Key West Tarpon Fishing
The tarpon is a well-known species in the close-knit community of backcountry fishing guides and big-game fishing enthusiasts. The tenacity, strength, and acrobatic stunts of this fighting fish have earned it the title as one of the world's greatest game fish.
Key West Tarpon Fishing:
When Key West Tarpon Fishing the average tarpon's weight is from 25 to 80 pounds, however, they can grow larger than 250 pounds. Other physical features of this fish include a dark green or gray back, large scoop shaped mouth and elongated dorsal fin. Large, thick silver scales cover the sides and belly like a protective coat of armor, tagging the majestic tarpon the nickname of the silver king. Tarpon have a prolific reproductive cycle which begins in May and peaks in July. The female tarpon can carry an estimated 20 million eggs. Juvenile tarpon mature in about 10 years, and then carry on to reproduce for another 45 years. The primary habitat of tarpon is coastal waters, and they can be found in the coastal areas of Florida from the Panhandle to the Florida Keys. Tarpon thrive in bays, estuaries and mangrove lined lagoons, but they do require temperate climates.
How Tarpon Feed & What's Unique:
Adult tarpon are strictly carnivores, and feed on mullet, pinfish, needlefish, shrimp and crabs. They feed day or night and generally swallow their prey whole, due to the relatively small size of their teeth. Fishing guides prepare mullet, crabs, or large shrimp for live baiting anglers. Spinning and casting anglers will use lures that resemble live mullets or other bait fish. Peak Key West Tarpon Fishing season runs from mid-March through July.
How We Get Them:
Tarpon come in all sizes, so anglers can choose between a wide range of methods and equipment to successfully hunt this fish. Sometimes tarpon are difficult to spot, so wear your polarized glasses and you may be able to see them rolling. Your guide may choose to troll, drift or cast. Smaller tarpon are caught using bait casting, spinning or fly fishing tackle. The smaller tarpon need at least a 15 pound line on spinning gear or for fly fishing use 11-13 weight line. If bigger game is your thing, then prepare properly with a good 7-8 foot stout rod and 30-50 pound saltwater reels. Most Key West tarpon fishing guides will agree on a few tips to guarantee success with reeling in a tarpon successfully. Tarpon have hard mouths, so you will need a sharp hook. Let the tarpon control the line for the first few minutes and when the fish jumps, dip your rod to give it some slack, so they don't break the line. Catching the explosive, hard-fighting, tarpon is one of the biggest thrills an angler can experience. Give us a call and head on down for some world class Key West Tarpon Fishing!