Fishing Lake George In Florida's Indian River for Carp and Tarpon

posted on 15 March 2011 | posted in Recreation and Hobbies

So I grew up on the Indian river witch runs along the east coast of Florida. There you will find some of the best fishing anywhere in the United States let alone the world. I would always play hookie just to fish. Well this time I didn't have to - it was the mid of summer and it was hot 95 degrees and humid as it'll get out there. I was fishing a spot I knew to be good for carp and tarpon (with my carp fishing tackle and trusty rod) and it was early morning when I set off still dark. I had taped lights on the bow of my 10' gamefisher so I could set off early and I was fishing all morning without a hit. I was using live mullet trying to lure in the big fish, but nothing was biting. It was like holding a porterhouse in front of a cougar with no reaction. I could see some tarpon rolling in the flats but they weren't touching my bait either (probably going after all the soft shells). So I was about to call it a day about noonish half sun burnt and dehydrated from just drinking beer when I got a hit. I was so excited my first hit all day just as I started reeling in. So I stopped reeling waiting for that big sucker to start spooling my little penn and like clockwork she took off - she fought hard. I could she flashes of gold and the unmistaken lateral line of a snook! She started to make her way into the shallows making a b line for the mangrove and I knew if she got in there it was all over. I tightend my drag got out of the boat and started walking barefoot over oysters. There was no chance I was going to loose this fish! She beat me to it I let out an agravating grown as I felt my line go slack. She had made it into the mangroves and I was left with nothing but my leg shaking from the adrenaline. I started making my way back to the boat for a ciggerette and beer when I heard somthing thrashing. I made my way toward the noise when I saw somthing big moving in the groves. Ha I started laughing she had got the line caught up I went over and grabed the line and slide my hand to her mouth and grabed her. What I pulled out was beautiful, one of the biggest snooks I've bagged. She was about 30lbs witch was crazy because she was only 36 inches. I knew she was fat with eggs so I took a picture of her and started to walk her in the shallows she was tired I could feel her slowly moving her gills when she thrashed around a bit and spit up the hook and that's when I found out that when I started reeling in I had hooked a soft shell and that's what I thought was the first hit and only by luck a snook was there moments later to engulf the crab mullet cocktail. I kept walking her till she was ready she exploded once more right out of my hand and the slowly took off in the shallows.