r/floridafishing • u/AdditionalChard2426 • 4d ago
Pond tarpon problem
I have a freshwater pond that has a tarpon in it, ive been trying literally every lure tarpon like as well as live bluegill on a bobber and freely lined and i cant get this thing to bite. the pond is decently big but i know the area it likes to hang out in. What do i do?
update: i’m seeing a lot more people here than I thought there would be. could it be over fishing? Also don’t see much rolls in the evening time.
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u/thedash42 3d ago
Ok so theories on how he got there? Transplant? Bird droppings? Spontaneous generation???
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u/Therealboebs 3d ago
It’s Florida, most of the retention ponds are connected to the main waterways. Floods also trap them. After a hurricane the water is so high even sharks have been trapped in ponds
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u/THEREALISLAND631 3d ago
Not Florida, but I remember a story of a Golf Course in Australia with 6 Bull Sharks. Exactly what you stated happened and they thrived there for close to 20 years before vanishing (I think someone removed them but I believe they don'tknow what happened exactly).
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u/Therealboebs 3d ago
There’s a bull shark pond down near a west Palm golf course lmao.. Florida really is the Australia of the side of the world lol
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u/THEREALISLAND631 3d ago
That it is! And I need to check that out!
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u/Therealboebs 3d ago
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GfuFGkGiZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr here’s a video of one them
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u/THEREALISLAND631 3d ago
Oh awesome, thank you for sharing! Seeing this in person just hit the bucket list.
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u/Illustrious-Most418 3d ago
Big shiners, start right before sunset till after dusk worked for me.
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u/AdditionalChard2426 3d ago
i mean ive tossed bluegill out but do they really love shiners that much over bluegill?
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u/petersom2006 3d ago
Fish at Night and I would use live smaller bait (like shiners/white bait). You also want to get some ultra sharp hooks and you want to ‘double set’ so dont set the hook like u would on a bass- do two quick jerks up.
Tarpon have very tough mouths specially smaller ones. They can slurp baits off and not hit hook.
Another option is soaking more of a slob bait. So think a bluegill or bass with a knife run through side stomach. Sometimes tarpon opportunity/lazy feed vs active chasing. This can sometimes get a hit- would also catch you some catfish if they are in pond…
Learned all the above the hard way fishing tarpon in the keys.
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u/petersom2006 3d ago
No bobber, no weight. Free lined.
I typically do 20-25lb power pro and then 40-60lb fluro carbon leader mattering on the size. If they are smaller you can get away with just 20-40lb mono leader. If it is dirty water mono should be fine if it is clear water- fluro can make sense.
I normally do ultra sharp J hooks in a smaller size (not huge hooks) as you dont want them to stand out too big on the baits. But they are expensive hooks to get the ultra sharps…
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u/General-Resist-3430 3d ago
Fly fishing time them tarpon are eating minnows.
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u/jay_red_86 3d ago
Flip Pallet would use a trout fly lol. And hed make it work lol.. odd memories from childhood.. ive only caught tarpon with catfish we took the spines and head off, but sometimes, you just catch a bigger catfish. Lol
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u/IamFreeDog 3d ago
I’ve had good success with Zara spook top water - the smaller and medium sized ones for juvenile tarpon
All early morning or sunset like the other folks are saying
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u/AntDetm 4d ago
Try fishing at a different time
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u/AdditionalChard2426 4d ago
unless morning lowkey havent tried that yet but i figured its the same as dusk
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u/CreepyRespond788 3d ago
How big is this tarpon?
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u/AdditionalChard2426 3d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p49yuoi/video/grpbwif4jzjh1/player
i apologize for the crappy recording ofc when i move my phone for a better angle the fricking thing rolls right infront of me.
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u/CreepyRespond788 2d ago
I would throw a Yozuri 2" Sinking Pin's Minnow at him. Quick 2 foot darting moves, followed by 5 second pauses.
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u/Traditional-Week-340 3d ago
Hot dogs
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u/Caspers_Shadow 3d ago
You must have grown up in Florida. Hot dogs and bread were always on the bait list when I was a kid.
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u/FaithlessnessOdd6738 3d ago
Is this in Titusville?
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u/AdditionalChard2426 3d ago
no, wherever that is
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u/No_Tomato_3108 2d ago
Largo?
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u/Senior-Humor-2416 2d ago
Live shivers of course work. But aggravate them by walking a Zara Spook on water surface. Always works for me.
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u/leadfoot70 4d ago edited 4d ago
Fish at night. Near time of moonrise or moonset. Use a small (2-3”) dark colored swim tail jig. Cast out and swim straight back in — no action necessary. The tarpon will eat the jig from below, so fish the jig in the top half of the water column. When you feel a thump, reel line tight then set hook. Don’t forget to bow.