My family has had an annual trip into northern Quebec since WW2. We drive up as far as you can fish without an outfitter, set up camp on "crown land" and we camp and fish for a week. Lots of walleye, monster pike and you hardly see anyone for a week.

Covid has this all screwed up. We couldn't go last year. Most of us won't accept the vaccine into our lives, so we can't go this year. We tried the St. Lawrence last year, it was just OK. On top of that - half the group has conflicts.

My buddy has been going with us for decades. He and I were at dinner with our wives the other night and the conversation turned to hog hunting. Neither of us have done it, we both want to. We aren't interested in the fenced hunts that are near here, but we are OK going out with a guide. I'm aware of Hog Swat and Pig Problems in Georgia. We will consider them a backup - we would rather hunt with our own guns, in daylight if that is reasonable.

If I'm driving as far south as Florida I'm going flats fishing. Specifically - I want to go after Tarpon. We will happily do other fishing - we'd like to try your Florida bass.
I know that Islamorada gets a lot of attention for Tarpon but I can't imagine we would find hogs there.

So that's what we have in mind - a few days of fishing with at least one hog hunt thrown in. If we are to late to set that up this year, we will make reservations and do it next year. We will invite our family and buddies - I doubt we will get more than 4-6 guys. Any input is welcome.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/Best-tarpon-guide-in-the-Florida-keys-/14-694641/
https://www.ar15.com/forums/Outdoors/Couple-with-the-Mk12-ish-clone/9-702596/
https://www.ar15.com/forums/Outdoors/Capt-Slug-Os-official-fishing-photo-log-and-video-thread-/14-701738/

@Bowhntr6pt
@Slug-O

I'll get back to this thread shortly.

Hmmmm tarpon, pig, and bass? When are you looking to come down? Pigs are the easiest, then bass, then tarpon. Pigs and bass are a year round thing, but bass fishing is best roughly Feb-May. Tarpon are a little more seasonal if you want a decent chance of hooking one on a given day. And how set are you on "flats" fishing? Sight casting to tarpon on the flats is not an easy thing.

But if you are OK catching them in deeper water, you should look at the Ft. Myers area, and find someone to take you fishing at Boca Grande pass if you hit it at the right time. You could do pigs and bass out of the Okeechobee or Lake Kissimmee area on either the way in or out, or find a guide in the southwest area. I have a guide in Arcadia I could direct you to.

Have you considered Peacock Bass? Bigmouth bass are everywhere, you're only going to catch a peacock or clown knife in south Florida :-) At least if you want to stay in the US. You could combine it with a air rifle hunt for iguanas that live on the canal banks. You could do a couple days in the Keys for tarpon, a night in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale for peacocks/clowns/iguanas, and hunt pigs pretty much anywhere in inland Florida.

I'm all ears.

All I know about tarpon is what I have seen on screens. We do our share of fishing and I fly fish. We know that pike are fun in the spring when they are in the shallow bays, we figured the Tarpon were the same deal. Some of the most fun fishing I've had has been pike on the fly.

Priority 1 - hunt some pigs.

Priority 2 - catch saltwater fish we haven't caught before. (which has to be most of them).

Priority 3 - Florida freshwater fishing. Peacocks sound like fun to me.

Priority 4 - shooting Iguanas. That looks like a blast.

Regarding pork, iguana and whatever - We are going to need to be talked out of keeping the meat. We like to eat game.

Regarding "the right time" - that's what we want to plan for. If we can set it up this year, great. If not - we will schedule for "prime time" next year. My buddie's retired, I've got 6 weeks vacation.

@Lost-Drive-In:

Since you're gonna be in South FL anyway, look up Chappy's Outfitters for the hog hunt.

You won't be disappointed.

There's no reason NOT to keep the hogs you kill; iguanas, not so much unless you just want to try them.

Here's what I'm thinking -

Islamorada or Ft Myers for Tarpon / salt water -2 days

Miami / Ft Lauderdale for Peacock Bass, Clown knifes and Iguanas - 2 days

Okechobee for hogs- probably a day, 2 if that's a better plan

I'd like to set it up for a week in May.

Thanks!

Chappys for the hog hunt...

Tarpon are like steam locomotives and you need HARD hooks because their jaws are about the consistency of stone. Guys will cut the barb off of hooks to improve the chances of the hook getting a bite.  Snook are fun (you have to get special tags to take them), cobia are fun, amberjack are fun, groupers are the maddest tug of war you've ever had. Barracuda: fun to catch. Dangerous in the boat, they are vicious and will go after you in the boat. Some people still eat them, I wouldn't because of Ciguatera which cannot be cooked out of them.

Pigs? Yes please. Come kill a few million.

Freshwater? Do it first, before you do the saltwater. We have sturgeon down here, BTW. I know they are in the suwannee river. Never fished for them before. I don't know if its your thing or not, but if you're in freshwater environs, gators are everywhere.

If you get anywhere within driving distance of this place, VISIT IT! https://boktowergardens.org/

You may get complained at as a tourist. Don't take it personal.

On fishing, esp saltwater: you need to research what will be in season and you need to research what you have to have to take the species you want and the license you'll need. Oh, and the open season for what you want can likely change depending on the location in the state.

ETA: for tarpon, if you are bringing your own gear. You need reels with good line capacity. They can strip you empty and when they go you can forget about stopping them with the drag. Also, dirty trick: if you wind up tarpon fishing when the water is lazy and not moving and it's a hot day, you can try rigging on a large mullet, *stomping it's head* (makes them release more stink underwater) and than flipping it out to where the tarpon are hanging out. My dad used to do that with success for tarpon in the canals in south florida.

Great Tarpon fishing at Boca Grande depending on time of year. Tampa bay has great tarpon fishing out to the Skyway Bridge. Plus king mackerel too. Plenty of charter boats on Tampa Bay also

Hog hunting year round on private land without a license. On private land you can hunt at night to. But that's best done using thermals.



Link to hog hunting rules

Boca Grande looks like a great idea. After striking out with numerous Keys captains I found a captain with a few dates.

Any suggestions for DIY hog hunting or Peacock/clown knife fishing are welcome.

Thanks guys