Boca Grande Tarpon Fishing

Captain Danny spends quite a bit of time preparing for each and every fishing charter. You can have confidence that you’ll be fishing with first-class equipment that is flawlessly rigged.

You’re going to be targeting fish that will look for any opportunity to gain the upper hand, and Captain Danny does his best to give you every advantage. Therefore, tarpon fishing requires top-quality tackle and that’s why Captain Danny uses Shimano reels matched to G-Loomis rods, spooled with 50-80lb Power Pro braided line for the perfect fishing outfit.

Live Crabs, Threadfin Herring, Pinfish, Squirrelfish, Ladyfish, and Mullet along with an assortment of artificial lures are provided on your fishing charter.

The early spring months are when the migration of Tarpon into Southwest Florida begins. Each year thousands of Tarpon make their way to the Boca Grande area. When they arrive they are hungry and wanting to fatten up as they begin gathering up for the spawn.

This is probably the most consistent Tarpon fishing of the year. Due to their desire to spawn they begin to gather into large breed schools to socialize. They stay in these large breed schools, sometimes 500 fish or more, and spawn on the strongest tides of the year or “hill tides.” The fishing in and near Boca Grande Pass and the surrounding beaches is something that few anglers ever forget!

Like I said earlier this is some of the best tarpon fishing of the year. The best part is that the crowds are way smaller and the fish are there to eat after their annual spawn.

I hate to say it but I am only being honest. If you really want to catch a big Tarpon this time of year you need to go somewhere else. Yes, we do have tarpon here during the winter months but targeting them consistently is very hard at best.

There are miles of pristine beaches along the Southwest coast of Florida and during May, June and July there are thousands of Tarpon using these beaches as a natural highway during their annual migration. During Tarpon Season in Southwest Florida you can expect to follow the old saying “The Early Bird Gets the Worm”. A typical morning starts by meeting at the dock about 30 Minutes before first light. The reason being a Tarpon is primarily a nocturnal eating species so fishing the first few hours of daylight is very crucial. If you love to hunt and stalk your fish, this is the place for you. Tarpon fishing along the beach is primarily done by sight fishing. As the Tarpon are spotted the boat is carefully positioned to allow anglers to cast live baits at the approaching fish. From the millisecond it takes them to bite your bait to the minute your captain releases your fish to fight another day, this fish will leave a memory with you that you will never forget!

Live Crabs, Threadfin Herring, Pinfish, Squirrelfish, Ladyfish, and Mullet along with an assortment of artificial lures are provided on your fishing charter.

The Boca Grande area is considered by many to be “Ground Zero” for the Tarpon spawn in early summer. Every year we see a crab flow around the full and new moons of May, June and July that drives the Tarpon INSANE! Most years during the spring tides of the full and new moon, hundreds of thousands of “pass crabs” are washed out from Charlotte Harbor en-route to spawn. During this natural phenomenon, the tarpon cruise well inside the pass to an area called “The Hill.” During a good hill tide, countless Tarpon are whipped into a feeding frenzy as vulnerable crabs are plentiful and make for easy prey. Picture a school of Bass or Bluefish terrorizing a school of baitfish on the surface of the water. Now picture the same thing, except make these fish between 60 and 200+lbs! They rarely turn down a properly presented live crab as bait and double or even triple hookups are not uncommon during these feeding frenzies. Hill tides are fairly easy to predict based on a combination of full/new moons and strong outgoing tides that take place late in the day. Some of the most memorable fishing charters in recent years have taken place during “The Hill” tides.

As the month of July comes to an end and the Tarpon have finished their annual spawning ritual, everyone thinks it is over. Many of the misconceptions of when exactly the Tarpon are in the Boca Grande and Charlotte Harbor areas are based around when the Tarpon are highly concentrated in, and very near Boca Grande Pass during the spawn which is commonly perceived as Tarpon “season” in May, June, and July. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Just because the fish are not stuffed into Boca Grande Pass does not mean that they all left. The truth is that thousands of fish stay and feed until the first couple of cold fronts arrive in late October or November. Some of my best days have been in the latter part of the summer when the crowds are significantly smaller. The best part is that it’s more affordable as I go back to my Boca Grande Fishing Charters rates.

Charlotte Harbor, Boca Grande, Matlatcha, Pine Island Sound, and the Myakka and Peace Rivers are all homes to late and early season Tarpon as well as some year-round residents. These fish are usually found in loose groups or small pods rather than the massive schools you see during the spawn. It may take a little more time to find them but it will be well worth it. These fish are here to eat not breed!

The other great thing about late-season tarpon fishing is the fact that there are almost no boats. It’s not uncommon to leave the dock in August, September, or October and fish for hours without seeing another soul while having tarpon roll all around the boat and explode into the air while tight to your line. This is not the fast and furious fishing of peak season but the rewards can be just as plentiful and a lot more relaxing. Give it a try and you will become a believer too!