Tarpon.
Silver king. Bridge ambush, dawn rolls, June migration.
How they feed in the Keys
Tarpon are the apex inshore fish of the Florida Keys. Resident populations hold year-round in deeper channels (Bahia Honda, Channel Five, the 7-Mile and Long Key channels), but the May–June migration through the Atlantic-side oceanside drives the iconic Keys fishery — long strings of fish rolling in the morning calm on their way to spawning grounds offshore. Bridge fishing peaks at night on heavy outgoing tides; oceanside sight fishing happens at dawn between Marathon and Key West. The June full-moon palolo worm hatch turns the back-country into a feeding frenzy that pelagic anglers fly in for.
78–84°F
Comfortable 74–88°F · Below 70°F they push out or stage in deeper water
Outgoing tide is the bridge angler's friend — fish stack on the up-current side and ambush bait pulling through. Incoming serves the back-country and oceanside fish. Strong tide of any direction is better than weak tide.
Heavy current at bridges produces the biggest, most aggressive fish. Channel Five and Bahia Honda on a ripping outgoing are bucket-list locations. Light current = scattered, picky fish.
Calm pre-dawn for sight fishing rollers. Pre-front falling pressure with a south wind = epic. Post-cold-front north wind shuts the back-country down for 2–3 days.
Falling pressure is the strongest single predictor of an aggressive tarpon bite. The 12 hours ahead of a tropical disturbance can be unforgettable.
Dawn for oceanside rollers. Last hour of light into the night for bridge fish. Mid-day fish are tougher but exist on overcast days.
Full and new moon spring tides bring bigger fish through and load bridges with current. The May/June full-moon palolo worm hatch is the single best annual event in the back-country. Dark-of-the-moon nights at bridges are also strong because bait silhouettes against any glow.
Coefficient 90+ on Channel Five outgoing nights = the biggest, most aggressive fish of the year. Coefficient 70+ minimum to plan a bridge night.
Late May / early June full moon, two hours before through dawn — the palolo worm hatch in Florida Bay back-country produces a tarpon feed that's worth flying in for. Tan/red worm flies, light leader.
Migratory fish are the morning rollers May–July, bigger average but more picky. Resident fish are year-round in deeper channels and bridges, less spectacular but reliable.
12-month outlook
What they eat, what catches them
Live mullet
8–12 inch finger mullet on a 6/0–9/0 circle hook. The bridge classic — drift through the current on a slip rig.
Live blue crab
Pinned through a corner of the shell, drifted unweighted in current. Devastating during the May–June migration.
Live pinfish or pilchard
Smaller live bait for rollers and resident fish; cast across their direction of travel.
- Cut bait (mullet/ladyfish chunks)· Bridges with strong scent dispersal. Less selective but reliable on tough nights.
- Tarpon flies· Toad, Black Death, Cockroach. 3/0 hooks, 12 wt rod. Migration sight fishing.
- Hogy / large soft plastics· 10-inch white or chartreuse soft plastic on a 6/0 jig. Bridge fishing alternative when you can't get live bait.
- Bridge night, ripping outgoing
Live mullet on a slip-sinker rig with circle hook. Fish the up-current side.
- Worm hatch, full moon June
Worm fly (tan/red, 1.5" length) on a 12 wt with 60 lb shock tippet. Strip slow.
- Oceanside roller dawn
Crab on a corked rig drifted into the school, or a fly cast 10 ft ahead with no hesitation.
How top captains rig it
Spin: 50–80 lb braid. Conventional (bridges): 50–80 lb mono. Fly: 12 wt floating with 80 lb shock.
Spin: 6000–8000 size with strong drag. Fly: 12 wt with 300 yards of 30 lb backing.
Spin: 7' medium-heavy to heavy. Conventional: 6'6" stand-up class.
60–100 lb fluorocarbon, 4–6 ft. Bridges sometimes go 100–125 lb to keep fish off pilings.
- Bridge night
7' medium-heavy spin, 65 lb braid, 80 lb fluoro leader, 7/0 circle. Anchored or slow-drifted up-current of pilings.
- Migration sight fishing
12 wt fly + Toad pattern + 80 lb shock. Or 7'6" medium-heavy spin with crab. Quiet skiff approach is everything.
Recreational rules
Catch-and-release only.
0 — designated catch-and-release in Florida. A tarpon tag (~$50) is required to harvest a fish ≥40 inches for an IGFA record application; otherwise must be released without removing from the water.
Year-round catch-and-release.
Snatch hooks, gigging, and gaffing fish ≥40". Snagging through the body and any harvest without a tag are illegal.
Note · Tarpon over 40" must stay in the water — no lifting for photos. Use a Boga Grip or grab the lower jaw, get a quick photo at the gunwale, revive boatside.
What actually moves the bite
Each factor is rated by how much it shifts the bite for this fish in the Keys. Calibrated against the Bite Score weights — see the Bite Score reference for what each factor measures.