Tarpon are good in Florida year round, the seasonality referring to the presence of bigger fish. He’s an experienced guide with lots of happy clients and has caught plenty of big Tarpons around Islamorada!

Pilchards, mullet, and pinfish are the best.

Replied on December 29, 2015 Quite a few captains in the area offer them (for example, this, this, and this, although you should look around to find one which suits you). I've seen some big Spanish taken right behind or around the big bait balls of mullet. It was 5 1/2 feet long, 36” girth.

It’s a win/win for us.

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Tight lines, Catherine.

Tarpon Season - When to Catch Tarpon Tarpon can be found in Florida mainly between March and December of each year. Set the hook only when you feel the fish’s weight.

I have been salt water fishing for 50+ years mostly west coast so no Tarpon. Strike King KVD J-100 Jerkbait & KVD 1.5 Hard Knock, Yakgear Basic Kayak Angler & Deluxe Anchor Trolley Kits.

Jan 26, 2018.

Instead, cast nearby where they can notice it but not get startled. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The best months would be May and June. I like your previous suggestions on Boca Grande. Approximately 125lbs. Not only do they bear a visual resemblance to tarpon, but they also share their epic leaping abilities. Reach out to our customer service team if you need help finding a guide! Bobby of Shallow Water Experience.

Cast the fly right over a rising fish. Although found throughout Florida’s Atlantic coast, ports and inlets south of Biscayne Bay offer the best Tarpon fishing. When it came down to it, the varying contours and wave actions found along the beach dictated when during the tide cycle the snook were there or simply could be seen. It could also be be a school of Spanish mackerel instead of ladyfish, but that’s ok, they would be an even better catch.

Thanks very much. You can find plenty of ladyfish off piers, along beaches, and in the bays.

Any suggestions for tarpon guides out of that location?

Orange, yellow, and red patterns are effective over sandy bottoms, while light gray, blue, and light green is better over dark grass. If you are seeing fish and not getting bites this could be the difference, since the temptation for many snook anglers is to use much heavier shock tippets. The regulations that you have listed are out of date (current regulations are now more restrictive), the lure that you have pictured is an illegal rig as of 2015 (using this rig is a criminal violation of state fishing regulations and will result in a minimum fine of $250 and a mandatory court date), and the world record tarpon is over 300 pounds. Wear gloves in your hands in order to improve your grip.

This huge collection of birds has got to marking a large school of fish. Nov 5, 2019. What location would you recommend for tarpon that time of year?

A forum community dedicated to fishing and boat owners and enthusiasts along the East Coast and Gulf area. Be careful though, they are like a gateway drug that gets you hooked on surf fishing. Also, like Spanish, ladyfish like fast moving presentations. I hope you have a great fishing trip! Instead, I opt for lures that I can cast a long ways.

Raise your rod as you cast to make the shrimp skip on the surface. Replied on August 23, 2019 Hi Cat, thanks for your comment! There are a number of productive fishing spots near Marathon.

This style of fishing is optimal when the fish are visible and eager to eat, but success is just as sweet when one knows how to read the signs and hook into a hungry snook without actually eyeing it first. Hope this helps! You will most certainly hook up.

Captain John of Reel Easy Charters specializes in Tarpon fishing, and Capt. Resist the temptation to look only toward deep water. Sep 7, 2016. It may also be a good idea to contact the captain to talk through your plans and preferences (scroll down to the “about the captain” section and hit the “message captain” button). For many species, lactic acid build up kills them hours following release. How to set the hook properly: keeping your rod tip close to the water, with the rod butt tightly secured against your belly, quickly rotate your body, making the rod move sideways while the line strips in hard.

Finding them will be less reliable than during the summer (you really won’t be able to guarantee a Tarpon at this time of year, wherever you fish or whoever you fish with), but this actually makes catching one all the more rewarding. Most anglers will say that the couple of hours before and after the high tide is the best window, but I noticed that often visibility was better when the tide was low and I could spot the fish easier.

Do you have any Ideas for large Tarpon in the Jan or Feb season, Flies 3”-5” long, with 2-2/0 hooks for juveniles and up to 5/0 for large fish. Pirate for Hire Charters – if you would like to try night fishing for Tarpon, Captain Ron is your go to guy. Sorry not to get back to you before. The Marquesas Keys, since they’re uninhabited and not connected to Key West by road, have Tarpon in great numbers if you can get to them. How’s the tarpon fishing around St George Island around early June?
Some might wonder why anyone would try to catch ladyfish on purpose. Let us know if you would like any help setting up your trip! One of the local fishing spots I would recommend you try is the Lighthouse Hole. Sight Savvy: Different styles of bow sights each have their strengths—and weaknesses.

If you are fishing for a baby tarpon, you will need a 6Wt to 9Wt fishing rod. With toes in the sand and rod in hand, it doesn't get much better than walking the beach, eyeing the shallows to catch snook in the surf. Stefan. All You Need to Know About Tarpon Fishing in Florida, Flats Fishing: A Complete Beginner's Guide, Cobia Fishing in Florida: An Angler's Guide, Best Fishing Spots in Miami To Explore This Fall. Watch for birds working, or schools of fish busting the surface.

You can find Tarpon in the Intracoastal Waterway all along Southeast Florida. But, really, whatever main line you already have spooled up should work, as long as you have a, Top 9 Criteria to Evaluate When Choosing a Surf Rod. By July, the largest Tarpon have usually left the Keys to travel northwards on their annual migration.



Conner recommends using a couple of feet of 25-pound shock tippet.