Finding Juvenile Tarpon

Now that we’ve gotten all this rain, water levels are up in the creeks and canals and currents are flowing. This has the juvenile tarpon chewing so now is a good time to go over the basics of targeting this sporty little fish.

Mapping websites that provide aerial images can be a huge help in finding potential tarpon hot spots. Look for canals, creeks and ponds that connect to the to the Indian River Lagoon system, and be aware that connection can be a culvert pipe. Also keep in mind these bodies of water don’t have to be close to the lagoon as juvenile tarpon are known to roam miles inland.

Once you’ve identified potential tarpon spots it’s time to get out and explore. If you are patient and there are tarpon around they should eventually reveal themselves by rolling on the surface. If you are lucky you’ll see them striking bait. Remember where you find tarpon as they tend to frequent the same locations year after year.

Find juvenile tarpon in canals, creeks and ponds that connect to the to the Indian River Lagoon system.

Lure Selection for Juvenile Tarpon

Juvenile tarpon have a propensity for stagnant, low oxygen waters, and this can provide clues for what kind of lures to use. The primary forage in these locations are small baitfish like killifish and gambusia minnows. Tarpon key on these small baits so I find the magic number regarding lure size is three inches. Tarpon tend to eat lures and flies that are three inches long or less while lures over three inches are usually an exercise in frustration.

I love small jerk baits for tarpon but these can be tough to find. My all-time favorite is the three inch Shad Assassin by Bass Assassin. I’ve been using these for years and have caught hundreds of tarpon on them. Last year tried the three inch Split Tail Shad which is also from Bass Assassin because I found them on sale. They worked quite well, but I still give the nod to the Shad Assassin because it casts better.

Tarpon are notoriously difficult to hook so I like to rig these baits with an exposed hook. I like a straight J hook with a nice bait holder barb on the shank. My personal choice is a 2/0 Trokar TK180 finesse worm hook. I thread the jerk bait on the J hook the same way I would on a jig, with the hook point coming out the back of the bait. If snags are a problem and you want to rig weedless then I suggest a standard 2/0 R-bend worm hook like the Daiichi D39Z.

Of course jerk baits aren’t the only lures that will catch juvenile tarpon. Small jigs and plugs work. For plugs I’d opt for those with single hooks (or replace the trebles with singles) because little treble hooks do a poor job of hooking and holding tarpon.

REMEMBER: Florida tarpon are strictly a catch and release fishery. Florida regulations also state any tarpon over 40″ long must remain in the water.

Using the Right Tackle

Casting these small lures can be a challenge if you are not using the right tackle. Most backwater tarpon are under ten pounds and are perfect targets for light tackle. Last year I had a blast catching tarpon on ultralight spinning tackle spooled with six pound test Platypus P8 Braid. To the end of the line I attached a couple feet of twenty pound test Platypus Stealth fluorocarbon leader. If there were tarpon over ten pounds I’d up the leader to thirty pound test. With this setup I can get all the casting distance I need with small lures plus have enough backbone to handle most of the tarpon I encounter.

Juvenile Tarpon are an ideal target on fly tackle.

On the Fly and Casting for Tarpon

Juvenile Tarpon are also an ideal target on fly tackle. A seven weight fly rod with a floating weight forward line like Cortland’s Liquid Crystal Flats Taper is a good starting point. You don’t need a lot of backing or an expensive reel because these tarpon are normally caught in confined locations so long runs are not expected. Small, minnow imitating flies in the two to three inch range, such as Clousers, Seaducers, Deceivers and Muddler style streamer, are what you need for juvenile tarpon.

The best tarpon fishermen are the ones who can make quick, accurate casts. If there are a lot of tarpon around I’ll blind cast, but most of the time I like to wait until I see a fish roll or strike bait and then fire a quick cast in its direction. Tarpon release bubbles after they roll so watching for bubbles can tip you off on which way the fish are moving.

My last bit of advice is tarpon in Florida are strictly a catch and release fishery. Florida regulations also state any tarpon over 40 inches long must remain in the water. For more information visit myfwc.com.