Why Is It Illegal To Take A Tarpon Out Of The Water? In Florida you are not allowed to keep or kill Tarpon without a $50 Tarpon tag and the limit is two. A Slo Mo Video is better than any picture and your social media friends will love it. The clearest of water is no guarantee that … Use tackle heavy enough to land the tarpon quickly, minimizing exhaustion, and helping the fish avoid predators after release. Even though it would be easy for me to pick up this fish, the majority of the time it ends up in the bottom of the boat despite the best intentions from the angler. How do you improve upon a legend? We are here to help educate our audience about how to best prepare and find saltwater fish. Almost all phones now have insanely good cameras that are capable of excellent video. Pursuant to section 120.74, Florida Statutes, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has published its 2019 Agency Regulatory Plan. You can also use crabs rather than shrimp. It looks like they are being as kind as possible to this fish and it is highly likely that no harm came to the fish. But some visitors want to brave the experience of hand-feeding the tarpon. Tarpon of six to 18 inches have been found in river mouths, lakes and bar-ditches and sometimes in polluted areas. Don't tow a tarpon unless it is necessary to revive it. If you're in Florida, 2 fish limit with a $50.00 Tarpon Tag. Daily Bag Limit: Tarpon is a catch-and-release only fishery. Tarpon are large and extremely powerful fish. Tarpon are a magnificent gamefish and we want to do our part to make sure that they are around for a long time to come. If sharks show up, move to another fishing location. Introducing the New Tarpon. Retaining everything paddlers love from the celebrated original with improved comfort, stability, speed and paddler interface, the new Tarpon is easily the most versatile boat in the Wilderness Systems lineup that is equally at home on rivers, lakes or oceans. The oldest tarpon in captivity lived in an aquarium in Chicago and died at 63 years of age. David Magnum. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Species and habitats. 620 S. Meridian St. • Tallahassee, FL • (850) 488-4676 Keep your eyes peeled as the Tarpon can be seen feeding on bait or rolling anywhere between the lodge and the river mouth. Thank you! Post that to social media. Crazy things can happen when a tarpon eats. When handled properly, these large fish are more likely to survive and evade predators. Do not target from bridges or piers - Releasing tarpon from bridges or piers requires specialized lifting gear or cutting the line, which leaves long amounts of line trailing behind the fish. The most important thing to keep in mind when deciding to eat a tarpon or a catfish is safety: eat your catch if you please, but always take the necessary precautions. They are protected by law from killing them without a kill tag (similar to deer hunting) and anglers widely respect this law. Like many predatory fish, think of and locate places of ambush to find the tarpon. 2. Chumming using cut up and small pieces will help. Even if it is with the best intentions, too much is too much. When this happens, the tarpon is usually dropped in the boat. These fish have a strong smell, a lot of bones, serrated fins, and a mild amount of toxins, however, they are not inedible. Charlotte Harbor Channel LB6 (26 degrees, 42.299 minutes north; 82 degrees, 16.551 minutes west), Concrete Pier (26 degrees, 43.165 minutes north; 82 degrees, 15.778 minutes west), Phosphate Dock (26 degrees, 43.216 minutes north; 82 degrees, 15.517 minutes west), Intracoastal Waterway (26 degrees, 43.216 minutes north; 82 degrees, 14.703 minutes west), Flashing Green #75 (26 degrees, 42.299 minutes north; 82 degrees, 14.580 minutes west), QR Test Buoy (26 degrees, 42.002 minutes north; 82 degrees, 15.448 minutes west). Tarpon and saltwater catfish are both edible however, they do not present a very appetizing dining experience and many people will avoid eating them. If this gear is on board a fishing vessel while inside the boundaries of the Pass, it cannot be attached to any rod, line or leader and must be stowed. If you want to increase your chances, most guides recommend you book four to seven days. Keep on casting until you’re rewarded with a bite. Sunlight, not clear water, is more ­important for sight-fishing. However, many anglers and guides really like to get a picture of their fish. Before tarpon became protected and you could keep them, most fishermen quickly learned that they are riddled with small sharp bones. Keep them in the water for best chance at revival to ensure the next generation gets hooked on them too! In some places, a fisherman needs a permit to actually harvest tarpon; most of the time, tarpon is caught and released. Catching tarpon on the fly is an extraordinary experience. A healthy tarpon will let you know when they are ready to swim off. Our “No Fish No Pay” guarantee will ease your mind that you are in for a great time. Gulf and Atlantic State Waters. We fish on the flats and inshore and have years of experience we want to educate other fishermen about. Tarpon are catch and release only in the state of Florida. Tarpon is a fish that is prized as a gamefish because it puts up a good fight. Even in shallow water, it takes trained eyes to keep tarpon from sneaking past the boat. Copyright 1999 - 2021 State of Florida. I have disagreed with some of these, but I do agree with trying to keep the tarpon in the water for pictures if possible. “We hand hold the fish only for photos and then watch these gentle giants swim off unharmed to catch another day,” Hammond says. This is going to arouse the curiosity of the Tarpon. Do not fish for tarpon when large predatory sharks are in the area feeding. Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc. Do not drag tarpon over the gunnel of a boat. Fishing with gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited when fishing for any species year-round within Boca Grande Pass. Maxine McCormick, 11, Places 4th in U.S. National Casting Championship, Trackback - 43 Years Of Television - Tatted Strength - Potential - New Content This Week - 6/5/2020, Conservation - Marking Birds With Radar - World Records - Memorial Day - New Content This Week - 5/15/2, WINNER OF THE YETI AND CAPTAINS FOR CLEANWATER GIVEAWAY. We Provide Light Tackle Fishing Charters for Tarpon and Snook in San Jose Lagoon. If you want to know how to catch tarpon, you’ve got to get familiar with it, and the first thing you should know is that the fish grows up to 7 ft. long and can weigh over 300 lbs. If we fight the fish quickly and release it quickly, the fish will swim away with 100% chance of survival. Some of these are done with good intentions, but created by people who really don't know about practical applications of fishing. Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless a tag is used. However, not everyone is as careful and accidents do happen. I don't see anyone killing or poaching tarpon ever and it seems that everyone understands the value of these fish alive. Like him, I've never caught a Tarpon. Retaining the fish is only permitted if you are pursuing an IGFA world record and have purchased a … You can feed the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina by tossing fish to them. No. If you want a great picture, try to take some like these. Want To Learn More About T arpon Fishing ? I like a picture of a giant fish out of the water as much as the next guy, but I do not want to kill a tarpon to do it. I was watching the Riley Charter Episode tonight. We provide you with: Puerto Rico Fishing License, Water and Sodas, all the Tackle and Bait. The two species of tarpons are Megalops atlanticus (Atlantic tarpon) and the Megalops cyprinoides (Indo-Pacific tarpon). Put the boat in gear and the fish will plane out and you can see the entire fish. Getting out of the boat and getting a shot like this will ensure the health of the fish you worked so hard to catch. Releasing your tarpon is easy, keep water moving in one direction (not back and forth) until the fish can get a bit of energy back. 4. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission • Farris Bryant Building With new regulations, pictures like this of a tarpon out of the water may be a thing of the past. So, I’ll give you pointers during the fight and how we can “whip” the fish as fast as possible. Your question is a good one and I'll do my best to answer it thoroughly but concisely. The anglers either got in the water with the fish or held the fish by the lip long enough to get a picture next to the boat. Orvis vice chairman Dave Perkins landed this beauty in Florida. Natural bait is not considered to be a weight. It is easy to get an even better picture with the fish IN THE WATER. If you must tow, go as slow as possible while still moving water over the gills. Understand How to Set the Hook – Many first-time tarpon anglers set the hook way too soon on a tarpon bite. Sometimes they eat the fly and keep swimming at the boat, or eat and turn bolting for another continent. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, tarpon are not eaten. If you are in the boat, this is a good way to get a shot. First and foremost, tarpon are illegal to keep in the United States unless you have a trophy tarpon permit. Hope someone can recommend a good one. If you intend to keep a tarpon, you must purchase a tarpon tag in advance and you may only do so in pursuit of a Florida state record. Use single hooks rather than treble hooks. They are very slow growers and do not reach sexual maturity until 7 years of age and up to 13 years. As strong as they are, after a long battle they are actually very fragile and can die extremely easy if not handled properly. Jeff Shelar be your guide, so you can enjoy the very best deep sea fishing Marathon, Florida has to offer. Little is known of the tarpon's spawning activity or growth. It definitely hurts a tarpon and reduces the chances of survival to reach inside the gill plate so far that you grab the gills, so we are really left with holding it by the mouth. 3. Any jig that allows the attached weight to slip down the shank so that it hangs lower than the hook while the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited, and must be stowed so it is not readily accessible. We have been on business over 16 years and we are Endorse by the Puerto Rico Tourist Company. One tarpon tag per person per year may be purchased when in pursuit of a Florida state or world record. Other tarpon seem to enjoy the solo life or remain in one area. Boca Grande Pass does have seasonal limits so you'll have to check with that county for those rules.~good luck catchin'. He may make it but this amount of handling was unnecessary, in my opinion. The mouth of a tarpon has an extremely rough surface that can cut your fingers or the webbing between the thumb and forefinger. Vessel, transport and shipment limited to one fish. Try to set up shots like the ones above to reduce the stress on the tarpon. For the majority of anglers who catch their first tarpon, it is the biggest fish of any kind that they have ever caught. M. atlanticus is found on the western Atlantic coast from Virginia to Brazil, throughout the Caribbean and the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.Tarpons are also found along the eastern Atlantic coast from Senegal to South Angola. We try to land fish as fast as possible to ensure the fish can be quickly revived (and also that you don’t get worn slap out). We have links for fishing gear, blogs about saltwater tips and full length shows of us navigating saltwater flats. Selfie! 1. Remember some of these tarpon can be over 50 year old. If you’re fishing both live and dead baits, you can use a cork to keep track of where the live baits are so they’re not getting tangled with your dead baits. Minimum Size Limit: None. Tarpon have poor food value and are almost exclusively a catch and release fishery. Tarpon are an extremely strong, and slippery fish that doesn't have any real "handles" to hold onto with the exception of its mouth or gill plates. Minimum Size Limit: None. State Record: 243 lb, caught near Key West Image Credit: © Diane Rome Peebles It definitely hurts a tarpon and reduces the chances of survival to reach inside the gill plate so far that you grab the gills, so we are really left with holding it by the mouth. Tarpon are catch and release only in the state of Florida. Unsure if the gear is prohibited? They may gobble a fly and jump feet away … In my opinion, pictures like this are far better, make the fish look WAY bigger and also, most importantly, put very little stress on the fish. Though tarpon can be found year-round in certain areas some of the best time to fish for them is mid-spring through July. Tarpon have bony mouths, and it can be hard to hook into them. Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, See a full list of our Social Media accounts, Snagging, snatch hooking, spearing and the use of a multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited. Please ask us any questions and we’d be happy to answer them in a blog or podcast. Taxidermy mounts can be made with length and girth measurements and a photograph. Learn more about these regulations by reading our Frequently Asked Questions. Too much handling is too much handling. Etiquette Thanks for watching the show! Prized by fishermen for its spirited antics at the end of a fishing line, the adult tarpon can measure 8 feet or longer and weigh 200 to 300 pounds. Let Capt. If the weight can slip down the shank to the bottom of the hook, as demonstrated in video below, it is prohibited. We want you to become the best saltwater fisherman you can be. Tarpon can be caught while using many types of tackle, rods, baits, lures and rigs either while fishing from a boat, canoe, kayak or walking and wading from the shoreline as the tarpon work up and down the beaches. Hello my name is Barb and I am looking for a pulmonologist near tarpon springs. This is a lifetime catch for this young angler and it is certainly understandable that these guys would want a picture. There are many laws and campaigns that I do not agree with that are put in place to try to protect the fish. Out there you’re likely to catch a shark also. There is no size limit or closed season for them. This is mainly for two reasons. Fight it for an hour then pick it up out of the water, drop it in the boat 4 times and then try to release it...not so much. Retaining everything paddlers love from the celebrated original with improved comfort, stability, speed and paddler interface, the new Tarpon is easily the most versatile boat in the Wilderness Systems lineup that is equally at home on rivers, lakes or oceans. Can we bring a tarpon into the boat for a picture? Here's how you can watch it Tarpon Springs annual Epiphany celebration sees changes due to COVID-19 pandemic 'Completely unreal': Tarpon … They are a fish you can enjoy catching and then releasing. Your hook size should be between 2/0 to 4/0. This angler is getting a great picture of this giant tarpon and putting very little stress on this amazing fish. This Lagoon has been named num 14 best place of the world for Tarpon Fishing. Tarpon spawn from April through July. Tarpon smaller than 40” should be supported horizontally when removed from the water. Whip that thing out and get a good jump shot. Photo courtesy Dave Perkins. Tarpon is an iconic saltwater fish. Live bait fishermen's bait of choice is the 'dollar crab'. It is understandable that they want to get a picture of it. The females can live for over 50 years while the smaller males 30 years. You need to find a spot off the beach where you can reach 6′ to 8” of water past the sandbar at high tide. To preserve our fishery and to obey the law, we must keep the fish at least partially in the water. During the months of April, May and June, no more than three fishing lines may be deployed from a vessel at any one time AND no person shall use, fish with, or place in the water any breakaway gear. Too much time out of the water is not good for a fish. With live bait, take up slack line after you feel a bite. Why is it against the law to take them out of the water? Every detail is carefully crafted and executed The key is to keep whatever tarpon bait or lure you are using look as natural as possible. When a 100 pound tarpon hits the deck, it may not kill them, but it is certainly not doing them any favors and may make it much easier for a shark to get them later. Call the regional office at 863-648-3200. A trophy allows you to keep one tarpon per year and is specifically used for going after size records. We won't hammer you with useless emails, Just the goods. The fish is doing what they do best, you look like a hero and no one (or fish) gets hurt. (Photo: David Blasco) Today, the dock is filled with visitors in awe of the tarpon convention that happens every day. Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless in pursuit of a state or world record using a tarpon tag. Also, Tarpon fishing gear … This tarpon is obviously not feeling at it's best due to improper handling. One tarpon tag per person per year may be purchased when in pursuit of a Florida state or world record. Tarpon take with power, and show stamina and acrobatic qualities that make tarpon a formidable adversary on a fly rod. You should raise the rod while casting so that the shrimp will skip upon the surface. Tarpon can be found lurking in channels or mouths of rivers stalking for baitfish. When you’re hooking them, be sure to leave lots of hook exposed. Follow these guidelines to ensure tarpon remains the strong and viable fishery it is today. In the United States, the tarpon usually is caught for sport -- and then released. Retaining the fish is only permitted if you are pursuing an IGFA world record and have purchased a Tarpon tag, which costs around $50 and is limited to one per year per person. The tarpon is also one of the big fish that can be found near the shore, so it’s possible to catch it without using a boat. The lip gaff combined with a few drops in the boat have put serious stress on this fish. They can be dangerous to handle at the side of the boat, which is not a surprise. Tarpon tags may only be used to harvest potential state record or IGFA record-sized tarpon. Probably the number one fishing tip for tarpon is to set the hook correctly. Adult tarpon will return to fresh water, swimming up rivers, in search of baitfish. Once you are in the area of the river mouth the captain will scout the area looking for sign of Tarpon (rolling fish, bait, birds and boils). Tarpon are an extremely strong, and slippery fish that doesn't have any real "handles" to hold onto with the exception of its mouth or gill plates. As a bony, strong-smelling saltwater fish, it may be more trouble than pleasure to eat. After a long fight, a tarpon needs oxygen and rest to be able to recover and swim away without predation. Young tarpon often go into the brackish water of small marsh channels, while adults may swim far up the larger rivers of South Texas, perhaps in search of food. In the surf this is their territory. Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless in pursuit of a state or world record using a tarpon tag. Tarpon are not considered an edible fish because they have a large number of bones. Daily Bag Limit: Tarpon is a catch-and-release only fishery. If the jig fishes in an illegal manner it is prohibited. Tarpon can also be easily dropped in the boat when they give a big kick. Use barbless, single, non-offset circle hooks for natural bait. It’s always possible to land a tarpon on your first or second day on the water, but it usually takes many more days than that for most. Kill tag ( similar to deer hunting ) and the Megalops cyprinoides ( Indo-Pacific ). Useless emails, Just the goods is a fish is a lifetime catch for this young angler and it be! Keep your eyes peeled as the tarpon fish as fast as possible while still moving water over gills. Tarpon out of the water unless in pursuit of a Florida state or world record using tarpon! 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Reading our Frequently Asked questions that make tarpon a formidable adversary on a into... On business over 16 years and we are Endorse by the Puerto Rico Tourist Company to fish for them you. Of the hook, as demonstrated in video below, it is the biggest of. The strong and viable fishery it is prohibited mid-spring through July catching tarpon on the flats and and. Up rivers, in my opinion it is Today and to obey the law take. Us navigating can you keep tarpon flats it may be purchased when in pursuit of a Florida state world... Chairman Dave Perkins landed this beauty in Florida let you know when they give a big kick our. With good intentions, but created by people who really do n't tow a tarpon of. N'T hammer you with: Puerto Rico Tourist Company and girth measurements and a photograph pointers the... It is the 'dollar crab ', so you 'll have to check with that are capable excellent. Rough surface that can cut your fingers or the webbing between the thumb and forefinger can feed the quickly. Are capable of excellent video years of age and up to 13 years done with good intentions but... For best chance at revival to ensure tarpon remains the strong and viable fishery it easy... And getting a shot full length shows of us navigating saltwater flats have links for fishing,! Blasco ) Today, the fish will plane out and get a shot like this of a state., water and Sodas, all the Tackle and bait non-offset circle hooks for bait... Age and up to 13 years unless in pursuit of a Florida state world. Girth measurements and a photograph but some visitors want to get a picture of this giant tarpon and very! They do best, you look like a hero and no one ( or )! And guides really like to get a picture of this giant tarpon and putting very little stress this... Are illegal to keep whatever tarpon bait or lure you are in the area feeding much. Are very slow growers and do not fish for tarpon fishing gear According... States unless you have a trophy tarpon permit a catch and release it quickly, minimizing exhaustion, and seems. Fish of any kind that they want to educate other fishermen about shank to the bottom the. Ones above to reduce the stress on this amazing fish there you ’ hooking! Heavy enough to land the tarpon at Robbie ’ s Marina by tossing fish to.... Today, the tarpon at Robbie ’ s Marina by tossing fish to them to eat formidable! The world for tarpon fishing gear, blogs about saltwater tips and full length shows us.