Fly Fish Everglades Tarpon

Tarpon are considered by many the ultimate flyrod gamefish. Their size, willingness to eat flies, and acrobatics when hooked combine to make them the fish of most fly anglers dreams.

Tarpon come in all sizes in the Everglades. Juvenile tarpon from 1-50 pounds can be found moving throughout the mangrove creeks and shorelines, while bigger tarpon can be found a little deeper swimming the edges of the Everglades’ Gulf side points and flats, feeding and resting in protected bays, and rolling and feeding in the basins and rivers that connect them.

Tarpon are primarily targeted by sight fishing during the warm months of the year (March-July), but can be caught during warmer periods in December, January, and February.

When the water temperature is consistently over 75 degrees, big tarpon seem to show up out of nowhere. The first fish that show up are usually some of the biggest of the year, some exceeding 200 pounds. These fish are possibly staging for the upcoming migration north, gaining their strength by feeding and resting for their long journey. As the water is still relatively cool, these fish will spend time floating near the surface, soaking in the sunshine and the warmth it provides. We find these fish “laying-up” in calm areas

Laid-up tarpon fly fishing is one of the most exciting things in all outdoor sports. When one is spotted, the guide positions the boat for the best angle possible, hopefully a crossing or quartering to shot. It is up to the angler to present a floating or suspending fly with an 11 or 12 weight fly rod about a foot in front and a foot beyond the fish in a natural way. As soon as the fly hits the water, a slow swimming type strip is preferred and should immediately get a reaction from the fish, usually a tail kick. Most fish will either grab the fly at that moment, or drop below it and follow it for a better look. A fly with a lot of wiggle in it paired with a constant long strip should entice the bite, but good tarpon anglers have learned many different ways to “sell” a fly to a big laid-up tarpon.

As spring begins to warm the water consistently over 80 degrees, the tarpon really start moving through the northern Everglades. These migrating fish can be targeted on our Gulf side flats and points as they move through. Depending on the tide, fish can be found swimming in lines, near the edges of water too shallow for them to be comfortable in. These fish aren’t necessarily actively feeding, but will eagerly grab a well placed fly. Fly fishing for swimming Everglades tarpon usually happens on days with good sun, clear water, and low winds. The guide will put the boat in a position that is favorable to see tarpon swimming by, and that presents a head on or quartering to shot. It is the anglers job to place a floating or suspending fly with an 11 or 12 weight fly rod a bit in front of the fish and intercept the fish with the fly. An interested tarpon will usually follow the fly and it is once again up to the angler to “sell” the fish the fly.

Tarpon are obligate air breathers, and in warm to hot water will frequently roll at the surface, making an audible sound, and gulp air. After the fish rolls, it will usually expel the air which is seen as bubbles on the surface. Rolling fish can be targeted in the bays and areas of the Everglades with good current flow. Fly fishing for rolling tarpon entails a quiet, slow, patient approach. The guide will slowly pole the boat in areas where tarpon are actively rolling. It is hard to predict exactly where a tarpon might roll, so it is up to the angler to read the fish’e movement as it rolls and deliver a quick accurate cast in front of the fish, usually on the bubbles as it expels air. Getting a rolling tarpon to bite the fly usually takes a strip that keeps the fly “in the zone” of the fish as long as possible while imparting a natural movement.

90% of the juvenile tarpon caught in the northern Everglades are targeted while rolling. Tarpon from 1-50 pounds are considered “juvenile” and spend a lot of their time so far up the mangrove creeks and ponds that it is impossible to get a boat to them. When conditions are right, these fish can be targeted in and around the creek mouths that act as travel routes to their hideouts. Similar to fishing to big rolling tarpon, putting the fly in the right spot quickly is paramount, but juvenile tarpon seem to be more aggressive than their bigger counterparts, and a quicker retrieve is usually necessary to entice a bite.

All in all, tarpon are the superstars of the Everglades fly fishing scene. It is no wonder why the months of March-June tend to be the busiest time of the year, as prime tarpon dates usually book a year in advance.