Tarpon Fishing Florida Keys

Tarpon are broken down into 2 groups: resident tarpon and migratory tarpon. The resident tarpon (ranging from 10-40 lbs) are available year around as they don't migrate like their larger cousins. The migratory tarpon (ranging from 40-150 lbs) migrate through the Florida Keys during the spring months.

I fish for tarpon anywhere from the shallow flats to the bridges of the lower keys. The flats are a sight fishing game done on both the Atlantic and Gulf side of the islands and anywhere in between using both spinning and fly gear. Fishing the bridges is done by anchoring up with live bait or trolling/poling and casting artificials.

With the tarpon's hard hits, strong fight and acrobatic jumps this is a bucket list item for many anglers.

Best Times for TARPON

March - June

Resident tarpon: Year around with the winter months being a little more challenging- a winter cold front dropping the water temp can make catching fish a bit more difficult.

Migratory tarpon: We are blessed here in the Florida Keys with a huge spring tarpon migration. The migratory fish start showing up as early as February, depending on weather and water temps, with March- June offering excellent opportunities at large fish.