The flats of Key West are filled with Tarpon between March and June to spawn. You can often see them rolling in large schools which churns the water. You can sometimes cast at them for hours and even though you can easily see them they won't strike. The trick is to simply understand that when they do get hungry they will strike, even on a fly.
Tarpon will strike on flies. They also eat pinfish, small crustacians, shrimp a certain sea worm called palolo worms. Tarpon prefer live bait to cut bait. They're predators not really scavengers. The palolo worm lives in the channels and flats. They hatch in large numbers during a falling tide in a full moon. Tarpon love palolo worms.
When tarpon strike a lure or bait, they generally strike hard from behind. That means when they strike they lunge directly toward you (given that you're pulling the lure or bait toward you) and push the hook toward you. If you yank the line right then you'll most likely yank the hook out of the fish's mouth. Wait until the fish begins to turn away and its body is at least partially between you and the hook. Wait until you can feel the fish tugging at the hook just a bit. Then yank hard enough to set the hook but not snap the line.
Once you've hooked him, be prepared for a fight. The problem is, you're generally using extremely light tackle and you've got a very large fish on it, a fish built for speed. Tarpon are long and lean. They're anything but sluggish. You can snap the line easily. If he's running, let him run. You've gotta tucker him out. When he stops or slows patiently nudge him toward the boat. It'll take patience and if you're too hasty, you'll snap the line. If you reel him in while he's tired and let him run when he's got strength, eventually you'll get him into the boat.
The easiest way to learn how to fish for tarpon is to book one of the Key West fishing charters that specialize in flats fishing. There are a few and the captains are extremely great at what they do. They can get you to the right spot and coach you on how to reel in that big tarpon.
Tarpon will strike on flies. They also eat pinfish, small crustacians, shrimp a certain sea worm called palolo worms. Tarpon prefer live bait to cut bait. They're predators not really scavengers. The palolo worm lives in the channels and flats. They hatch in large numbers during a falling tide in a full moon. Tarpon love palolo worms.
When tarpon strike a lure or bait, they generally strike hard from behind. That means when they strike they lunge directly toward you (given that you're pulling the lure or bait toward you) and push the hook toward you. If you yank the line right then you'll most likely yank the hook out of the fish's mouth. Wait until the fish begins to turn away and its body is at least partially between you and the hook. Wait until you can feel the fish tugging at the hook just a bit. Then yank hard enough to set the hook but not snap the line.
Once you've hooked him, be prepared for a fight. The problem is, you're generally using extremely light tackle and you've got a very large fish on it, a fish built for speed. Tarpon are long and lean. They're anything but sluggish. You can snap the line easily. If he's running, let him run. You've gotta tucker him out. When he stops or slows patiently nudge him toward the boat. It'll take patience and if you're too hasty, you'll snap the line. If you reel him in while he's tired and let him run when he's got strength, eventually you'll get him into the boat.
The easiest way to learn how to fish for tarpon is to book one of the Key West fishing charters that specialize in flats fishing. There are a few and the captains are extremely great at what they do. They can get you to the right spot and coach you on how to reel in that big tarpon.
