Tarpon Guide Adapts Approach With Sonar, Charts

In years past, Tarpon guides located fish simply by using visual cues. If they couldn’t see Tarpon rolling on the surface or spot them cruising the flats, they would move on knowing they were leaving tarpon behind with no way to target them. But with the sonar technology and cartography they have now, it has changed how anglers chase Tarpon.

One secret that Captain Mark Bennett (Boca Grande, Florida) disclosed is the power of using Humminbird’s MEGA Side Imaging^® to find and catch more Tarpon.

“For so long we would rely on our eyes to locate Tarpon. Once I got on the water with MEGA Imaging and discovered how effective it is in finding Tarpon that aren’t rolling, it changed how I targeted Tarpon forever,” said Captain Bennett. “Now, I can use my Minn Kota trolling motor to cruise around looking for tarpon on my MEGA Side Imaging and make accurate casts left or right of the boat to tarpon that we never would have known were near us. The Side Imaging on my Humminbird APEX® multi-function display is so sharp that you can clearly see which direction the tarpon are facing and make an accurate cast or position the boat accordingly.”

“It’s changed how I target Tarpon forever”

Almost every guide that chases Tarpon has a favorite area or “hotspot” where they seem find and catch Tarpon on the regular, but most have no idea why that area is effective. Humminbird CoastMaster® Charts helps tell that story. Bennett mentioned, “I had some really good areas for Tarpon, but I never knew why until I put my eyes on CoastMaster charts. Not only did it help me understand why my area was producing but it also helped me find many more areas just like it.”

CoastMaster is known for its accuracy in contour detail but another aspect that makes it so effective is the capabilities to customize your charts to preview the most important information. CoastMaster’s VX technology provides five customizable color palettes and highlight features that allow any topographical irregularities to pop, as well as customizable presets that let you quickly cycle between your favorite settings for specific fishing or navigational scenarios.

Bennett states, “These Humminbird charts have really opened my eyes to how many more areas can be holding Tarpon. With the different color palette options, I can find a high-percentage area and quickly find more areas just like it. It speeds up the process in finding, catching and learning more about these fish.”

Another important tool is its built-in tides and current tools that help him plan his day based on tidal direction and height, as well as the speed and direction of currents.

Having the combination of his Humminbird APEX® multi-functional displays and CoastMaster charts can be a hyper-effective duo in targeting Tarpon. For full-time saltwater guides, it is a no-brainer because it increases the number of opportunities at getting their clients hooked up with the fish of lifetime. Bennett concluded with, “Tarpon don’t feed all day, meaning there is times where you’re not going to visually see them. The process of using my charts to find high-percentage areas and my MEGA Imaging to locate fish helps put everyone in my boat on more fish.”

If you want to read more about the effectiveness of Humminbird MEGA Imaging, check out this article on Locating and Catching Tarpon with Side Imaging.