Tarpon fishing in the backwaters is an exciting yet challenging adventure! Tarpon range in size from one-pound juveniles to over 100 pounds, and both sizes can be found in as little as 3-4 feet of water. No matter what size Tarpon you get hooked on, catching a Silver King is an experience you will never forget!
Tarpon can be found in many different areas. Juvenile tarpon will often remain in one area throughout the year until they reach a size where they can move to larger bodies of water. There are also areas where tarpon can only come out at extremely high tides. In these lakes and ponds, tarpon will only grow to a size that suits the size of the body of water and the amount of food available. In winter, some large tarpon will move into rivers to find warmer water, such as around runoff from power plants. When the water warms up, they will go back out into the open sea.
Catching and landing a tarpon is one of the hardest things to do as a tarpon fisherman. However, hooking a tarpon is relatively easy. Hooking a tarpon is all about figuring out what bait they are feeding on and when. For every ten or fifteen tarpon you hook, you may only land one or two. In many cases, the battle may be over before you realize it started. Catching tarpon requires knowledge, skill, and a lot of luck.
Searching for Tarpon in backwaters and bays can be difficult if you have no idea where to look. As I said before, Tarpon along with other species of fish like Snook will move to warm water during the winter when the water is cold. If you can find a water runoff from a power plant, you will be able to find Tarpon there. In rivers, even in fresh water, you can find Tarpon. Look around bridges, in deep channels, and even in small streams. Tarpon will always give himself away when he comes out for air. Tarpon have a swim bladder that they use to breathe underwater and to aid buoyancy. If a tarpon can’t get to the surface to breathe, it will die. Therefore, an easy way to find Tarpon is to look for its characteristic spread. When they come to the surface for air, they do a rocking motion and you will see their head come to the surface and then the rest of their body sway as they swim down. Watch for ends that break the surface of the water.
Due to the size of Tarpon, there is a specific tackle that you must use to catch them. Your fishing rod should have a medium heavy to heavy action, and be 6 1/2 to 7 feet long. The fishing reel should be one that can hold line in the 20 to 40 pound range, such as the 4000 series reels. Always use a good strong leader, such as a 40 to 60 pound test fluorocarbon. Depending on the lure or bait you are using, that will determine the length of leader you should use. If you are using topwater plugs you will need to keep your leader shorter as the fluorocarbon line is heavy and will drag the front of the lure down. Otherwise, use a leader that is at least 2 feet long and up to 6 feet.
Tarpon like to eat many different types of fish and shellfish. Tarpon as bait such as Pinfish, Mullet, Ladyfish, Threadfins and Whitebait. They will also eat crabs and shrimp. In rivers and freshwater, try using catfish as bait, but be sure to cut the barbs off the fins first.
The rig is also an important consideration once you determine the bait to use. Floats or popper corks are good for keeping the bait off the bottom. Normally 2 feet between the popper cork and the hook is good, but adjust the ratio based on the depth of the water where you are fishing. Whenever fishing for live or dead bait, try to use circle hooks. Always use hooks the size of your bait. You don’t want to use a hook that is too small and weak. A tarpon is a very strong fish and can easily straighten a weak hook. You also don’t want to use a hook that’s too big, because this will make your live bait look unnatural when it’s swimming. If you’re not sure what size hook to use, ask your local tackle shop which hook works best for what size bait.
Lures have always been a great way to hook Tarpon. The key to lures is to find out what interests them that day. One day you may find they are snapping topwater lures and the next day they won’t even look at you. What I have found is that any lure that provides a good flash and vibration seems to work best when fishing for Tarpon. Gold and copper colored spoons work well in channels and deeper water. If you are fishing in grassy beds, use a weedless spoon. Due to the flash, these lures perform well in dirty or murky water. In clear water, lures like the Catch 2000 do a good job. This lure is a suspended lure and is ideal for medium level fishing. Jigs and soft baits have also been good for Tarpon. What I have found is that white baits like Z-TOO and light colored speckled baits like DOA Shrimp work very well, but they seem to work best when they give a quick twitch while slowly reeling. Jigs with light colored bodies and red heads work well bouncing off the bottom.
When you see Tarpon rolling around, look to see which way they are moving. Try to put your bait or lure a few meters ahead of where he saw you. If you place your fishing lure where it just rolled, there’s a good chance it’s not in that spot anymore. Always try to put distance between you and them. Tarpon have very good eyesight and hearing. If you are fishing from a boat, position the boat well ahead of the fish and to the side of the school. If you have an electric motor, use it. Remember, silence is the key here – don’t start the engine and yell in front of them because now they know you’re there and they’ll change direction.
When you hook up with a tarpon, you’ll need to learn to bow to the king. No, this is not a respect thing; this is something you need to learn so that you can prevent the fish from shaking the hook. Every time a tarpon jumps, it moves its head trying to remove the hook. If you are pulling the fish at this point, in most cases the hook will come out. So what you need to do is point your rod at the fish and even lean into the fish to give enough slack for the hook to stay on the lip of the fish. This still doesn’t mean you’ll catch the tarpon, but it does increase your chances of landing it.
When you have the grace to catch a tarpon, always respect the fish. Handle the fish properly so that it can survive and be caught again and produce more great fish like it. Never hang the fish by the gills or the mouth. Cradle the fish horizontally, and only do this if you’re taking a photo. It is always better to keep the fish in the water and remove the hook. Make sure you give the fish time to revive before you release it. Large fish should never be removed from the water, as doing so is almost certain death for the fish. Just hang your head on the side and take the picture. Use common sense and respect for these great fish as they were named the Silver King for a reason.
I hope this article has given you some tips and tricks on how to catch Backwater Tarpon! The Silver King is beautiful, and I hope we can all continue to catch them for years to come!
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