The Florida Keys Tarpon Adventure

As Fly Anglers surrounded by saltwater here in Florida, saltwater fly fishing inevitably leads each of us to pursue the Big Three saltwater flats crown jewels of sport fish: Permit, Bonefish and the Tarpon on the fly. Today many Fly Anglers are adding redfish and snook to the Big Three crown jewels sports fish to capture the biggest thrill in saltwater fly fishing Florida has to offer.

 

We are blessed as Fly Angler Floridians, the Florida Keys is the prime place for us to throw flies to Tarpon year-round.  The Florida Keys for many of us is a worthwhile drive to destination within no more than a handful of hours from our homes via auto.  Other Fly Anglers from around the globe flock to the Florida Keys April through June as the migration schools numbering in the hundreds make their way across the oceanside flats and back country.  Personally, I have rubbed shoulders with Fly Anglers from greater Europe, UK, South Africa, Australia, Canada and of course almost every State all in pursuit of the “Silver King” in the Florida Keys. 

 

Starting in February and March migratory fish start to lay up around the basins and banks. In late April the oceanside beaches of the Florida Keys come alive as a pathway for the Tarpon migration schools in the clear waters. The remainder of the year we Floridians have the opportunity to fly fish for Tarpon in the back country of the Florida Keys. The Florida Bay back country consist of big basins, channel edges, shallow banks, and mangrove shorelines, all holding opportunities for large Tarpon. The Tarpon in the back country are generally more relaxed and therefore easier to catch on most days compared to the ocean side migrating Tarpon, who can be very picky of their fly choice. A lot of the Tarpon in the back country are referred to as resident fish since they call the Florida Keys home year-round.​