Tampa Bay tarpon fishing charters that we offer may be your ticket to the fishing experience of the lifetime.
No inshore gamefish is prized more for its size, power and leaping displays than the tarpon, and catching one earns you a unique place among anglers.Nothing is more important to your success as a tarpon angler than your fishing guideand captain. It’s my job to put you on the fish, which is where my years of experience on the waters of Tampa Bay and Boca Grande pay off for both of us. Using the latest and best equipment for the big job of landing tarpon, we provide everything needed to ensure your success. If you want the fishing adventure of a lifetime, and a fish story that can be passed down through the family for generations, a Tampa Bay tarpon fishingcharter is your chance, and keep in mind in is not unusual to catch many tarpon on one of our trips (as many as 10 fish), with every angler aboard getting a shot at a trophy.
Tampa Bay Tarpon Fishing Facts
Tarpon are one of the most sought-after gamefish in the world, and are prized among all inshore species for their size, fighting spirit and astounding leaps out of the water, often exceeding 6 feet into the air. Here are some more tarpon facts:
- Tarpon are a regulated gamefish, and normally are released unharmed after being landed and photographed.
- Tarpon in our waters can reach 200 lbs or more in size
- Tarpons are slow growing fish and do not reach maturity until age 6-7 years.
- Tarpon are covered in a protective armor of large, tough scales
- Tarpon can survive in water conditions that would kill most species, and are able to gulp air from the atmosphere when dissolved oxygen levels in the water are too low to support life.
- Tarpon are a schooling fish, and while single fish can be found and caught, where there is one tarpon, you usually can count on more being around.
- A tarpon caught in the same day, by the same angler who also catches a snook, redfishand trout, earns the angler a “Super Slam,” a highly prized angling accomplishment.
Tarpon Fishing Locations
Boca Grande is the tarpon capital of the world. Boca Grande tarpon fishingis a phenomenon like no where else. It is a social spot for tarpon. Tarpon congregate in Boca Grande because of the steady supply of shrimp, crabs and various bait fish for the tarpon to feast on. The area offers miles and miles of beaches and thousands of tarpon using these beaches as a natural highway during their annual migration to the big, deep Boca Grande pass. On any given day you may see thousands of tarpon swimming along side boats and up and down the beaches. Boca Grande pass is another great place to fish for tarpon. The pass is the deepest natural inlet of the gulf of Mexico. Tens of thousands of tarpon flock the area in April thru July, feeding day and night as they prepare for spawning offshore.
Tampa Bay tarpon fishing options are numerous, with fish on the beaches north and south of the bay, as well as inside the bay itself. Live bait, plugs or jigs, as well as fly are all options, ensuring anglers of all stripes can land the fish they want with the tackle they prefer. The main body of big fish arrive in the Tampa Bay region as spring turns to summer, but Tampa Bay tarpon fishing is unique in that it offers an extended season. As summer fades and fish disappear from the beaches and from Boca Grande to the south, tarpon move well up into Tampa Bay, where fishing around bridges and on backwater flats can continue until fall. Think of it as Tarpon Fishing Season Part II, making our waters the idea destination for anyone who wants to land a tarpon when much of the tarpon angling world has packed it in until the next year.
There are even more options for off-season tarpon fishing. It is not unusual for us to find small tarpon of 5 to 40 pounds in canals and rivers even in the winter months. On light tackle or fly, these little silver kings can surprise you, as they often leap dozens of times during a fight, offering excellent sport on light tackle. If you haven’t scaled down your tackle to take these scaled-down silvers, you don’t know what you are missing.
E-mail Capt. Mike or call 727-243-8918 today to book your next tarpon fishing charter!