If your plans for the summer involve Tarpon fishing, Siesta Key may not be at the top of your list, but it should be! Let the crowds swarm Boca Grande, spooking the fish and ruining the atmosphere. Head up the coast to Siesta Key instead, that’s what the fish are doing!
When should I go?
Tarpon start to make their way up along Florida’s Gulf Coast towards the end of spring and first arrive in Siesta Key in the beginning of May. This kicks off the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament, which has been running for nearly a century and offers a great chance to show off your skills. Competition is stiff though and you are unlikely to get masses of water to yourself.
By the middle of June, the tournament is over, and a lot of the crowds leave with it. The last of the Tarpon don’t move on until August, though, if you can take the heat and the repeated rainfall. This is your chance to battle a Silver King worthy of the crown without worrying about another boat scattering the shoals as they daisy-chain through the shallows.
How should I catch one?
There are a variety of ways to target Tarpon, and the best way is often simply the one you are most confident at. Fly fishers are always particularly keen to bow before this royal fish, and the flats around Siesta Key are a great place to perfect your aim. It may take a hundred tries to have a chance at landing your fly where it needs to be, but there are plenty of Tarpon to try on.
Another common tactic is to draw live bait across their path with live bait, with Blue Crab coming out clearly on top. This tactic is not as easy as it sounds though, with the fish either spooking or not noticing your bait at all. But catching one of these guys wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if it was easy, right?
