TARPON Fishing at FLORIDA KEYS Bridges

I head out tarpon fishing with my brother Capt. Rick Stanczyk and our friend Capt. Charles Hertel. We cast net a livewell full of mullet in the morning and then fish a couple different bridges trying to catch a tarpon. It takes a few hours but we finally get a few bites and both Rick and I catch and release tarpon!
Follow Capt Nick Stanczyk
/ captnickstanczyk
/ captnickstanczyk
Follow the StanzFam
/ stanzfam
/ stanzfam-1602429266531990
Follow the Bud n' Mary's KZbin Channel
/ @budnmarysmarina
Book a fishing charter with Capt. Nick Stanczyk daytimeswordfish.com/book-now/
Book a fishing charter at Bud n' Mary's Marina www.budnmarys.com/
Follow Capt Charles on KZbin at Tekeze TV
/ charles hertel

[@adammalone7196]

First time I’ve ever seen the floating the rod reel trick. Great stuff guys !

[@prynceal6762]

Yea that was smart! Loosened the drag too

[@FloridaTarponWrangler]

Tarpon are a true fishermans prize!

[@customledandfiberopticsinc2756]

Capt Charles has an awesome new boat in the works.

[@OutdoorsAllie]

Dude, floating the rod through the piling! Hahahahahahh that is great!

[@LMTECHHD]

Love the StanzFam Family wait that sounded way different in my head lol great video sir love it....

[@chuenyeelau]

Awesome with the way you controlled those sneaky fish and pull him away from the pilings. keep them coming Cheers

[@benwerber8450]

The penn slammer 3 is fully sealed by the way A lot of surf fisherman up here in the northeast use them VERY reliable reel

[@michaelbarton3907]

Another great video

[@ronacosta6658]

Great job....floating the reel was pretty creative.

[@StanzFam]

Thanks!

[@zjzjbigfishcatches7740]

Big Bending and Big Fish 🐟👍😂

[@Thelawncarenut]

Love it! You guys are true pros. 🤘

[@obozomustgo5449]

Nick, that floating reel and retrieval was BOSS! Saying "let's get this fish, get out of the lightening, and go to the bar" is even more BOSS!

[@rockybass9764]

I lived and fished Tarpon in the Naples area. Folks please note one really big thing they did right on the 1st fish. He never lifted the fish vertical, because if you do their guts change position, then when you let them go and they go horizontal the guts move again, all mixed up and the fish dies in 2-3 days. Very well done on the catch and release.

[@4ktrey517]

where do you fish for tarpon in Naples I live there and always wanted to catch one

[@rockybass9764]

@@4ktrey517 no flats Tarpon fishing in the Naples area. You have to go offshore and we usually went north a bit. Not too far offshore few miles at most. Caught a lot of 30 - 45-50 pounders. Take note: if you lift the fish up onto the boat you’ve basically killed it if you put back in the water. The tarpons internals is in water weightless, if you gaff it pull it in, it’s guts shift to the tail, you then lay it flat the guts slide toward the head, you lift vertically down put it back into the water repeat the process. Most die after 3 days at most. Better idea, is get it to the boat, take photos and use pliers to pull off a large scale. Release the fish. Date the scale, and you might be able to catch it again when it’s older.

[@4ktrey517]

@@rockybass9764 awesome, I will do what you say 😁

[@rockybass9764]

@@suk6806 when they jump out of the water they are basically weightless. It’s when they are tired and wore out next to the boat and you lift them vertically that parts move inside that kills them.

[@ronmiller1162]

tarpon are great and powerful fish nice watching you guys catch a few

[@biopack5307]

Monsters of the bridge. I'm there.

[@kylesmith5004]

Floating rod trick was bad ass

[@skylar_benzz]

I'm from the keys, I've seen them and I tried to go tarpon fishing in one time I fell in the water trying to catch one lol they make this look easy 😂

[@djsulli7341]

classic Nick with the banana! 😂😂

[@samkessler1111]

Tarpon and snook are at the top of my bucket list for fish. Occasionally you will hear about people around the Gulf in Alabama catch them but I think they’re more lucky than anything else.

[@isisantos3636]

Wow keep the great video's coming StanzFam. Thanks & stay safe out there. I'm watching from Victorville, California

[@joeymuhleisen1759]

I thought I’ve seen it all but floating a rod thru the pilings is a first. What a great idea!

[@sailingddcircumnavigation5931]

Great job Captain Nick. Another great video. Let the record show that you're beating all the other channels because you're putting out more videos more frequently. Thank you we really appreciate that....

[@bradb5850]

that move with the float was awesome!

[@andrewdoucet4176]

Another great video!

[@suzuki400sm]

Great job nick. 👍🏻🎣

[@yakoobjunior9631]

Amazing video and that floating rod/reel trick was really a smart idea 💡

[@danielalonso9711]

That's some Level 9000 fishing. Good thing Slammer 3s are IPX6 sealed. That's awesome!!!

[@williammathews6603]

thats just fun,but the mullet you guys were catching are mighty good fried up,chezze grits an fries oh an millerlite..oh hell yeah..be safe fellas..

[@davidloter5391]

Just subbed to your brother's fishing channel the other day. Stanczyk Fam in Full Effect. Great vids guys. Keep em coming.

[@thomassawyer6523]

I had done a lot of scuba diving in the keys, and there was "always" at least one 3 to 4 foot barracuda lurking around.

[@joejoerobinson8724]

Awesome video, I had a tarpon on in Islamorada, The size of the first one he jumped up about 5 feet in the air and spit my jerk bait Lure out. I was mad because no one will believe me but he was a big giant majestic creature.

[@mikekuczynski1552]

Some creative pylon fishing going on here . Thanks for sharing

[@StanzFam]

You bet 🎣

[@dannyscott3531]

That was EPIC!!! ( @ "float it thru " )

[@fritzstilesferrara118]

Here in Tampico Mexico we catch 200 pound tarpons and it si pretty awesome. Nice video 👌🏻

[@weistortny]

Nice job Nick and Ricky. Great job using the boat cushion! That's why you guys are professionals and the rest of us are a bunch of amateurs.

[@StanzFam]

We are semi** professional, still learning like everyone else

[@HJP1015]

@@StanzFam OK, gotta know: did Dad teach you that or did you guys think of that "on the fly:? Genius either way!! :) I have known of your Dad for decades... gotta be old school trick... but... respect for pulling it off!!! :)

[@sailingddcircumnavigation5931]

Nobody would have believed that if it wouldn't have been on tape, you floating the rod under the piling Epic Man👏👏👏👏👏

[@deesuydam8838]

Thank y'all so much for the new Video. I want to just go watch other people fish on Nick's Boat. Maybe get to run the camerra for him.

[@elforasterodelasierra5535]

Woooow awesome 😎

[@dreddiemurphy6990]

I have to link up next time im at Whale Harbor visiting Capt Greg on the Takedown 🙌🏽

[@stanleyshelby7460]

Great footage and only lost 1 GoPro, I feel you are well ahead for the day. Congrats...Mahalo and Aloha from the Big Isle "🤙"

[@bigred1952]

Poor guy Sighs " My bad Brent. I Probably should have checked that". Had to laugh, because you can hardly hear it in the background @6:49, but he is really sorry about the gopro!

[@neliooliviera8474]

Good job,very nice video.

[@tonygville2969]

Epic Peep's 👍😎

[@captraykelly]

Great video, Nick. Awesome action. Sorry about the GoPro. I use a Floating handle when underwater. Nice job floating that rod and landing that tarpon.

[@zjzjbigfishcatches7740]

I had a good time learning how to fish the salt water 💦 in Florida and catching shark's 🦈😂. It's a lot of good fisherman there 👍✌️. Z 🐟🎣

[@LandedFishing]

Great video and a true pro!

[@StanzFam]

Thanks!

[@geraldbalciarjr651]

Nice It has bean a long time seance I have gotten a tarpon.

[@HJP1015]

Awesome video, Captains Nick, Rick, and Charles!! Once upon a time, a long time ago, I lost a HUGE tarpon at that bridge. Bayside. My ex insisted over and over again, "You got the bridge". I said, "The bridge doesn't shake its head like that. Turn hard right." (away from the bridge and out into the Bay). He finally listened. The tarpon I had on was so big it could NOT jump. It shook its head three times, severed the wire leader, and was off. Good thing my ex was looking and saw it. I can only estimate it was 150+ lb judging by the size of its head... I have never seen a tarpon bigger than that (in person). I was totally impressed at your solution to getting the rod-reel through the piling. Pure genius and shows you guys listened to your Dad as you were growing up... Old school solution. Or did you guys come up with the solution on the fly? *props! I will share this vid to show the younger generation how to overcome what seems to be impossible. I will remember this too and hope to have to use it one day... Well done, Captains! Love both of your channels and hope to get back down there one day to fish.... Until then, tight lines and catch 'em up!! :)

[@StanzFam]

Sounds like a big Tarpon!

[@HJP1015]

@@StanzFam it was huge. I saw the whole thing: three times: swish, swish, swish, *PING, the wire leader was severed and it was gone. I will remember this forever, my biggest fish "on" to date. My husband and I are going to Costa Rica (Nosara) in early August for our honeymoon where I hope to fulfill my #1 bucket list item (since I was 15 years old): to catch and release my first blue marlin. BTW, Jim proposed to me on the roof at Bud N Mary's 2/15/19. :) We were married 8/10/19. We met you 8/12/19 and I took a bunch of pics of you and those gorgeous painted swordfish bills...

[@captaint4587]

Never had to do the floating reel but damn that was great, good work boys

[@adamclemons4220]

A salt water 🐊 crock? Wow I had no idea they were in the keys.I thought they were only found in places like Australia,New Zealand and South Africa

[@GlideorDieSwimbaits]

it’s an american crocodile but they live in brackish/saltwater so i could see how he got confused

[@ricardovar100]

awesome

[@supermotoboy3664]

Nice video! Banana s on boats in the northeast are bad luck lol

[@inmykitchenwhitefactorys6668]

Good job

[@stegmandd]

No effing way you just put your rod in a life jacket and said good luck 🤣🤣 absolute madman

[@bionicsjw]

About 10 years ago I we were fishing a lump about 25 miles off of Virginia Beach. We hooked up to a good sized yellowfin, 60-75lbs, when the fish went between two other boats and wrapped the line around the rudder of the boat. The Captain of the boat, Sniper, grabbed a mask, jumped in and unwrapped the line. Miraculously the fish stayed hooked and we landed it. Floating the rod through the pilings reminded me of that.

[@StanzFam]

That’s awesome!

[@vicentealrallos1947]

niceeee

[@A.Matt7]

You should do a west coast charter fishing like fan meetup fishing day or something. We got plenty of charter boats to choose from

[@fishingwithredtrout1240]

I have never seen the float threw 🤙💂🏽‍♂️🎣👀👍

[@ltom________6174]

would love to come down from Canada ASAP!!!

[@AuditRecon]

Looks like some fantastic fishing. Subbed

[@theladdersoflife2244]

Great video. I just got back from the keys. Fishing cudas and mahis. Where I come from, on the west coast, bananas are bad luck on a boat and are immediately thrown overboard. Lol.

[@leonardowelch2580]

Well done

[@stulupinski5131]

And another banger

[@lb7wade518]

I think your brother beat you posting this video!! Still love watching your videos!!

[@yotaman492]

You may have made me change my mind about where to celebrate my 40th Bday next April, Islamorada looks more my style over Vegas. Tarpon is also on my fishing bucket list.

[@StanzFam]

Hope you make it down here 🎣🎣🎣

[@billhooker3006]

Nice poon's guy's.

[@alquinn3562]

Picked up a case of COVID so I’m just checking out Stanzfam videos and found a few I missed. I learn something new on almost every episode. A year late but better than never. Genius float trick. I just wonder how many monsters have been hooked and intentionally broken off in the pilings by fishermen who otherwise felt they were outsmarted by the tarpon. Probably just shaking their heads in disbelief and shock

[@StanzFam]

Hang in there!

[@alquinn3562]

@@StanzFam Thank you. I will be fine.

[@codyweaver1817]

Nobody’s gunna call out the banana on the boat at 4:10?!?! Thats bad juju lol. 100% the reason the GoPro went over

[@dmb1995ta]

A guy told me that one time when I went charter fishing and brought a banana, it's bad luck!

[@BarryB382]

A banana on a boat??? Are you guys nuts? ;-)

[@mikemwa22]

CROCODILE at Indian key land fill?,,Florida Keys Mike nice,,glad they control parking there now,,,

[@eastcoastoutdoors902]

When I saw that tarpon go through the piling I was like oh well break him off. Then I heard “float it through” and I was like wait what??! I can barely afford a reel I swear I had a heart attack if he wrapped around like a snook does ur real would be gone.

[@jamesgay6317]

Thank god for bananas!! Lol

[@pedrolagarto1854]

A friend off mine do the same thing 8n the tunnels but after thad you have to open the real to clean the dalt with fresh water,grease ans oil 12:42

[@StanzFam]

🙌🏻

[@jonathank5289]

Freddy David got a big sword at night when it dumped a 80 wide and hooked a 130 to the reel and threw over board and caught it. We tried it in 8 to 10 foot seas in a 35 contender express with outboards and lost the rod and another thousand feet of line. With only two people onboard probably wasn't the smartest idea but... after hours of fighting the seas and the fish we went for it. Frick and Frack fishing Freddy is probably still laughing in his dreams after hearing the story. I think Hammer also is laughing in his dreams. Do you get the hammer emails of his crazy adventures. What a story teller! The africa one is the best!

[@StanzFam]

Fred is the man for sure. Can’t blame you for trying, worth a shot. Story you remember the rest of your life 👊🏻👊🏻

[@jonathank5289]

@@StanzFam For sure. He's called the rock star or something like that. People fly him all over the world. Fished with him or next to him when no one new the night time swordfish were back. His garage was full of swordfish bills before everyone caught on. Fished with him in the bahamas a lot also.

[@Gio-nl7eg]

8:43 curious why were you pulling line out while the drag was peeling

[@jmcimba]

What line do you guys use on the spinning reel for those Tarpon?

[@jimsitar1699]

What was the gear you were fishing with?

[@farmhouseproductions9444]

How could 24 people not like this video?

[@vidaaventurera5265]

It Was An American Crocodile, Saltwater Crocodiles (Cocodrylus Porossus) Inhabit in Oceania and Parts of Asia.

[@StanzFam]

👍🏻

[@ourluckfishing2801]

Penn slammer three is a very sealed reel u could fish it underwater if u wanted too

[@hugoblinckmann251]

today i went deep dropping and caught 5 huge tile fish, 2 red grouper, 1 snowy grouper and 1 mahi

[@bionicsjw]

I'm jealous

[@riyaadhsalie250]

Hi Nick I noticed you didnt have to travel far out to fish for tarpon, I notice at the marina you feeding scraps to them so why not just fish off the marina?

[@Ocean-Grown]

marina tarpon are like pets

[@sterlingfrederick8048]

Riyaadh Salie that would be considered cheating, and yeah dock tarpon are considered pets

[@riyaadhsalie250]

@@sterlingfrederick8048 I thank you guys for the response I had no idea to be honest with you. I stay in South Africa where we fish off the marina so this is all new to me.

[@isisantos3636]

I was wondering the same thing. So now we both know they're considered pets. That's pretty cool

[@JSmall-cv1xy]

It isn’t considered sporting... anyone could put a carcass or cut bait on a hook and drop it in front of one it takes zero skill. High risk of injuring the fish on a boat or dock as well.

[@overwatchproductions5101]

How good is tarpon to cook? Never been to the keys yet ... But I love fishing and cooking fish

[@StanzFam]

They are protected

[@overwatchproductions5101]

@@StanzFam awesome ! So just a fun fish to catch, sounds great to me

[@jacksonvilleyakin9435]

We need another tarpon vid

[@hoainamchu8248]

Hello 🙋

[@jcgalmiche8352]

Three guys in the same boat all talk in to cameras!

[@DaveHyde]

Who let the unlucky banana in the boat!?

[@HJP1015]

Find Capt. Nick's video of the 754 lb swordfish, please. Note that he had a banana on the boat that day. Put it ON the fish, if my feeble mind remembers correctly. It is a myth. I am here to tell you that I had bananas on the boat EVERY single time I took the kids our fishing. NEVER skunked. Not ONCE. Bananas are an old wives' tale. #mythbusted Note how they hooked up right after the banana came out? Yup, myth.

[@robbiesmith9786]

Are them tarpon any good to eat

[@uluacom]

🔥

[@salsacontimbal]

BANANA NOOOOOOO LOL

[@sophiamiles6838]

What lb size test are you guys using or leader

[@davidpersaud1000]

Are you able to keep and what’s the size and amount?

[@JClay-lf7nx]

Never take bananas on boats!

[@ryanbeasenburg3779]

What braid and leader are y'all using. Hopefully I'm going to be down in the Keys in June fingers crossed.

[@StanzFam]

50 lb braid and 80 fluoro

[@ryanbeasenburg3779]

@@StanzFam thank you tight lines

[@christopherleon1417]

What kind of rig we’re you using??

[@jasonsims6441]

Awesome! Hey Nick, are you and Ricky twins? Y’all’s voices sound so much alike. Cool.

[@StanzFam]

Thanks for watching. No, he’s about 3 years older

[@dewaynethomas3258]

What rod were you using

[@Snooter67]

What type of boat do u guys have?

[@jasonk3692]

Hi Nick, which Carnage model is that paired with the Slammer? Thanks

[@StanzFam]

40-80 lb

[@jasonk3692]

Thank you StanzFam! Keep the videos coming!

[@cmack2182]

What part of the keys did u guys fish around

[@StanzFam]

Islamorada