No tarpon, just kingfish

Never wanting to have a wasted trip, we hit the first cuts and started trolling for some kingfish. We weren’t dissappointed. It wasn’t long before we had three really nice ones in the boat and ready to go.

Probably the best part of it all when catching kingfish is they are really easy to clean and cook. A lot of people like to make them into steaks, but I prefer a much more traditional method. I like to make kingfish balls. The meat on a kingfish grows in such a way that you can actually take the kingfish and make slices down the sides about 2-3 inches apart. Then you can take your fingers and walk right down the sides popping out perfect kingfish balls that you can batter and fry. I much prefer a fried kingfish over a grilled one. Just my particular tastes I guess.

But, oh well, to each there own. Another successful day on the water and happy fishing to all.

The winds are laying down now quite nicely and had a very good weekend of fishing that took place. Was able to round up 4 of the 10 hookups to the boat, nicest one was around 70 pounds. Not bad for an outing. One absolutely went airborne extremely high, almost like it was shot out of a canon. Looks like the tarpon fishing is going to be getting even better around the falling tides which will occur sometime in the evening and closer to dark. Should be fun trying to hook up with some in the blackness.

Bluefish continue to be a fundamental target for about all fisherman, mainly when using reeking bloody baits like cut menhaden. At first light could start being positive for snook, redfish, tarpon and spinner sharks as the fish begin swimming into the reefs attempting to locate menhaden.

Fresh baits work excellent, but it’s also a chance to take them on artificials like the MirrOlure MirrOmullet Luminescence Series 16MR.

OFFSHORE: It looks like the weathermen are planning for fishable conditions with southeasterly winds. If that’s the circumstance, be expecting some of the good dolphin fishing of last weekend to continue. Water conditions have been critical and it’s a good idea to try to detect water temperatures that are atleast 74 degrees. Right where those high temperature breaks come about you ought to find billfish life.

Also keep a lookout for color changes, weed lines and hovering rubbish. Where you find the dolphin, expect to find a collection of tuna – predominately blackfin with the special yellowfin – as well as wahoo.

Substructure fishermen might likely find big scamp and gag grouper action as well as red snapper fishing. Live baits are ideal but chunk baits of sardines produce as well. The key is locating flowing settings that allow anglers to get to the bottom, recently that’s been a quandary.

MOSQUITO LAGOON, INDIAN & BANANA RIVERS: Warmer conditions should mean better fishing for those out to catch redfish and trout on Mosquito Lagoon and the Banana and Indian Rivers. Look for the best times to be early in the morning. The Mosquito Lagoon fish have proved particular over the last few weeks due to pressure from a constant stream of fisherman. Fish in the Indian River at Titusville or near Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island on the Banana River ought to be a slight more supportive.

At the crack of dawn, wading along the Pineda Causeway could be a good chance, with slot trout and reds keeping fisherman occupied. Soft synthetic jerk baits are widely used choice but keep checking them to make sure that baitfish haven’t bitten the tails off.

SEBASTIAN INLET: With large waves and heavy seas landing on the jetties have reduced most action but that should increase for the period of the next three to four days. Look forward to mixed bags to be the spice of life with sheephead, black drum, bluefish and mackerel giving most of the diversion.

For snook and redfish, take to the north jetty at night with live shrimp, mullet or flare hair jigs. Water appearance out of the inlet has been somewhat faded so chartreuse and red jigs work best.

The morning times are best for locating redfish and snook mutilating groups of mullet on the oceanside of south jetties.

Snook this spring from Pine Island and Charlotte Harbor was marvelous. This was the coolest snook fishing I have been a part of in just about 3 seasons. I had several days that felt like I was in a time warp and fishing for snook back in the late 70′s. There was one day outstandingly where I fished a good couple of hours fishing with a pal where we stayed doubled up on snook more or less the entire time we were fishing. We brought alongside 15 fish over 10 pounds and another 20 or so in the the slot, with not a single puny fish. The coolest thing that happened that Monday was fishing a spot I had not at all fished in my time on the water due to the result of all the people in the location and the not so early start we got out on the bay. Sometimes you need to keep in mind that every so often you ought to take the blinders off and take a look about instead of just running to your desired fishing spot. These snook where clearly migrating to the passes and we chanced up on them in a pot on an isle.

Will most likely be poon fishing entirely for the next 3-4 months, and for everybody else interested in jumping some tarpon, the tarpon will stay hot well into late July when the poons roam into the harbor and plunder up to the first sign of cold fronts. Some of the best tarpon fishing of the year is July-September.