Bunche Beach Redux - 05/08/09

Seeing the "tarpon dance" at Bunche beach two days earlier just whetted my appetite to pursue the tarpon there at my next opportunity! Friday, May 8, 2009, provided me with that opportunity.

Once again I planned to fish the last couple of hours of the rising tide and the first couple of the falling tide. I probably should have caught the early tide at first light, but it was late the night before when I got home from a gig at the Mucky Duck out on Captiva Island, and waking up seemed like a better idea after sunrise than before.

As I paddled towards Bowditch Point off Bunche Beach, I trolled a little Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow and a large Yo-Zuri on the other side of the kayak. I hooked a 17 inch ladyfish on the small Yo-Zuri, but the fish managed to thoroughly tangle both lines and I had my hands full juggling the thrashing ladyfish while cutting the tangles out of my lines and re-tying both leaders while drifting in the kayak with the still hooked ladyfish tugging against the old leader which I held clenched in my teeth! Eventually I got 'er done and hooked the ladyfish live on an 8/0 circle hook on my Shimano Terramar tarpon rod with the big Penn 750ssm reel.

I stowed the recently re-rigged rods with the lures and just trolled the live ladyfish out to the point where I started my drift. During that drift, I did see a big tarpon roll about 100 feet away, but nothing hit the ladyfish. As I drifted, I casted the little Yo-Zuri and snagged a nice blue runner which went into my footwell "baitwell". I had three blue runners left over from two days earlier which I had kept on ice to use as backup cut bait if needed. You can see the live runner (in the footwell on the right) and the backup baits in this picture...



As I drifted, Punta Rassa and the Sanibel Causeway were visible in the distance to the north...



the tip of Sanibel Island and the lighthouse were several miles distant to the west...



and a half mile to my south was Bowditch Point at the northwest tip of Estero Island.



The wind was about 10-12mph out of the southwest so I sort of fished a zig-zag pattern with my drifts. The wind would blow me northeast and when I hit shallow water I would paddle due west so I zig-zagged my way generally northwards while covering a good bit of water in the process. By hooking the ladyfish through the nose, it trolled nicely behind as I paddled and was free to swim about as I drifted.

There is another kayak tarpon fisherman that I have seen on the water several times. He usually anchors his kayak and freelines live or cut bait while chumming. In respect for his fishing turf, I have never approached closer than maybe 150 feet, but we have hollered conversations about tarpon and fishing techniques several times in the past.



He reported having seen six tarpon but had not had a hookup.

Shortly after taking his picture, I had a hit and run with the ladyfish as I paddled out for another drift, but I failed to get a hookup and the encounter left my ladyfish dead. I replaced the ladyfish with a live blue runner and continued fishing.

The tide went slack at full flood just after noon. I dropped my barbell plate anchor overboard and cut the dead ladyfish and the several dead blue runners into small chunks and chummed the water around me with them. I figured if no tarpon hit, perhaps I would get a hit from a shark which would give me a fun ride in the kayak. As I floated in the noonday sun, I cracked one of several cold brewskis and cooled my feet in the 83 degree water of the Gulf.



I also practiced the fine art of peeing into an empty beer bottle while seated in a bobbing kayak at anchor. I will spare you pictures of THAT particular event. (Hey! I couldn't take pictures of that anyway. Both hands were occupied and there was no way to hold a camera!)

After an hour, my attention deficit disorder kicked in and I had to get moving again. It gets boring sitting still with nothing much happening. Besides, I was out of beer and the tide was moving and I felt like I should be too. My bait had quit moving too so I unhooked it and fed him to the fishes.

I dragged the little Yo-Zuri behind the kayak and paddled up into Matanzas Pass. I went exploring up one of the salt creeks that serves as a boat channel from one of the condo developments there. (That blurry object at the top of the pic is NOT a UFO! It's my finger tip!)



I was hoping to pick up another ladyfish or blue runner, but it didn't happen. On my way back out of the salt creek, I spied this blue heron cleverly camoflaged amidst the dead mangrove stumps...



As I paddled back to Bunche Beach, I did entice this little gag grouper to hit my Yo-Zuri.



I was loaded up and on the road by 2:30. I made a quick stop at Bonita Bill's and ran into fellow musician and local resident and live-aboard sailor, "Boat Lizard Pete". Pete was fishing off the dock for his supper.



He scored a nice 14 inch mangrove snapper while I watched him fish. At the end of the dock I snapped this picture of the shrimp fleet docked along San Carlos Island...



I stopped at the Twisted Conch in Cape Coral for a quick snack and brew. My friend, Monica, was bartendress this day.



The only other customer there when I arrived was a fellow by the name of Jerry, to whom Monica introduced me. Jerry and I soon became involved in a lively tarpon fishing discussion. Jerry told me about the huge tarpon his wife, Jen, had caught in Boca Grande Pass two years previously. Within minutes of hearing Jerry's story, his lovely wife, Jen, showed up there and we all had a good ole time talking tarpon and enjoying a beer! Here's a pic of Jen and Jerry...



It was not a real productive day fishing wise, but it had been fun and I made some friends and I got out on the water. You can't catch a tarpon unless you are on the water with a wet line. I'll just have to keep on trying. I chose to view today's efforts as a tarpon catching rehearsal! :)

Life is good!