During Fall months, targeting tarpon can be very challenging. During the majority of the Summer, you can find tarpon just about anywhere in the Bay, including passes, beaches, mangrove estuaries and grass flats. As the water temperature drops, resident juvenile tarpon start to make their way toward the rivers, creeks and canals in search of warmer water havens for their winter stay.
When fishing rivers, you want to fish areas that have decent tidal flow and a significant change in depth. For example, a point or bend in a river that drops off close to the mangroves or shoreline. Tarpon instinctively take advantage of trenches, drop-offs and potholes in high current areas of rivers, because they can ambush bait easily and stay warm. Many of the residential canals located on the Hillsborough side of the Bay are sure to hold juvenile tarpon as well.
Fishing docks and seawalls can be very productive day or night. When fishing docks at night, you want to take advantage of lights as many baitfish are attracted to them. This makes for an all you can eat buffet for juvenile tarpon. Scaled sardines and live shrimp are your best bet for bait this time of year. You can find live shrimp at just about any bait and tackle store in the area. Some bait shops sell scaled sardines, but most of the time you have to use a cast net to catch them. I recommend catching enough to use for bait, as well as, a few extra to throw as chum. You will be able to find these baitfish at the channel markers and shallow-to-deep transition areas nearest boat channels. I use a 10-foot Humpback cast net to gather my bait. I can usually catch enough bait for a trip in one or two casts due to the ease of opening in the net design. If these baits don’t work, I recommend using cut threadfin herring or scaled sardines.
When tarpon become lethargic from the cooler water temperatures, cut bait on the bottom makes for a more tempting and easier meal. I present my baits with a 2/0 hook free-lined on 25-pound test fluorocarbon leader. The addition of a few split shot weights may be necessary when fishing areas with current.
When it comes to tarpon lures, top water plugs are hard to beat. During the Summer or Winter months, top water lures produce a lot of fish. Working a plug on top of the water and watching a juvenile tarpon explode on it is probably one of the most exciting sites that you can experience in Tampa Bay–second to tarpon fishing during the big migration in May. My favorite top water lure is the Livingston Lures Pro Sizzle in bone/silver color. This lure is always on my boat. It is safe to say that many anglers develop their own techniques for catching juvenile tarpon during the different seasons.
Getting out on the water and casting a line is the one tried and true way to do this. Tarpon are some of the most sought after inshore sportfish and many times the most challenging to catch. Tampa Bay is home to some of Florida’s greatest tarpon fishing year-round. Feel free to use information from this article and tips from Bay area bait stores and other anglers. Local tarpon guides are always available for hire throughout Tampa Bay.
Capt. Christopher M. Taylor
Florida Reels Fishing Charters