TARPON FISHING RIO SAN JUAN
Tarpon, Megalops Atlanticus , Silver King, Grandes Ecailles, Youcou yonde...
Tarpon 80lb / 160lb can jump at 10 feet high, Biggest one (over 200lb) do not jump so high. Most of the time they only shake half of the body out of the water.. But with so much speed and Strength.... I suggest you have a look at my VIDEO COMING SOON |
Tarpon Fishing Rio San Juan: Nicaragua and Costa Rica
What to expect .... Fish 90lb/250lb are present all year round, In front or close to Lodging. Usual catch 90lb/200lb. Quiet Fresh Water, No Hard Bara to pass, No sea sick WE DO NOT FISH JIGGING Professional Local Guides... Most of them with more than a Thousand tarpon reported Conventional fishing on light tackles max 30lb and fly Fishing. Professional Tackles 50 sets, 1000 lures to choose from We like to fish light... Max 30lb , Usual 20lb/25lb, for expert as low as 12lb... This whatever size of fish we have optimum conditions here, we can do that. No or Very very few Mosquitoes.. All year round Sun and Rain, Rain and sun.. We go for tarpon 90lb to 160lb this is the average range, then we have the Big ones 160lb /200lb and the Giants of more than 200lb... Our biggest weighed is 253lb, I report two fish much bigger released to the boat we figure around 300lb.. In 2006 Tarpon International Tournament Winner has been 193lb, then 182lb, 160lb, 143, 121lb... Tarpon are present all year round moving up and down stream, Some migrate some stay there. These are the Big ones different color almost black on the back, gold/green on the side... During a fishing trip on San Juan river we will go where Tarpon are active... We have our spots close from Lodge and if we encounter any problems we will chase for them going as far as 45 Miles down River..or in great Nicaragua Lake. Any Questions? Comments? Suggestion? upon Tarpon fishing Please Contact Philippe at E mail riosanjuan@racsa.co.cr Or gimme a call at 506 88 42 76 73 |
Picture bellow : 120lb tarpon on light tackle, This is the fishing we enjoy so much with our Guests.. Angler is Mr. Frank Yerich from texas. http://www.yerich.com/nicaragua.htm
FIGHT IS ALWAYS A SHOW ... may last 10mn or three hours depending of strength of fish and skill of angler.
My recommendation fish " Finesse.." Nobody can stop a running tarpon... after the jumps come the moment to start to try to enter the line because or a short time fish will be tired ( it is a lot of effort for them to jump up to 10 feet !!!!) but pleased rod down, and do not put a lot of pressure...the more you put the more the tarpon will give you back...After a while tarpon from time to time will surface...You will see the eye...he does not come to see you.. He does that to gulp some air...Tarpon have a double system to breath, the Geals as all other fishes and also a kind of Lumb... If tarpon can surface and fill this "lumb" you will be on for another 15mn... To avoid that when you feel tarpon try to come up to breathe Try to keep it down, rod at the water or flip it..
Releasing Tarpon
Our goal is to release the fish alive and in good condition, the shorter the fight the better The pictures below show Augusto and El Chele in action. According to I.G.F.A Rules once the knot "line to double" touch the tippet of the rod, they can grab the 100lb leader and bring the fish to the boat to quit the lure... Some tarpon are still green it may be to early... You will decide together... Very important once they quit the lures and you shot some pictures it will be necessary to also proceed to a reanimation of fish...
Tarpon fishing..
What I REALLY ENJOY THE MOST is than every time it is different: fish can jump immediately.. or run 100 yards and jump , or run 200yards and stay there no jump or run again..... or no jump for one hour and then jump 8 times in a row ( Mr Guiton) or run to the boat, or stick to the bottom .. Bottom hook up..? a log.?. You go back ...slack line boat turn..3 mn past... Now the lure is under the boat.. You are certain this is Bottom.. You pull hard and then fish jump in your face. ( Hello Jeff Klassen )
Sometime I get mad on reading articles or book written by some Famous Tarpon Masters. They describe Tarpon behavior as somewhere standard.. Run and Jump.. That is why people ( lose so many Tarpon...) also i do not like articles it because the most interesting with tarpon is than there is no standard behavior.. The most attractive part is than we have no idea of what can happen.. this is probably the reason why after so many tarpon caught we still loves to go for them...
NOTE In this paragraph I talk of fishing with lures , not with Circle Hooks " it is difficult to set the hook as tarpon mouth is Paved like a stone... " correct but there are some wick points Sometime I wonder what exactly means set a hook specifically on a Tarpon.. Most of the time Anglers are using Nylon Mono Filament a lot of stretch whatever the brand ... Just make an experience tied to any fix point a 20lb Igfa Mono filament line... then walk 20 yards from this point line in hand .. block the drag then stretch the line walking back and count how many feet you can stretch the line..( Do that with Bimini knots till the line break ) Well some some people tell you set a hook by Lifting a rod 6 feet long ?... Correct eventual way to try to set a hook on a tarpon using a Nylon line is when fish is running so line in tension then strike shortly 2 or 3 times rod down on the side other way will be rod in hand using braided like when you feel the first attacks..
I insist with mono filament let it run...the point is in no way strike like crazy but feel the fish be in contact get progressive pressure before any action.. Then you can strike Rod down and on the side in reality you use the speed of the fish.. Easy to say. .but... Well practice always practice..
All this is effective in 90% of our fishing days on San Juan River and then you have these days when tarpon do not want to bite.. you can troll, Cast, Fly fish, Bottom, with live bait, change lures color etc nothing happen they will only eventually play with your lure.. Translation: You are let say trolling and Tarpon are all around ( I mean Hundreds of them ) and nothing happen, eventually from time to time line go whistle 2 second.. 10 mn one more time... nothing !! and so on meanwhile they are here all around.???. ... 1/2 h again... then whistle and immediate jump.. at least you saw this one...These tarpon do not grab the lure they only hit the line or push the lure a bit as a dog would do when he want to warm..,
This kind of situation is known from Tarpon Aficionados... Our SOLUTION... braided line , long medium heavy action rod .. good angler able to feel the attacks it will only be two or three little touch.. then immediate strike along the boat rod down parallel to Water level.. Rod down!!!
Tarpon Fishing favorite lures, most of them
For Tarpon or Snook fishing in the water of San Juan River in Nicaragua and Costa Rica I have a preference for Rapala Lures specifically for the Super Shad rap and the Floating magnum in size 11 and 14 . Almost any rapala colors may be good according to condition of the day
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Rapala Floating Magnum Rapala shad rap
Rio San Juan Special color thanks Janos.
Some other lures are efficient Mirow lures.. Bombers , Rebels etc etc...
Some useful info on Tarpon fishing in Central America, and concerning some other efficient lures for tarpon fishing can be found on site of Mr Isaiac hernandez ( site in Spanish ) at: http://www.elanzuelo.com/la_pesca/la_pesca_del_sabalo.htm
Big fish on, down Rio san juan
In Rodal Del Toro
These pictures has been shot from deck of Fishing lodge close to Rodal del Toro on San Juan River ... Boat is a 28 footer.... Guests Mr. Jim Dillion from Usa ( Photo # 3 and 4), and Mr. Thierry Artz from France ( Photo # 1 and 2).
We provide all necessary professional equipments...For Trolling, Casting ( Spinning, and Bait Casting ) 40 rods and 500 lures to choose from. Line from 12lb to 30lb
If you come fishing with us we may ask you to bring us some specific lures hard to find here . This is in order to replace the one we eventually lost , or the ones destroy by big tarpon during your fishing days ( My proposal is: I will buy from you the remaining at end of trip)
Obviously you are welcome to bring some of your favorite tackles, Rods, reels and Lures... ....we will be glad to try them here... and also.. I know: " it's not the same to fish with Personal equipment and Guide's ones ..."
Notes & Reflexions upon Tarpon Fishing
1) IGFA world record
I have a lot of respect for IGFA who is making a fantastic job since so many years for all of us Sport fishing men... I am pleased to be a member of this institution...
I understand than being the tenant of an IGFA world record may be very important for some angler.. even more for the fame of Fishing operation
But Problem is than to have a world record registered according to present IGFA rules it is necessary to kill the fish...
Since 5 years than we are fishing Rio San Juan No Doubt we " beat " several world record for tarpon.. we caught a lot of fish of more than 150lb... many over 200lb we had fun and even been scared with these giant tarpon these one do not jump...1/3 of a body out and just shake... We enjoyed with Guests these catch on line from 12lb to 30lb.test....
We had several fish over 250lb and two close or over 300lb released to the boat.
These are estimated weight of fish.. We do not go wrong may be a few pounds.. matter of experience.. We also can calculate the weight with the length and taking the diameter around the geals..( This can be done quickly after quitting the lures , on the side of the boat ...before the final released...) Sometime we do that then estimation is more accurate
Also we had some accident with fish who were bleeding at the end or during the fight so they would have anyway died .. I report several weighed fish of more than 200lb and the biggest weighed in June 2003 253lb ( Augusto as a Guide ) , I have been told this is the Biggest tarpon ever caught in Central America..
Can any body tell me what is the USA record for Tarpon? I guess in Florida may be in Texas.. but how much? What are the State Record?
To be absolutely clear: At san Carlos Sport Fishing we really do not like the idea to Kill Tarpon.
So how could we claim a Record? with the actual Igfa requirement it is impossible .Imagine take the pictures on each side, hang the fish , weighed it with a certified scale , take the measurement , aboard a 24 feet long boat...
we would do all this process and then release them? Fish would died. Also it would be very very dangerous to do that as well for angler or guide. So sorry I have no Tarpon World record registered...
The only eventual exception would eventually be if fish is Hooked inside , in the geals and bleeding then we may decide as fish would anyway died to summit the record... but would this be really SPORT FISHING?
I will never intentionally kill fish
Alexandre and Alain my two sons beat many time the kid ( under 10 ) IGFA tarpon world record.. both of them had their first tarpon when they were 7 years old. Nowadays Alex is at 180lb, Alain 127.. They only fish on light Tackles ( Max 20lb test ) and catch their fish in 15 till 30 minutes in absolute respect of IGFA regulations... May seem INCREDIBLE but sorry this is 100% true
Our actual ( 2005) Company records for TARPON are:
(Fish released these numbers are only Estimations..)
Children Boy IGFA World record record 90lb beaten many time
Children Girl IGFA World record record beaten ONE time
12lb Men IGFA record 188lb beaten many time
12lb women IGFA record beaten many time
All Tackle.. We report two fish released to the boat we estimate over 300lb
2) ULTRA LIGHT FISHING
Since the middle of 2003 we like more and more to fish for tarpon on light line 20lb test and also on ultra light 12lb with much lighter Spinning and Bait casting reels and one piece IM7 graphite rods action Medium heavy and heavy
This is extreme and Challenging fishing... We do not lost more fish on using these techniques
3) BRAIDED LINE
No doubt super fun with our Tarpon as you can feel the fish much better... with a bit of practice and for the experts you will be able to predict what fish will do in next seconds.. This is really for me the TOP in tarpon fishing as we do that using 12lb to 20 lb braided line...
Note.. Careful...with Braided line Bimini with Braided line should only have 5 to 6 loop...( Minimum 20 with Nylon)
Special: "Paul at Night with a Tarpon.."
Thanks to Mr Paul Mahoney and Photographer Yves Van Derbecke