The only thing more exciting than stalking fish on the flats is stalking fish that are 7 plus feet in length and weighing up to 225 lbs. Here on the flats these fish can be found in less than 3 feet of water. Laid up in potholes as they float like silvery logs, motionless until the fly reaches his peripheral vision. He turns.. he’s on it.. strip, strip, strip. Before you know it, he’s into the backing and jumping like a lightning bolt from below! This is the ultimate angling rush! These fish put on one of the best aerial shows that there is to be seen.
Tarpon will start showing up anywhere from mid March to April depending on cold fronts. This is the time when thousands of fish make their way from the south as they come up to the spawning grounds, taking place mid-May and June, both on new and full moons and during the hill-tides. At these times, these fish can be caught by fly or the primary bait (pass crabs) that flush out on out-going tide with the tarpon.
From the first tarpon showing up, we primarily catch them off the beaches of Ft. Myers and the Barrier islands (Sanibel, Captiva, Upper Captiva, Cayo Costa, and Boca Grande). These fish travel south to north and disperse throughout the estuaries of Pine Island Sound and up through Charlotte Harbor. As the months go on, these fish will pour into our passes such as Captiva Pass and Boca Grande Pass. In the sound, we target these fish in anywhere from 2-10 feet of water with live bait such as threadfin, pinfish, and also cut-bait. As the chum line is laid out, gives us the ability to bring large numbers of fish to you instead of going to them.
Most people don’t realize but some of our best tarpon fishing is actually July, August and September in Pine Island and in Key West they will start in Feb. This gives the avid tarpon angler or family alike almost a 6 month window to book a trip of a lifetime.
*** Contact NOW to secure your dates for the up-coming 2012 Tarpon season!! *** 239.633.4662 FishTenacity@Gmail.com
Best Months: FEB – SEP
Price: $400 – $1200. Depends on # of people, length of trip and month of the year. Discount for Veterans. Call 239.633.4662 to discuss with us.
