Tarpon Time

For anglers, summertime in Florida can be some of the best fishing of the year — if you can bear the heat and don’t mind dodging storms. Along with all the usual inshore species, Tarpon of all sizes are perhaps one of the most abundant on the inshore flats and the back water estuaries.

The best tactic is to be on the water waiting for fish to show prior to sunrise. Approach your spot from a distance as slowly and quietly as possible to avoid spooking fish. I’ve found that Tarpon seem very sensitive to surface disruptions and noise from any source, especially a running outboard and even the quietest of trolling motors. I myself am extra cautious even when push poling into an area. Tarpon are usually pretty cooperative when showing themselves by the distinctive “roll” when moving through the water.

My most productive and favorite ways of targeting Tarpon is with fly gear. I’ll use anything from a 6/7 weight for the juveniles up to 11/12 weights for the grown ones. For fly selection I use mostly unweighted simple deer hair patterns in either white or black. The best way to find what they want is to try various patterns and colors. Tarpon can be very particular to what they want so don’t be afraid to change up quickly when you get refusals. No matter the gear or tactics there is not much that compares to the fight of a Tarpon on the end of a line. Not many fish can rival their strength and acrobatics, especially in the shallow inshore waters. The best advice I can give is when you hook in to on, hold on!