GUIDE TO DIY TARPON: PART ONE, PLANNING FOR ‘POON’
Once you snag a tarpon, your life will never be the same!
Experienced anglers know all too well the transforming effect it has on their outlook, while those who haven’t yet tried it are often regaled with stories by their fishing companions over a beer or two.
It’s not far-fetched to compare the experience to mainlining a powerful drug, and those passionately devoted to tarpon fishing have had it cause all sorts of trouble in their lives, from divorce to boating accidents.
Writers have compared the sensation of wrestling a tarpon with that of being electrocuted – minus the unpleasant after-effects – as a powerful wave of energy courses from fish to human.
With all due respect to your 15-inch brown trout, your keeper walleye, your surf-sniped striper, tarpon are just different.
One can try to describe their best attributes: heart-stopping leaps, blistering runs, incredible stamina, shocking size, but words fall short. Their bite and the ensuing mayhem is ineffable you have to hook one to understand it.
It’s time to get you that tarpon you’ve been wanting for so long. I’m here to break down any barriers between you and such a sought-after game fish. In this three part series,
I’ll guide you through the process of planning a DIY tarpon trip, from picking your destination and renting a boat to choosing the right tackle and rigging.
And finally, hooking, fighting and releasing the fish! Now the choice is in your hands – just know that you’ve been warned!
Location and timing
Each May, I make my way south to Islamorada in the Florida Keys – a destination famous for its tarpon; a species unlikely to ever make it up to my home state of Maine.
We typically encounter fish between 80 and 140 pounds, as part of the annual migration to the warmer regions.
Florida Bay offers brilliant tarpon fishing during February and March when temperatures are mild and conditions remain calm.
Unfortunately, this season is highly dependent on the weather and can be a risky one for those planning a trip.
April and May provide more stable water temperatures that tarpon find acceptable and more favorable winds from the east which bring pleasant weather.
If you wish to go tarpon fishing in June, you’ll find excellent conditions – sultry air paired with low winds are ideal!
You’ll often see boats fishing near the Keys’ bridges, anchoring with live mullet or drifting live crabs beneath floats in the mornings and evenings. These channels are tarpon thoroughfares.
You can use Google Earth to plan your tarpon trip: look for large ocean-to-bay channels where tidal push flushes bait, such as channels two and five in lower Islamorada or bridges in the Middle Keys.
Tarpon can be found in shallow flats with easy access to deeper channels, so scout them out.
Getting a rental
With the advent of Airbnb, rentals in the Keys have become surprisingly affordable. The site provides you with a map of options, from luxury condos to house boats, in Islamorada, Big Pine, and Key West.
Just type Islamorada, Big Pine, or Key West into the search engine to see what’s available. When you fish with two or three friends, you can find cheaper accommodations for your Keys tarpon trip.
Sources: themeateater
