Tarpon are one of the most exciting saltwater species caught from Virginia to the Carolinas to Florida and along the entire Gulf Coast. Tarpon are primarily found inshore near the bridges, passes, beaches and on the flats. There isn’t another fish in the sea that put on the show that a tarpon can. There are other fish that are very acrobatic, but the tarpon are in a class all by themselves.
Habitat
Tarpon can be found in the passes, on the beaches, around bridges, near docks, on the flats and in the tidal creeks, inlets and backwaters.
How to Catch Tarpon
Popular baits for tarpon are live natural baits such as pinfish, mullet, squirrel fish, menhaden, spot and blue crabs. Lures will also work. Spoons, swimbaits, plugs, jigs and flies are all very productive. Most anglers prefer sight fishing for tarpon. Once you see a rolling fish, make sure to get ahead of the fish and then present your bait to the fish. You may see tarpon rolling along the beaches, on the flats, along lighted docks at night and around the bridges. When you find these rolling tarpon, there will usually be more fish in the area. During the tarpon migration, it is common to see tarpon in schools of 20 or more fish. Fishing the deep water of the passes and bridges is another very popular method for catching tarpon.
Tarpon Fishing Tips & Techniques
Eating Tarpon
Tarpon are not good for eating. They are considered a sport fish.
Plan a Tarpon Fishing Vacation
Most anglers that are looking to plan a fishing trip for tarpon will most likely be heading to Florida, the Bahamas or the Caribbean. There are so many popular tourist destinations that also offer some very good tarpon fishing. The most popular tarpon destinations in the U.S. are the Florida Keys and in Southwest Florida. Late spring through early summer is the best time to target these fish in southwest Florida. Boca Grande Pass, Charlotte Harbor, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island and Pine Island offer some of the best tarpon fishing in Southwest Florida. The Florida Keys tarpon migration offers anglers some awesome fishing from February through June. To find more places to visit, take a look at the best tarpon fishing vacation destinations.