All About Tarpon - Fin S Charters Tarpon Fishing Boca Grande and Tampa Bay Florida

Tarpon fishing Boca Grande Pass is an experience like no other. No matter the expertise of the fisherman, fishing tarpon in this deep water pass is a rush every time. As an experienced tarpon fishing guide, Captain Bill Geho is able to teach the techniques for successful tarpon fishing and insure every angler is able to enjoy the excitement that comes with finding and fishing the giant Florida tarpon that arrive in Boca Grande Pass every spring. Welcome to tarpon fishing, Boca Grande - the Tarpon Fishing Capitol of the World!
Boca Grande Pass, on the west coast of Florida, is known as "ground zero" in the tarpon fishing community from late April to mid July. Located on the mouth of Charlotte Harbor between Gasparella Island and Cayo Costa, large amounts of water flow in and out of Boca Grande Pass carrying food for the giant tarpon that arrive by the thousands every spring. And with the arrival of the mighty tarpon come the fishermen, each eager for the opportunity to feel the bite and experience one of the most thrilling moments an angler can - hooking up to one of these incredible silver kings! In addition to the frenzy Pass fishing provides, there are opportunities to fish Charlotte Harbor, the beaches, and Pine Island Sound, depending on the experience an angler is hoping to achieve, and of course, the location of the fish!
At any other time of year, Boca Grande is a quaint island community with an "old Florida" charm - steeped in history and virtually commercial free, it is an ideal spot to relax, unwind, and slow down. Located about 90 miles south of Tampa, Boca Grande is on the southern tip of Gasparella Island, one of the many barrier islands including Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva and La Costa that form a natural buffer for Charlotte Harbor. While there are several navigable passes through these islands, the natural structure and depth of Boca Grande Pass make it the most productive for Florida tarpon fishing.
In the spring and early summer, when the "bite is on", the atmosphere of this laid back community turns electric. There is no doubt when the tarpon fishing season has begun! The excitement spreads through the town and turns the normally quiet shops and streets into a hub of activity, all related to the fishing of these giant tarpon. There is nothing as addictive to a fisherman, either novice or experienced, than fishing Boca Grande Pass when thousands of tarpon stack up to feed on the tiny crabs that flow from Charlotte Harbor out to the Gulf. It is not unusual for 15 or 20 boats to be hooked up at the same time, and have a pod of hundreds of giant tarpon roll right next to your boat. It is this thrill that brings people back year after year, and attracts new fishermen as well! This is Boca Grande Pass tarpon fishing!
Tarpon fishing has been a passion for many since the first tarpon was caught on a rod and reel in Florida in 1885 - a 93 pounder by H.H. Wood of New York City. Prior to that momentous occasion the tarpon was considered impossible to land, as many had tried and failed. This record setting catch made world news in the sporting industry - and the race was on! Thirteen years later Edward Hofe landed a 210 pound tarpon in the waters of southwest Florida, and today, more than 100 years later, anglers flock to Boca Grande to try their hand at tarpon fishing - a truly addictive sport.
It is easy to see what feeds the tarpon fishing frenzy - tarpon grow very large, between 100 to 250 pounds, with lengths ranging from 4' to 8'. There can be thousands of these mighty fish in Boca Grande Pass during tarpon fishing season, and it is not unusual for a single angler to have multiple hook-ups in one day. Hooking a tarpon is no easy task - their bony mouths make setting a hook difficult, and their violent head thrashing and jumps, some as high as ten feet, make fighting and landing one an experience that fishermen cannot get enough of. Tarpon fishing is an obsession, and many anglers plan their whole year's schedule around the tarpon fishing season.

Atlantic tarpon (megalops atlanticus) are found along the shores of three continents in the western Atlantic. In U.S. waters, they can be found as far north as Cape Hatteras in the warm summer months. Tarpon also congregate in waters off South Carolina and Georgia, along the eastern coast of Florida, the Florida Keys, and around the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. Many fish are found from the Mexican border southward, particularly where jungle rivers flow into the Caribbean. There have even been tarpon sightings in the Pacific, undoubtedly migrating through the Panama Canal. Tarpon are commonly found in land-locked lakes in the Cayman Islands, and other Caribbean islands with steady flowing rivers. The world all tackle record for tarpon is a 283 pounder caught in Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela in 1956, though as a rule the fish tend to be smaller in these southern regions, averaging about 60 pounds as compared to the 100 plus pounders generally sighted in Florida waters.
Tarpon live in a variety of water types. Whether it be clear, black, fresh or salty, tarpon can be found. This is due to their unique "air bladder" that allows them to breathe air - they can thrive in waters that would prove toxic to many other species. Tarpon roll, gulp air, and return to the water, making oxygen starved waters habitable to them.
All Florida water is "tarpon water" from May through October. These fish thrive in water temperatures of 75 degrees or more. Juvenile tarpon are routinely spotted in land-locked ponds - golf course water hazards, roadside ditches - while mature tarpon are generally abundant in clear, shallow waters like those found around the Florida Keys. The exception to this clear, shallow rule are the swift deep waters of Boca Grande Pass. Nowhere else on earth do such large numbers of tarpon congregate in such a confined area. There is much debate as to why this phenomenon occurs, with no clear answer.
The tarpon is by far the most abundant in-shore game fish. It's incredible size and strength, coupled with it's acrobatic leaps and head shakes while trying to throw the hook, make it a worthy adversary. And unlike other game fish, tarpon can be caught in small boats or while standing on shore, and it is not uncommon for a single angler to have multiple hook-ups in a single day.
Tarpon fishing is an addiction. Like every addiction, it feeds on itself, and grabs hold of it's junkie with a vengence. Ask any boss or spouse of a tarpon fisherman - during tarpon fishing season, jobs, marriages, sometimes even eating and sleeping - take second place to the adrenaline charged fix the afflicted need on a continuous basis. The only cure is when tarpon season is over, and the addict slowly returns to a normal life. But be aware - the addiction will rear it's head again when water temperatures start to rise and the mighty silverking once again start migrating to the waters of Boca Grande.

Redfish are one of the most popular flats gamefish in Florida. Once in serious trouble due to over fishing and netting, the redfish has made a comeback in recent years. This is due to the efforts of conservation groups and fishery management, which include strict harvest regulations (one fish per day per angler in the 18" to 27" range) and the ban of gill netting.
The coppery color of these fish give them their name. Most redfish have a single black spot (ocellus) at the base of the tail, though it is not uncommon to see fish with more than one spot.
These fish begin their lives in brackish water. They are bottom feeders, and prefer mud and sand bottoms. As the fish mature, they tend to travel to deeper coastal water, but the younger ones are what the majority of coastal fisherman target.
Redfish are found in almost every estuary of the Gulf of Mexico, from The Florida Keys and up the Florida coast, and along the coastline all the way to Texas. These fish are not temperature sensitive like the snook, making them readily available.
The "hot" spot for Florida redfish fishing is from Pine Island Sound northward to Charlotte Harbor and Boca Grande. The area is bordered by many barrier islands (including Captiva and Sanibel) on the west. The eastern side of the
sound is shallow, with grassy flats and oyster bars. Sight fishing is the way to catch the reds in this area. To be successful fishing reds, boats have poling platforms and trolling motors. This allows the fisherman to sneak in quietly and not spook them.
Redfish are generally cooperative when it comes to eating. Their natural instinct to feed often overcomes their flight reflex. This is not common among most fish, and this is one of the reasons reds are so popular with inshore fishermen.

The rod-bending, bait-busting, berserk behavior, coupled with it's reputation as incredible tablefare, make the common snook one of the most sought after game fish of inshore anglers in Florida. The best snook fishing occurs south of the "snook line", which runs from Cape Canaveral on the east coast to Port Richey on the west coast.
Snook are difficult fish to land. Not only do they have incredible speed and strength , they are found in small creeks, canals, around docks, under bridges and pilings, and along back country mangrove shorelines. These locations make the snook difficult to catch - as soon as they feel the hook, they take off running. They will go under, over, and around any obstacle they can find. These fish seem to be well aware of the safety in these structures, and even the most experienced snook fisherman has had the misfortune of feeling a line snap as it gets tangled around a sharp mangrove root.
Snook are best recognized for the black lateral "racing stripe" that runs the length of their sleek bodies. This stripe is what earns them the nickname "linesider". On the west coast of Florida, snook range from 2 pounds to over 30 pounds, though the average weight in this region is in the 6 - 20 pound range. Regardless of size, this feisty fish puts up a strong
fight. Wild head thrashing, long runs, and spirited jumps make it a worthy adversary for any angler. Once a fisherman has experienced their first strike, they are generally hooked.
Snook are very sensitive to water temperature. Anything less than 70 degrees F tend to stress the fish, and less than 60 degrees F is often fatal. Fortunately, on the Florida west coast, there are enough areas for snook to migrate to during the dead of winter. As soon as the water temperature starts to rise, they begin showing up in the creeks, mangroves, and canals - the best snook fishing is from early April through October.
Due to strong conservation efforts, including catch and release restrictions and the banning of inshore gillnetting, the snook population has increased greatly throughout the state. This is an exciting scenario for inshore flats fishing anglers. Snook fishing is the ultimate light tackle experience. Their wiley behavior make snook one of the most sought after inshore gamefish.
 

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