live bait to use if needed
during slack tide. The live bait guides down here catch
tarpon as well, but nothing like the numbers the light tackle
or chum boats catch. I use this chumming technique
on my light tackle boat "Seize the Day". I catch
tarpon consistently from mid February to July, but you still have a
shot the rest of the year if the weather permits. The prime
months for tarpon fishing in Key West are March, April, May, June and
July. This
is when large numbers of tarpon gather in the Key West Harbor.
It's also busy with anglers trying to book tarpon charters.
|
Booking your Tarpon Fishing Trip
So, if you want to catch a
tarpon you need to book a trip in the Key West Harbor.
When you call me and give me a day or days you may want to fish,
the first thing I will do is pull out my tide tables. I
will base the departure time on these tables. Tarpon feed
best when the tide is moving. No tidal flow, no food or
chum moving to turn the bite on. During the trip, I will
explain what we are doing, how to drift a bait, how to catch,
how to fight and land these fish. Oh, I do not yell or get
mad if you do something wrong. I am here to teach you what
I know.
Book
in advance if you plan on fishing the prime months.
|
 |
|
|
If
you look around, you will notice my rates are a little less than some
other light tackle boats. One of the reasons is that I run a
single four stroke engine boat that is good on fuel. This
certainly helps keep the cost down. Another reason is most of the
guides down here pay huge commissions for other people to book their
boats, 20% to 30%...I do not pay anyone to book me. All of my
business is repeat, referral and the rest is from this website, which I
built and I maintain. If you see a website listing more than one
guide. There is a really good chance that you are just looking at
a bookies website. Most likely, these guys do not fish here or
guide here, they just want their 20% to 30% commission to book the trip!
If you book through a booking booth or a hotel concierge, they are most
likely taking commission as well and have no idea what the fishing or
the guide is really like. I know most of them don't even fish.
Pretty messed up!!! Do yourself and the charter boats a favor and
book directly with the boat. Call me to set up a trip. I will make sure you get a good
trip!
If I am already
booked and I put you with another guide, their rates may be a little
higher than mine...Larger boats, twin engines,
rates increase.
Captain Pepe Gonzalez
305-304-0983
Email Captain Pepe
|
|
Resources
Fishing Links and Stuff Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions
Tarpon Fishing
Offshore Fishing
Reef Fishing
Wreck Fishing
Flats Fishing
Site map
|
|
|
