Mid Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay - Eastern shore tarpon

Anyone have any general information on Eastern shore tarpon? I know that this is a closely held secret, but I am into fly fishing and would love to learn more about the tarpon. I have some experience with shallow water fishing and poling flats.

Are tarpon found regularly or just once in a while? Is it worth trying to target them specifically?

Do tarpon show up in the CBBT light lines at night? I have fished tarpon in bridge light lines in Tampa and Miami with pretty good success. I was thinking about trying this at the CBBT this summer.

My wife and I just bought a house in Cape Charles, VA and I will be doing a lot more fishing in that area from now on. Not looking for any top secret information, only some general pointers.

I have heard of a few tarpon being caught on the flats of the eastern shore, but they are few and far between. You will enjoy fly fishing for schoolie striped bass and other inshore species.

This is from the angler's guide from Virginia Marine Resource Commission. Most anything fished for in those necks of the woods is kept secret.


Tarpon Whole dead fish (spot,
croaker, menhaden); live bait
(spot, croaker, menhaden,
mullet); whole squid; artificial
lures (plugs and weighted
streamer flies)


Anchor and fish live bait under floats, fish
dead bait on the bottom and at various
depths; cast artificial lures to rolling fish
Inlets, interior marsh areas, and ocean
waters along the beaches of Eastern Shore
seaside barrier islands; fish deep holes on
low tides and shallow areas on high tides

Late June early September;
peak July — August

40 – 80 pounds 130 pounds; caught on Eastern
Shore seaside in 1975 by
Barry Truitt

Tarpon is one of the best kept and tightly guarded secrets here on the Eastern Shore. I don't fish for them because I can't eat them.... however I have been known to stalk them once in awhile... never caught one though.

If you happen to get within 1/2 mile of someone tarpon fishing in a favorite spot they are likely to pick up and move so you cannot identify the location. I'm serious.

I have a friend who has caught one in the bay. He was drum fishing with cut bait.

There is one person on the Eastern Shore who probably knows more about tarpon fishing here than all others combined. His name is.... Jack Brady. He is about 75 years old and as crusty as they get. He is probably been responsible for over half the tarpon caught around here in the last 40 years.

A couple of years ago my friends Dave and Monte went out with Jack on a hot August day out of Oyster. We fished for some bait (croaker) and went to a hot spot to try and catch a tarpon.

There were no tarpon caught that day but I'm telling you we saw at least 30 of them within 25 yards of the boat. They would come up and roll and break the surface and that was it. They were all much bigger than 50 lbs... who knows how much bigger..

You can find Jack by way of Chris and Mark at Chris's Bait and Tackle.

So there you go... everything I know about Tarpon on the Eastern Shore.

Richard

ESFishdoc, thanks for that info. I will try to get in touch with Jack Brady through Chris's Bait and Tackle. Sounds like he could teach me a lot.

Tarpon are strange beasts but they are an addictive pursuit.

Look for my Jones Brothers with the robin's egg blue hull sides!

have you spent any time on the Tarpon on the ES?



Anyone have any general information on Eastern shore tarpon? I know that this is a closely held secret, but I am into fly fishing and would love to learn more about the tarpon. I have some experience with shallow water fishing and poling flats.

Are tarpon found regularly or just once in a while? Is it worth trying to target them specifically?

Do tarpon show up in the CBBT light lines at night? I have fished tarpon in bridge light lines in Tampa and Miami with pretty good success. I was thinking about trying this at the CBBT this summer.

My wife and I just bought a house in Cape Charles, VA and I will be doing a lot more fishing in that area from now on. Not looking for any top secret information, only some general pointers.

Unfortunately, I have spent almost no time fishing this summer. I did get out a few times in June but that its it so far! Work has me very busy and the hot weather has made the inshore water temps exceptionally high this year.

But who knows, maybe the tarpon would like the warm water. I have some time in August and I am going to try to get connected up with Jack Brady.

The Coastal Bays behind Assateague Have Tarpon in Late August, Best bait is Large Croaker. Goodluck!

I spent a few years over there chasing tarpon. I found a few places they frequent. I will point you in the right direction. Launch from oyster and explore the flats and deep holes adjacent to the flats. The best time to find their holes is on scorching hot days with no wind. When the water gets really warm there is less oxygen. Tarpon can breath by rolling when they breach they are gulping air. On a flat calm day you can spot them from a distance. Good Luck.

Tom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_8kqcoLCbA

Cobb Island and other Virginia barrier islands I heard.

Behind Assateague huh? Too shallow for me and my cream colored Jones Brothers hull! LOL

Dave :-)