I prefer to target most flats fishes, tarpon included, with my fly rod, but I realize this may be a bit too intense for some. The best way to guarantee catching a tarpon is to use live bait on a circle hook.  Schools of tarpon will cruise up and down the beaches, in ridiculously shallow water, in search of baitfish.

If you want to use lures, tarpon love white grubs and bucktails. Once hooked, tarpon are complete demons. They fly, they jump, and they twist, spending as much time out of the water as in it. This type of fishing is probably not good for someone with a weak heart! Tarpon cannot tolerate cold water, so when the water begins to cool in late Sept. and Oct., the tarpon head South.

As with all sight-fishing, there are a few things to remember. If you can see the fish, they can see you. Try to wear clothing that blends in with the surroundings. Sky-colored and shades of light grey are good, as the fish will be looking up on you a seeing you against the sky. Avoid red, pink, yellow, chartreuse, etc..... This is not the time to make a fashion statement. Keep your movements slow and gentle. Making fast, jerking movement will spook the fish.

Don't hook the fish until you feel it pull you first. A common beginner’s mistake of sight-fishing is to jerk the lure out of the fish’s mouth before they have a good hold on it. And above all...have fun!
 
Happy Fishing!

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