The migration starts in May, and runs through early July depending on location, and it’s all over along the entire seaboard within a two-week period. South Florida sees the fish from the first week of May though the last week of June. Daytona on the East Central Florida coast sees the last of their migrating schools by July 4th. From then until the first cold fronts arrive, and the fall mullet run pulls the fish back south, most anglers fish local tarpon populations.
Beach tarpon schools consist of anywhere from 20 to 300 or more fish, and are not as spooky as those over shallower Florida Keys flats. That’s not to say beach tarpon are stupid. Excessive noise, movement or errant casts will send these fish deep and give them a case of lockjaw. A trolling motor is essential, but it should be used sparingly to get you into casting position in front of oncoming schools.
I have no idea if the fish keep moving all night, but suspect they slow down to feed and gather together in shallow water for safety because they move closest to the beach at dawn, often milling about or floating on the surface before steaming northward again. By 8 a.m. the fish move out and speed up, seemingly on a mission to get to the next landmark before dark.
The fish are by far the easiest to catch at dawn. Schools hold tight in one location for several minutes or take 10 or 15 minutes to move as little as 50 yards. Because flies are lighter than live baits or lures, they land with minimal sound and splash and can be cast closer to the milling or floating fish. Because these fish eat so consistently, they are great tarpon for beginners.
Tarpon Fishing Etiquette
When seas are flat and the tarpon push is in full swing, boat traffic is at its peak. To avoid conflict and to keep from putting the tarpon schools on their guard, there are a few simple rules to follow.
While running the beach, always give wide berth to any boats stopped along the shore, whether actively casting, fighting a fish, or obviously watching a school. By swinging a wide turn offshore several hundred yards before encountering the stopped boat, you will keep from spooking their tarpon. Chasing a school via trolling motor will only alarm the fish and ruin the chances for anglers down-line of the traveling fish.
Run your trolling motor sparingly, particularly when close to the schools, whether it’s your turn to cast to the fish or trying to maneuver in front of an approaching school.
If an angler in another boat hooks a fish and it’s your turn to move in on the school, be sure you don’t in any way impede the fight or cross their line. In many cases the hooked tarpon will try to rejoin the school, and if it comes anywhere near your boat, it’s your duty to give way and avoid the line at all costs.
If you encounter anglers who don’t play by the rules, pick up and run. It’s not worth the stress and aggravation and you’ll likely not hook a fish anyway. —M.H.
If you’re going to fly cast, learn to do a double-haul. You need to cast with accuracy at least 40 feet, and oftentimes, 60-foot casts are the norm. As your fly hits the water, let it settle a bit before stripping, particularly when fish are deeper in the water column. And always watch the fly. When a tarpon tracks it, the tendency is to watch the fish and lose track of the fly. The take can be subtle, and the tarpon often swims toward you with the fly in its mouth at a faster rate than you strip. Then it can blow the fly back out without your knowledge.
Beach tarpon range from 40 to 150 pounds. As is the case with Keys or Gulf coast fish, the lead fish in the school is often the largest fish and also the easiest to spook. For this reason, the fish on the outskirts of the school make for better targets. Given the size of the fish, the open water, and the fact that beach fish don’t jump repeatedly, 20- to 30-pound tackle is a better option than the lighter gear used on shallow flats. It’s common to spend more than an hour fighting beach tarpon.
Once a fish is hooked it’s best to try to convince it to stay close to the beach by putting the heat to it if it heads out to sea. Shortening the fight lessens the chance that hammerheads or bull sharks will home in. Last summer I watched a hammerhead chase a school right to shore, picking out its victim within 25 yards of the sand. The shark will always win that race. I’ve also had a hooked fish run offshore only to have a pack of bull sharks jump on it. They consumed the 100-pounder in 15 seconds, and no one among us wants to sacrifice a great fish like that.
To achieve maximum casting distance and accuracy, particularly on windy days, spinning reels are superior to conventional reels. I tie a Bimini twist on the terminal end of my line, tie an 80- or 100-pound fluorocarbon leader to the double line using an Albright special, and tie on a hook with a loop knot. I’ve switched over to circle hooks to assure the fish are hooked in a less harmful location, but they can be more difficult to remove from a bony jaw than the typical short-shanked J hook. Just about any herring species will entice a tarpon strike, yet I prefer Spanish sardines and threadfin herring because they swim deeper than scaled sardines, which typically swim to the surface.
