UTERTarpon fishing in Tampa Bay
In Tampa Bay, tarpon peak May–July and are around April–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Pods migrating north up the beach — Anna Maria, Longboat, Egmont, Pass-a-Grille. Live threadfins or crabs in front of rolling fish at dawn.
The last of the fall fish; the first front sends most of them south.
Tarpon in Tampa Bay, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingFirst fish at the Skyway and Egmont by the end of April as the bay climbs past 76°F.
- MayPeakPods migrating north up the beach — Anna Maria, Longboat, Egmont, Pass-a-Grille. Live threadfins or crabs in front of rolling fish at dawn.
- JunePeakPeak on the beaches and in the bay: Skyway, Egmont Channel and the Fort De Soto bars. Hill tides around the full and new moons flush crabs out of the passes — pass fish feed on the outgoing.
- JulyPeakStill good on the beaches early; fish disperse into the bay and up the rivers by month's end.
- AugustAroundScattered fish on the bait pods at the Skyway and in the Manatee and Little Manatee rivers.
- SeptemberAroundFall fish rolling in the bay and the river mouths on the threadfin schools.
- OctoberLeavingThe last of the fall fish; the first front sends most of them south.
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish tarpon near Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa
Florida's biggest open-water estuary, ringed with grass flats, mangrove islands, oyster bars and the Skyway's endless pilings, then the barrier-island passes — Johns, Pass-a-Grille, Longboat, New Pass, Big Sarasota, Venice — and a dense field of artificial reefs a few miles off the beach.
Fish Scouter charts 46 pass / inlet, 34 beach / surf, 9 bridge spots in the Tampa Bay & Sarasota map area — the kinds tarpon hold on.
What to use for tarpon
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Leader50–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook5/0–8/0
- Jig head1–1 1/4 oz
- Braid40–65 lb
Feeds in 74–90°F water, best at 78–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch tarpon in Tampa Bay?
Peak season is May–July. Tarpon are in Tampa Bay April–October. May: Pods migrating north up the beach — Anna Maria, Longboat, Egmont, Pass-a-Grille. Live threadfins or crabs in front of rolling fish at dawn.
Where do tarpon hold in Tampa Bay?
Look on pass / inlet, beach / surf, bridge, channel edge — around Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice.
What is the best bait for tarpon in Tampa Bay?
Live bait: blue crabs, threadfin herring (greenbacks), pilchards (whitebait), finger mullet. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 5/0–8/0, jig head 1–1 1/4 oz, braid 40–65 lb.
What are the rules for tarpon in Tampa Bay?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
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