Tarpon: Chasing the Silver King Pt. 3

We have previously spoke about fishing in Boca Grande Pass for the Silver King, but don't forget this area is a huge estuary and the Tarpon will move into the shallower backwaters as well as migrate up and down the beaches.

So most are under the impression that Tarpon can only be caught/targeted during the spring and summer but in actuality they inhabit our waters year round. Tarpon are are very fast swimmers so their location can change from day to day and they can cover great distances.

Tarpon hang out in a variety of different environments, from the deeper passes that lead to the gulf, to the beaches, to the deeper holes in the bays and harbors, to the multitude of grass flats that populate our areas, and even far up into the rivers that feed our tidal areas.

Depending on where these tarpon are hanging out on a particular day is really gonna depend on how you fish for them.  As I have stated before tarpon will eat a variety of baits and lures. Live bait such as crabs, thread-fin herring, lady fish, squirrel fish, pin fish, and mullet to name a few. Dead or cut bait works well too, from catfish plugs as I refer to them, cut lady fish, cut thread-fin herring, and cut mullet can all be used. There are also several selections of artificial lures that are great for tarpon, two of my favorite are DOA Baitbuster's, and No Live Bait needed jig heads and plastics.

Whatever your bait of choice for targeting tarpon on any given day there are a few things to remember when you do hook up.  Always and I mean always "Bow to the King". The moment a tarpon breaches the water you must point your rod down at the fish otherwise the chances of him throwing the hook or snapping  the line are very good. For some this can be a hard thing to remember especially with all the adrenaline that will be flowing once you do hook up. For that reason it is something that I constantly remind my clients and guests of during a fight. 

Handling tarpon and safely releasing them is vital for the fishery. It is prohibited to bring a tarpon over 40 inches out of the water in the state of Florida. Stressing the fish out being one of the reasons, but also remember that these fish are big and heavy so when you pull a fish that big out of the water there is no longer the water surrounding the body of the fish which in turn doesn't help to support the weight. Pulling a big tarpon out of the water will most certainly kill it.  When releasing a tarpon the best way is to hold the tarpon upright in the water by the mouth with the boat in gear so that the water can flow over his/her gills in order to ensure that the fish is getting enough oxygen. You will know when he/she is ready to go cause they will start bucking and fighting you and will swim away.

The more care and protection we put into making sure we don't harm these fish is only going to ensure that future generations can enjoy catching them as much as we do know.