Puerto Rico is renowned as a fishing destination, but the hidden gem is the year-round Tarpon fishing. This week the Urban Fishing Show is in Puerto Rico with Captain Armando of www.MagicTarpon.com fishing for Tarpon and Snook.
Puerto Rico is renowned as a fishing destination for huge Marlin, Wahoo, and Mahi Mahi offshore, but the hidden gem is the year-round Tarpon fishing. Only three and a half hours from New York City, this tropical island is a territory of the U.S. so you don't need a passport or worry about international travel restrictions on this direct flight. So get ready for tight lines and screaming reels!
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Tarpon Fishing
This week the Urban Fishing Show is in Puerto Rico with Captain Armando of
www.MagicTarpon.com
fishing for Tarpon and Snook. Nicole has never caught a tarpon before and I am very excited for the hard fight. Puerto Rico has Tarpon fishing year round in the lagoons and mangrove canals. Making our way through the canals of the mangrove forest, our first stop was to cast net for sardines and triple tail herring. These are like candy for Tarpon and Snook. Seeing the perfect circle unfold from the cast net, it brought me back to my youth in Orlando Florida as I searched for Shiners, to use as bait for lunker Largemouth Bass. Just as the smile grew ten years ago, it grows now as the cast net pulls in enough Anchovies to fill the livewell.
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Bowing To The King
With plenty of bait for the afternoon we cruised into the lagoon. Captain Armando was amazing as he took the time to show us how to "bow to the silver kings". This term has been thrown around by many fishermen, but few have described what it means as well as Captain Armando. Tarpon are known for their acrobatic, lighting fast jumps, and ability to throw a hook. By extending the rod as far outwards as possible (bowing) this reduces the tension on the hook and greatly increases the chances of landing a Tarpon. Captain Armando also explained how circle hooks are designed to hook in the soft side of the mouth instead of the armored plated jaws that crush crabs and other shellfish. He warned, "Just make sure to reel and whatever you do DON’T set the hook!” By using the right equipment and following these guidelines the chances of catching and landing one of these incredible Tarpon are greatly increase.Back to the Top
Silver streak and Scales
As we glided over the lagoon with only the wind determining our destination there was suddenly a silver streak and scales floating to the surface. In an instant Nicole's line was tight and drag was screaming from the reel. She braced herself against the power of the fish. As she gained line back we waited for the spectacular jump, but instead the fish stayed down. As the fish tired and came to the surface a black lateral line showed that Nicole had instead caught her first Snook!Back to the Top
Snook Fishing:
Snook are incredible fish and a hard fight. Living in the same brackish and saltwater as tarpon they are a common catch in Puerto Rico. Just like Tarpon they are ambush predators commonly living around rocks, canals, and mangrove roots where they can stalk baitfish.Back to the Top
Rain Means Great Fishing:
As we let the Snook go, we noticed a large dark cloud coming in over the mangrove trees. This is exactly what Captain Armando was hoping for in the afternoon. As the rain comes over Puerto Rico and into the canals it pushes the baitfish into large schools along the lagoon. If it rains enough then the salinity of the water changes and causes the baitfish to become disorganized and sometimes die. A feeding frenzy for Tarpon, Snook, and birds. Back to the Top
Tarpon Feeding Frenzy:
With the rain starting, we headed straight towards the mangrove canals. We were rewarded with the sight of thousands of baitfish schooling all around the boat. Within seconds of letting our lines into the water Nicole's line tightened and a Tarpon soared into the air. She tightened the line and braced as the fish lept into the air a second time. "Bow! Bow to the fish Nicole." The action happened so quickly and then her line went slack. On the second jump the Tarpon had loosened the hook and escaped. Nicole was left with a huge smile on her face and repeatedly said, "That was crazy!" Back to the Top
Lessons Learned and Forgotten :
With Tarpon still hitting bait all around the boat, my line was next to tighten. As the adrenaline surged and my rod bent downwards I instinctively set the hook. I could feel the mighty head jerk and then nothing as I pulled the hook out of the tarpons mouth. I had forgotten the lesson of not setting the hook!Back to the Top
Spectacular Silver Tarpon:
As I was reeling in my line and laughing about my mistake there was a huge splash by the mangroves and Nicole was again fighting a Tarpon. Working hard to get the Tarpon out of the tangles of the mangrove roots, she slowly maneuvered the fish towards the boat. Nicole's face lit up having landed her first Tarpon and relieved to have won the battle.Back to the Top
Fish Kiss
Smiling for the camera with her Tarpon, Captain Armando said, "It is good luck to kiss your first fish." "I'm not going to kiss it on the lips, but I will kiss it on the cheek!" said Nicole in a squeal. That fish was lucky to get that kiss and was even more thrilled to be put back into the water to grow for another fight.Back to the Top
Tarpon Fishing Guides:
This was an incredible afternoon with Captain Armando of www.MagicTarpon.com. Urban Fishing Show would most certainly recommend Magic Tarpon to all of our viewers as both captains have a wealth of information and will put you on the fish. In this trip Nicole was able to land her first Snook and Tarpon! I learned the hard way of not setting the hook when fishing with circle hooks. We cannot wait to head back down to Puerto Rico again!Back to the Top
To Learn more about Magic Tarpon and make a reservation for your next trip, visit:
www.MagicTarpon.com