Tarpon fishing in Florida

Tarpon, the silver king, are Florida's great shore trophy: huge, leaping, prehistoric fish that roll in the passes, inlets, bridges and beaches from the Keys to Boca Grande and up both coasts as the water warms. The Keys bridges light up from spring, Boca Grande and the southwest Gulf passes peak in May through July, and the Atlantic inlets and beaches see them follow the fall mullet run. They feed hardest on the outgoing tide, especially at night around bridge shadow lines, and around the big new- and full-moon tides of early summer when crabs flush out of the passes. Freeline a live mullet, threadfin, pinfish or pass crab on a 60–80 lb fluorocarbon leader and a 5/0–8/0 circle hook, with a heavy spinning or conventional outfit and 50–65 lb braid. Bow to the fish when it jumps. Tarpon are effectively catch-and-release: keep big fish in the water, revive them before letting go, and check current FWC rules.