Backwater Fishing Guide

Recent Fishing Photographs

Tarpon Fishing Information

Tarpon are a fun fish to target during certain times of the year when the conditions are right. For more information about Tarpon look at the Tarpon Information Web Page on our web site.

The tarpon pictured on the left was caught on live bait (finger mullet) in a backwater canal off the Banana River Lagoon on Merritt Island. It's not often you can find tarpon during the winter in the Central Florida area that are receptive to an angler's offerings, but live baits tend to be one of their weaknesses when it comes to getting them to bite.

You can catch small tarpon like this on artificials and flies if you can get a presentation to these fish as they are often difficult to see in the dark brackish waters. Tarpon will roll to gulp air and when they do you can present your lure of choice from topwaters to subsurface or even jigs and tarpon flies. "They're either receptive or they're not." explains veteren charter guide Richard Bradley.... "You'll often see tarpon rolling on the surface and even tail slapping and it's frustrating to see a fish and not be able to get it to bite, but when they bite the tarpon is a spectacular fish on the rod as it jumps and leaps and offers a challenge to all angling skills.

Tarpon come in all varieties of sizes from small five pounders to two hundred pounders and getting one to stick is the key to success right from the beginning. Once hooked the tarpon is a terrific jumper sending shock waves up and down the fishing line. Anglers are instructed to put the tip in the water when the fish jumps in order to minimize the flailing line and shock on the tackle and keeping the fish hooked up. A jumping tarpon is trying his best to throw the hook and it's the anglers job to keep the rod down during most of the fight while keeping a bend on the rod.

All tarpon are protected in the state of Florida and should be released unharmed as quickly as possible. Taking a photograph and measurements will assure a good record of your catch and will help you with a tarpon mount if you decide to do that later on.

September 2010 Tarpon Fishing Report