Email Cell -305.393.1245
Email Cell -305.393.1245
Fly fishing for tarpon in the Florida Keys and Everglades is an amazing experience for any angler. Arguably, tarpon are the most iconic game fish in saltwater angling, famous for their jumps and incredible strength.
Juvenile tarpon, often weighing up to 20 pounds, can be found in backcountry creeks and mangrove-lined tidal rivers and creeks. Meanwhile, their mature counterparts, that can tip the scales at over 150 pounds, roam the bays, banks, and the nearshore waters along the Keys and Gulf coasts. This broad range of habitats means there’s almost always an opportunity to target tarpon, whether poling across a shallow flat, working the edge of a bank, or a quiet creek in the mangroves.
While tarpon can be persued year-round, the spring migration from March to June is considered the peak season. During these months, large schools of tarpon move through the Keys. Sight fishing for tarpon is a unique challenge and one of the most rewarding aspects of the pursuit. Fall and early spring are also productive, offering opportunities with fewer competing skiffs. However, cold fronts can sometimes bring challenging conditions with wind and cooler water temperatures, requiring an alternate plan such as snook or redfish.
Cruising, rolling, or laid-up tarpon and presenting the perfect cast is a test of skill and patience, with the reward being a look, an acknowledgment, or a bite and a battle you won’t forget. Whether it’s your first time hooking a juvenile tarpon or chasing a monster, every encounter with a tarpon is memorable.
10-weight fly rods with floating, clear floating, or additional “clear sink tip” line.
11-weight fly rods with floating, clear floating, or an additional clear sink tip, is the best all-around tool for a big tarpon.
12 weight fly rod is optional but great to have on that windy day, for a little more power with a floating line, sink tip, and especially with an intermediate line to cut through the wind.
I use a variation of the standard big game leader. I tie my tarpon leaders including the 5′ to 6′ butt section, from 9′ to as long as 14 feet. If you are not interested in using a legal IGFA leader, you can significantly increase hookups by lengthening your bite tippet from the standard IGFA 12 inches to as long as 36 inches. The advantage here is a longer span between the ‘more visible’ knots. This method also gives you the ability to clip off a damaged fly or a couple of inches of an abraded leader and re-tie without tossing the entire leader.
I use 50 to 60-pound test fluorocarbon for the 5 to 7-foot butt section, I also use fluorocarbon for the 25-pound test 18″ class tippet. I then use fluorocarbon for the 30″ – 36″ bite tippet which may vary from 30 to 60 test.
My tarpon flies are a variety of proven styles, including non-fouling splayed tail, married tail, worm, baitfish, and toad patterns. Each is designed with a mix of colors and weight variations, including floating, to match different conditions and feeding behaviors. When tying your own, having both light and dark patterns in your box is essential. Hook sizes should range from 1/0 for ultra-clear water, where a more subtle presentation is key, to 3/0 for murkier water, where a larger profile helps fish find the fly. Before you start, check with me first, I can save you time and effort by pointing out what works and what doesn’t!
Everglades National Park began collecting entrance fees for all park visitors on January 10, 2019 – including anglers with licensed fishing guides, Effective January 2025, 7-day passes will be $35 per person. You may also purchase an annual Everglades National Park pass for $70. Children aged 15 and under are always admitted free.
