Catch Giant Trophy Tarpon in
Marathon and the Middle Florida Keys with
Capt. Chris Johnson and SeaSquared Charters!
Light tackle, live bait fishing for tarpon is an exhilarating experience for even the most seasoned anglers!
The tarpon that visit the Middle Florida Keys each spring love to hang out at bridge passes. SeaSquared Charters fishes for the Silver King primarily in the waters surrounding the Bahia Honda Bridges, although at times we also fish at the Seven Mile Bridges .
We prefer to fish at the Bahia Honda Bridges because tides are not a concern at this venue. We can fish all hours of the day and not have to be out into the darkness of night. It’s much more fun to fish in daylight when the angler can truly enjoy the show that the tarpon puts on!
These bridge areas are known for their relative calm conditions, making tarpon fishing a comfortable experience for all anglers, even those prone to seasickness.
Center console boats are ideally suited for tarpon fishing.
Center console boats, such as the SeaSquared, are more appropriate for tarpon fishing than outsized sport fishing vessels. The SeaSquared facilitates 360-degree fishing – essential as the tarpon tend to give you quite a workout back and forth across the bow of the boat!
At 28 feet in length with a very wide fishing platform, the SeaSquared safely and comfortably accommodates multiple tarpon anglers, so there’s no need to split your group up on small skiffs. At the same time, the boat maneuvers easily through the stop-and-go chaos of chasing down a tarpon.
SeaSquared Charters specializes in live bait tarpon fishing using crabs and mullet.
Depending on the venue we’re fishing, we use live crabs or live mullet as bait. Once we are sure we’re in the presence of schools of tarpon, we anchor the boat and free line a lively bait down current in the direction of the fish.
And then we wait.
Light tackle fishing puts the tarpon angler to the test.
For tarpon fishing, we use 20-pound spinning tackle with circle hooks. Circle hooks will lodge in the corner of the tarpon’s jaw. If the fish pulls the hook before we have a chance to remove it, it will eventually rust away and cause no harm to the tarpon whatsoever.
The action of the tarpon taking the bait is often subtle, and it may take an angler a few tries before there’s a successful hook-up.
Then, it’s game on!
The waters may be calm, but the fishing is anything but.
Tarpon fishing at these famed Florida Keys bridges requires expert boat-handling skills on the part of the Captain.
Once our anglers have a tarpon hooked up, we release the boat from our anchor ball and chase the fish. This pursuit can take the boat around bridge pilings, through the maze of other boats, out to deeper waters and back before the tarpon either breaks us off or is successfully landed.
Tarpon are very strong and typically provide a hard initial run followed by soaring leaps and acrobatics. When it’s man (or woman) vs. fish, the fight can last anywhere from a brief few seconds to an hour or more.
We value these beautiful game fish and do whatever possible to protect them. We don’t allow the fish to run too long nor fight it to the point of exhaustion.
The thrill of the catch cannot overshadow the importance of a proper release.
If our angler successfully brings the tarpon to the side of the boat for release, we leave it in the water for picture-taking, remove the hook and – if possible – take a DNA sample for Florida’s tarpon research program.
Light tackle, shallow water angling for tarpon in the Florida Keys presents the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of big game sport fishing closer to shore and easier on your budget.
Anglers flock from around the globe and return year after year to fish for giant tarpon at the Seven Mile Bridges and the Bahia Honda Bridges. Some even delight in the added bonus of a magnificent Florida Keys sunset!
SeaSquared Charters practices
100% catch-and-release sport fishing for tarpon.
All fish are released unharmed.
For more information about fishing for trophy tarpon in Marathon and the Middle Florida Keys with Capt. Chris Johnson and SeaSquared Charters, please click the links below…
About Florida Keys Tarpon
Tarpon Fishing Pictures
Tarpon Trophy Mounts
Florida Tarpon Research
Film Your Tarpon Fishing Adventure
Tarpon Charter Details and Rates
Tarpon Tournaments
Marathon Fishing Reports
About SeaSquared Charters
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