Tarpon Techniques Fishing

Tarpon

A tarpon clears the surface near Sugarloaf Key, Florida.

The tarpon’s powerful leaps, sometimes up to 10 feet out of the water, and bone- jarring bursts of speed test the skill and fortitude of even the most experienced angler. The nature of their high and often frequent jumps is such that many anglers are happy simply to get a few jumps out of a tarpon before it shakes the hook.

The better fishing is in spring and fall, but they are caught in all months in some locales. Prominent fishing sites include rivers, bays, lagoons, shallow flats, passes between islands, mangrove-lined banks, and the like. Small, or “baby” tarpon, those up to 20 pounds or so, are usually located in estuaries and river mouths, even considerable distances up freshwater rivers and in sloughs and canals.

Fishing methods include drifting or stillfishing with live mullet, pinfish, crabs, shrimp, or other natural baits, or casting or trolling with spoons, plugs, or other artificial lures and flies. Trolling is generally the least-practiced method; casting is generally most favored, as it involves stalking, spotting, and skillful bait or lure presentations. It may not be appropriate, however, when the fish are deep or unaggressive. The best fishing can be at night when tarpon are feeding.

When casting, anglers usually sight-fish for tarpon, staking out a shallow-draft boat near a channel or hole or moving along shallow grassy flats, usually by poling. They wait for tarpon to come within casting range, or try to spot cruising fish and then move to intercept them. A variety of plugs are cast for tarpon, with shallow runners fished in a whip or jerky pull-pause retrieve being most effective. Surface plugs are also fished, and flycasters mainly employ large streamers. Lures and flies are cast just ahead of a passing fish. Often, casters get only one chance at a cruising fish or school, and poor placement of the offering can spook the fish. Sometimes tarpon strike readily, even turning and moving a short distance to take a lure or fly, although it is usually necessary to have the item right in front of the fish, in its path of travel. Tarpon seldom take a lure or bait with great authority, however. Sometimes they are quite finicky and ignore even a perfect presentation.

Live-bait fishing occurs with anglers drifting or anchored and stillfishing with a float. Such live baits as mullet, pinfish, crabs, and shrimp are used, usually in deep areas or in channels where the fish cruise through. Some anglers jig in deep-water holes and passes; others slow-troll along the edges of flats near deep water with big spoons, plugs, and feathers. Although tarpon appear to be sensitive to noise and boat traffic and may become skittish and reluctant to take baits when the waters are crowded with boaters, tarpon are unlike many other fish in that they are frequently found in highly urbanized areas with poor water quality.

Sharp hooks are an absolute necessity for tarpon fishing; these silvery fish have a tough, bony mouth that is hard to penetrate, and it is usually necessary to set the hook firmly several times in order to make a good connection. Even so, many tarpon are lost during one of their many jumps. They also have a tough gill plate that can cut the fishing line readily, so strong leaders are routinely used.

Standard tackle is a 7-foot baitcasting rod and reel filled with at least 200 yards of between 12- and 20-pound line. The heavier strengths are used most often, especially where landing large fish is a possibility. Flycasters use a 9- to 10-foot rod with plenty of backbone for 10- to 12-weight line, and a fly reel that has plenty of strong backing line.

Tarpon have to be thoroughly played out before being landed, although they revive well for release. Many are lip-gaffed for hook removal, a process that doesn’t cause harm if done properly. Fish that are close to the boat and still green can be very dangerous, however. Some have leaped into a boat when the gaff was placed into the lower jaw; some have pulled the gaffer overboard; and some have jumped into the boat without being touched. A big, heavy fish with a wildly flapping body and tail, not to mention hooks and other paraphernalia lying about, can be enormously dangerous inside a boat, so it behooves anglers to be careful and observant at all times.

See: Flats Fishing.