How To Catch Tarpon On Key West Fishing Charters

Tarpon can be found pretty much anywhere around the Florida Keys as well as other places in the World. When fishing for tarpon on the Key West fishing charters you will probably fish the backcountry of Key West, the flats or around the reefs. You can catch the smaller tarpon, around 50 lbs, in the backcountry. The Key West backcountry is the bay and the channels the wind through the mangroves on Key West. The flats, or shallows of Key West are found in numerous places, the best are around the Marquesas Keys. Larger tarpon, weighing as much as 250 lbs., can be found in the flats of Key West and occasionally around the reefs and wrecks.

Over the last decade or so, fly fishing in the Key West backcountry and in the flats has become more and more popular. There are a number of rig setups that you can use to catch tarpon. Lately, fly fishing seems to be the most popular, perhaps because of the irony; catching a 200 lb. fish on a fly with extremely light tackle.

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.

Timing is sometimes an issue with tarpon. They show up in the flats of Key West 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.

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 very 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 very good at what they do. They can get you to the right spot and coach you on how to reel in that big tarpon.