Calm summer mornings mean tarpon at the surface, and, ultimately, in the air.
Lures such as 1- to 2-ounce jigs, and a chartreuse Red Tail Hawk so popular with snook anglers in particular, work well. Floater-diver plugs that swim just below the surface with a side-to-side swagger work, but the treble hooks should be switched for singles to prevent harm to the fish and to ease hook removal. My personal favorite is the Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow in all white, orange-and-white or blue-and-silver, but similar lures made by Bomber, Rebel and Rapala are also good.
Whether you fish a lure, bait or fly, be sure to use a pair of pliers to pinch the barbs down on all your hooks. I made that habit about five years ago after a 70-pound fish shook boatside and stuck a plug treble in my wrist while I was trying to remove the lure. It’s also easier to dig a hook out of someone’s hide when buck fever causes an errant cast!
The morning bite is best, but the afternoon bite rates as a close second only because of the lack of boats on the water. During the prime fishing days it can get pretty crowded at dawn, but in late May through June afternoon thunderstorms roll in just after lunchtime and most anglers call it a day. Launching late in the afternoon after storms have slicked off the ocean can provide some great action. The fish are still moving, but the angle of the glare and the reflection from the dark clouds can give an angler an incredible view of the fish at a distance. It’s on these occasions that the most visual bites take place.
I primarily fish the southern end of the migration, but have bad the opportunity to fish tarpon in June off Sebastian, Canaveral and Daytona Beach with great success. It seems the farther north you go fish get less pressure, so the tarpon are more relaxed and likely to feed.
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.
