Sarasota Tarpon charters for 2017
Tarpon fishing has been steady the last couple of years, with May and June being the most reliable times to fish. The full moon in May is early this year, on May 10. That should result in decent numbers of fish up until the next full moon on June 9. On and just after the moon the tarpon school up and move offshore to spawn, which means less fish on the beach. The new moon in May is on the 25th. Prime dates in May will be the week leading up to the 25th. The week after that, which includes Memorial Day and the heavy boat traffic that goes along with that, might be tough. Action should then pick up afterwards and will most likely be strong up until the full moon on Jine 9. Book early to get the best dates!
2016 Tarpon Season
Tarpon season is upon us once again. This has been an odd year as far as weather is concerned; it has been quite breezy. Hopefully we will settle into our normal pattern of easterly winds in the morning. West winds make it difficult to see tarpon and hard to stay on them once they are spotted. The moon is full on Saturday, May 21 and again on Monday June 20. Generally speaking, the days before the moon can be spectacular and those behind the moon can be tough. Last year it was very good early then tapered off a bit. Every year is different, so we will see what 2016 brings us! Capt Jim
Sarasota Tarpon Charters for 2015
Sarasota tarpon fishing, Sarasota tarpon charters
6/8/2015
This has been a fantastic tarpon season so far in Sarasota, Florida! Anglers fishing the beaches in late May found the tarpon to be numerous and in the mood to eat. Scott Valentino from Pennsylvania hooked a VERY large fish this morning on a crab. It made to spectacular jumps, then ran for the beach, just about spooling the reel. The tarpon then ran between 2 crab pots, cutting the line; what a fish! Action like that should continue ubntil the ful moon on july 2. I had a couple of cancellations so there are a few days available for those who want to give it a try!
Now is the time to book a Sarasota tarpon fishing charter! These exciting gamefish will invade the area in May and will stay until July. Anglers can use spinning tackle with live bait of for the ultimate challene they can be targeted with a fly rod. Prime dates are still available. The weeks leading up to the full and new moons are generally the best times to fish. The tarpon schools will move offshore after the moon and there will be less fish, though still enough to make it worth the effort.
The full moon is on Tuesday, June 2, the week preceeding that date should provide an excellent chance to hook a silver king off of the Sarasota, Florida beaches. The same is true for the first week in July. Fish will thin out after that. Late May after Memorial Day should be good coming off the new moon. Book your trips now while the best dates are still available!
HAIL TO THE KING!
Hail to the King!
In the pre-dawn twilight it was difficult to see the fish, but they were there. Just barely perceptible was a little “slick” that just did not look right.
“Get ready” the captain whispered, “they are going to pop up right in front of us”. Several anxious moments passed before the flat calm surface of the Gulf of Mexico was broken by the fins and tails of a couple dozen hundred pound tarpon.
“Cast out six feet in front of the fish, make sure you don’t throw on top of them,” the guide advised. The crab landed several feet in front of the pod, it was an excellent cast! Both watched in anticipation as the crab slowly sank. After several seconds, the line gradually became taut.
“Reel!” the guide hollered, unable to hide his excitement. The angler reeled as fast as he could while raising the rod tip high. The line angled towards the surface as the fish made ready to leave the Gulf. One hundred pounds of silver fury cleared the surface by a good four feet, crashed into the water, ran off on another burst before leaping once again, this time throwing the hook. Disappointment soon turned to admiration; what a fish!
That is a commonly played out scenario off of Sarasota beaches from May through July. While fishing is very good all year long, there is something magical about tarpon fishing. This is truly world class angling. Very few places on Earth offer the opportunity to sight cast to fish this large using spinning or fly tackle. Many more tarpon are hooked than are actually landed. In fact, most Sarasota guides put more emphasis on stalking and hooking these behemoths than in actually landing them. The old saying, “It is the bite, not the fight” certainly applies.
The fish generally show up in early May and are here in significant numbers by the third week in May. Early in the season the schools can be huge, numbering in the hundreds. Later in the season they break up into smaller “pods”. By late July the fish have thinned out considerably, but so has the fishing pressure. Fish late in the year don’t “show” as well but they bite better.
The technique is pretty straightforward. Get out on the beach before first light and sit a hundred yards or so from shore. Sit patiently while scanning the surface for fish. Most schools will be moving south but a few will be moving north, especially later in the season. Once a school is sighted, an electric trolling motor is used to position the boat so that it intercepts the fish. The best position would be a long cast up-wind. The baits are cast out in front of the fish and hopefully a hook-up ensues. Anglers in larger boats can catch tarpon, but it is more difficult as they must anticipate where the fish might be and drift in front of them.
Heavy spinning tackle spooled with 25-30 pound line is the best choice for most anglers. Although the fish are very large, the baits are light. Conventional outfits can be used to drift baits out behind the boat but are not very practical for casting. The rig is pretty basic; double six feet of the running line using a Spider Hitch or Bimini Twist, then add 3 feet of 80 lb leader using a Double Uni-Knot. Tie on a 5/0 live bait hook and the rig is complete. Both “J” hooks and circle hooks are used. Live blue crabs are by far the preferred bait. CB’s saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key keeps a good supply on hand. A 3” crab is perfect and is hooked on the outer edges of the “point”. Live bait fish such as pinfish, sardines, cigar minnows, threadfin herring, and blue runners are also productive and can be caught using a Sabiki rig.
Fly fishing for tarpon is the ultimate challenge. While catching one on a crab is far from easy, landing a giant tarpon on fly is a great accomplishment. A 12 weight rod with and intermediate sink tip is the best choice. Fly selection is really pretty basic; dark flies such as a Cockroach or Black Death have proven to be effective. Many guides have had success with the Puglisi baitfish patters, too. When it comes to fly fishing, it is all about presentation and finding the “right” fish. These would be schools that are moving very slowly and milling near the surface.
Patience is required when tarpon fishing. It is very easy to get excited and overly aggressive. The angler who takes the time to get into perfect position will score more often than the impatient one who runs around. A couple words regarding etiquette; do NOT run an outboard near a school of tarpon! It is better to let them go, motor around and reposition than to fire up the “big motor” in a school of fish. Also, if another boat is working a school, leave them to it unless they wave you in. This is especially true in regards to fly fishing, give those guys plenty of room to work.