Tarpon in Packery?

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mwatson71
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Tarpon in Packery?

Post by mwatson71 »

Have any of you Corpus guys caught, seen, or heard of tarpon being caught in Packery Channel? I am fairly certain I hooked and jumped a small one. I'll add that I caught about 20 ladyfish including one that was close to 2 feet long, and I know the difference. The fish in question was about 2 1/2 feet long, wider, thicker, and stronger than a ladyfish, and the coloring and head really looked like a tarpon. I got about a 10 second run and then it went airborne and threw the hook about 20 yards in front of me. I am about 95% certain it was a tarpon, but wanted to check if anyone could confirm they exist in Packery.
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Neumie
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Neumie »

More than likely you did hook into a Tarpon given the description.

You can catch them in the bays as well. I hooked into a 2 footish one as well fishing around Ingleside on the Bay.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Ron Mc »

On a 4' storm tide, I caught baby tarpon in the Bottleneck between Fence and Allyn's lakes on St. Jo island - that was back in the '90s. We were catching jacks there at the same time.
There should be tarpon in Packery. Aransas Bay reports a couple every year.
Jim caught one in the Pasture at S. Padre last summer.
You're doing good Michael, keep at it.
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Cityfisher
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Cityfisher »

Kinda funny you bring that up. I just had a customer of mine I was talking to a few days ago said his buddy caught a 200lb Tarpon in South Padre. He said it was the bay although I didn't have time to ask where exactly. He told me he was with a guide and I could call him and get the guides phone number if I wanted to go try. I mean, look at the size of this fish!!!
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DHardy
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by DHardy »

There were some Tarpon and Snook hanging around last year. There is a particular spot that used to hold Tarpon. I saw quite a few dead Snook and a few dead small Tarpon in the canals in my neighborhood after the February freeze. Nothing big. Have not caught or seen a Tarpon or Snook in the area since the February freeze. I fish 3-4 days a week. You might have hung one, very distinctive bite. Lucky!
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Kayak Kid »

Why not tarpon in the waters around Corpus? They were once there in great numbers.

I was stationed in the summer of 67 at the Coast Guard Station Port Aransas. On the nights I had liberty, I usually wondered over to (what is now known as the PA beach pier) to watch the tarpon fishermen do their thing.

They used heavy off-shore rods and reels. Beneath a large, twelve inch square, natural cork bobber, they dropped a long wire leader, at the end of which was a large treble hook baited with a massive live mullet. It was quite a thrilling sight to see these dedicated fishermen fight a two hundred plus pound tarpon close enough for someone to lower a three pronged gaff at the end of a rope and, with the help of two men, bring the fish onto the pier.

At the time, this diversion from search and rescue duties was a welcome diversion. Yet, looking back and recalling the sight of three to four of these beautiful fish, dangling dead from the top of the pier, brings tears to my eyes, and remorseful thoughts of how, so often in the past, we have callously treated the wildlife on this planet.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Ron Mc »

FDR fished Aransas Bay for Tarpon when Port Aransas was named Tarpon, Texas.

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/80-years ... sas-texas/

https://www.kristv.com/news/remembering-tarpon-texas
CopanoCruisin
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by CopanoCruisin »

I am pretty sure many years ago that the Deep Sea Roundup was called the Tarpon Rodeo. Just saying ........cC
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Dandydon
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Dandydon »

Congratulations on that hookset and short, fun sleighride, Capt. Watson. It makes your heart race to hook a heavy powerful fish from a kayak. Too bad nobody was around to snap a photo, or better yet, a Go-Pro video.

Your description sounds like tarpon to me, but my second guess would be a jack crevalle. I've had the misfortune to catch many large jackfish, one which pulled my Malibu 2 kayak from the Texas City Dike into the Ship Channel for 50 long minutes. After I released it, I could barely manage the paddle back to the ramp. Couldn't raise my arms above shoulder-height for two days.

Back to your fish, both species are muscular and scissor-tailed, but the crevalle has a big bulging head. The tarpon is more straight-lined from head to tail.

Keep up the good work and shoot us some action photos. ImageImage

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mwatson71
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by mwatson71 »

Definitely not a jack. I have caught plenty of jack crevalle. This fish was much faster than a jack crevalle and had a long body. At first I thought it might have been a ladyfish when it hit and ran but it was stronger and thicker than a ladyfish. Also when it went airborne it had the forehead and jawline of a tarpon. I just wasn’t sure they existed in Packery Channel but after hearing the locals, I am now 99% certain it was a juvie tarpon.
outbreaker
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by outbreaker »

My grandfather accidentally caught a small tarpon in a cast net when we were getting bait in the early 1980s in Freeport. It screwed up his shoulder (probably tore the rotator cuff). I did not realize at the time how special this was and why he was so excited.
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Fishtolive
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Fishtolive »

Yes, I have seen someone caught a small tarpon over 10 years ago in Packery Channel.
Congratulations on the hookup.
It is on my bucket list too.
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Kitsune
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Kitsune »

Yes there are Tarpon around packery and I would not be the least surprised if you hooked up to one. It was either that or a a Lady….usually a Tarpon has much more size in terms of girth and length.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Ron Mc »

I'm pretty sure Michael knows the difference - even at a distance.
Last year this time, caught my PB ladyfish - She thought she was a tarpon.
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Kitsune
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Re: Tarpon in Packery?

Post by Kitsune »

We ran into some on East Shore near AP last week that wrecked havoc too… also found some nice trout around them as well!
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