A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 81F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: July 11, 2024 @ 3:12 pm
Parker Halston shows off a nice juvenile tarpon. Fish this size can be handled on typical redfish and snook gear. Fish in this class are being found in Tampa Bay canals, backwater pockets and bayous.
 

Parker Halston shows off a nice juvenile tarpon. Fish this size can be handled on typical redfish and snook gear. Fish in this class are being found in Tampa Bay canals, backwater pockets and bayous.
 
Tarpon fishing is an entirely different animal from most of the fishing that goes on in Tampa Bay.
For one, they grow to scary size and require tackle that’s up to the task. Their size demands more from anglers physically, and the battle to land a silver king can take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, depending on its size and the depth of the water.
The good news is that now’s the time an angler who’s never hooked the mightiest inshore game fish can dip their toe into the water and give tarpon fishing a try.
The tarpon that are showing up in the bay now are for the most part under 100 pounds. Billy at Riviera Bait and Tackle says his customers are encountering good numbers of juvenile tarpon in back bays, around the bay bridges, at the Skyway Bridge and the beach passes. “By juvenile, I mean fish up to about 70 pounds,” he said. “They’re not the giants but they are respectable fish.”
Billy said the anglers doing best have been casting jumbo live shrimp and pass crabs up-current, proving a natural presentation of the bait caught in the tidal flow. Tarpon work from below, keeping an eye on whatever food might be swept by, rising to inhale any hapless creature coming by. While crabs and shrimp are excellent baits, live scaled sardines, threadfin shad or pinfish also can produce.
With the exception of tarpon to about 25 pounds, the job calls for upsized rods and reels from what is typically used inshore fishing for trout, reds and snook. If tarpon to about 35 pounds are the target, which is about as the largest found in canals and back bays, then 4000-class spinning reels and a medium-heavy 7-foot rod can get it done. But once one gets to fish 50 to 70 pounds like we’re seeing in the bay now, 5000- to 7000-class reels and rods to match are up to the task and hold the amount of line needed for the job.
On the 4000-class rig, sporting anglers might spool with 20- or 30-pound-test braided line and use a 50-pound mono or fluorocarbon leader. On the bigger outfits, spooling with 50-pound braid is typical, with leaders up to 100-pound-test to ensure they are not worn through when fighting a larger fish. Circle hooks are used and typically not weight-used. Some like a balloon a few feet above the hook to control the depth of the bait.
When a tarpon grabs the bait, the angler lets the line go tight and the rod bend and the circle hook will do the rest. Theirs is no swift jerk of the rod to set the hook.
Tarpon usually rocket into the sky the moment they realize they’re hooked. They’re wild leaps and head shakes are an attempt to throw the hook, and multiple jumps and deep dives can go on for several minutes before the fish tires out.
This is another reason to have tackle heavy enough for the job. Fighting a tarpon for too long can tire it out to the point where its survival upon release is in question. The idea is to have fun fighting the fish, but also be able to land and release it without totally exhausting it.
Unless it’s obvious the fish has plenty of gas left in its tank, it’s a good idea clamp the lower jaw with a gloved hand and motor the boat forward to flush water through its gills to revive it. Pull the fish until it starts to kick its tail and struggles and tries to break your grip, a sign it can swim away under its own power. Try to get your photos of larger fish while they are in the water at boat-side. Smaller fish can be brought aboard for a quick photo before being released.
Once one has cut their teeth on a smaller tarpon, the summer provides opportunities for the monster adult fish. They favor spots like the channel at Egmont, under the bay bridges and off the beaches for the monster fish that can weigh up to 150 pounds or more.
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