tarpon fishing

This week has been incredibly hot, but the tarpon have been out in full force!

This week I focused most of my fishing inshore due to the heavy winds and inconsistent weather patterns. Tarpon are one species that can thrive in areas with very low oxygen content; as a matter of fact, they prefer it at times. Residential canals with little to no flow are always a good “go to.”

Sometimes these fish can be very picky but tend to respond to small baits with a little bit of patience. I prefer casting small artificials for these little guys — small gold spoons like Cast Masters, DOA paddle tails and Terryoreyez are just a few great choices!

As the weather continues to get warmer and warmer we should start seeing larger migratory fish along the beaches. Keep your eyes peeled just outside the break for larger fish in groups or school. These fish should respond well to almost any live bait from pilchards and pogies when available, to F’N large mullet. When live bait isn’t an option, there are several great lures such as swimbaits and lipped plugs to throw. Rapala makes some great options as well as Hogy.

This is one of my favorite times of the year, and I’m excited to see what’s to come in the next few weeks!