Tarpon

Tarpon Fishing in Florida

Tarpon are primarily an inshore fish. FWC says they are found throughout Florida's coastal waters in summer and concentrate in south Florida in winter, when coastal water cools. FWC lists tarpon as a catch-and-release only fishery.

Florida rules from FWC, checked Sep 2026

Check before you keep a fish. Seasons and limits change, sometimes in the middle of a season, and a court or an agency can change them overnight. Everything here was copied from FWC in Sep 2026 and is listed with its source at the bottom of this page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the current rule with your captain or with FWC before you keep a fish.

Florida state record

  • 243.19 lb Key West · February 17, 1975 · Gus Bell

From FWC Florida Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle), checked Sep 2026. Records are certified by FWC and can be broken at any time.

About the fish

SizeUp to 8 feet and 300 pounds
Where it livesMainly inshore. Adults spawn offshore
What it eatsFish and large crustaceans

FWC says tarpon gulp air at the surface, and juveniles turn up in fresh water.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • FWC lists tarpon as a catch-and-release only fishery in state and federal waters of the Gulf and Atlantic. The exception is one tarpon tag per person per year, bought when chasing a Florida state or world record.
  • A tarpon over 40 inches has to stay in the water. Only someone chasing a state or world record, holding a tarpon tag bought before the trip, may take one out.

Statewide: when you can keep one

State and federal waters of the Gulf and the Atlantic.

  • All anglersCatch and release onlyFWC lists tarpon as a catch and release only fishery.
No minimum size. A tarpon over 40 inches must stay in the water.Size limit
Catch and release onlyDaily limit. One tarpon tag per person per year may be bought when chasing a Florida state or world record. Vessel, transport and shipment are limited to one fish.

Boca Grande Pass, April to June: when you can keep one

Boca Grande Pass, inside the boundaries mapped by FWC.

  • Anglers fishing the passApril to June gear restrictionsNo more than three lines from a vessel at a time, and no breakaway gear.
Same as statewideSize limit
Catch and release onlyDaily limit. Year-round, gear with a weight that hangs lower than the hook is prohibited in the pass for any species. In April, May and June there is also a limit of three lines per vessel and a ban on breakaway gear.

Gear rules

Hook and line only. Snagging, snatch hooking, spearing and multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait are prohibited. When using bait, FWC recommends non-stainless, non-offset, barbless circle hooks on single-hook rigs.

Questions about tarpon

Can I keep a tarpon in Florida?

No. FWC manages tarpon as catch and release only. The one exception is a fish taken under a tarpon tag while chasing a state or world record.

Can I lift one out of the water for a photo?

Not if it is over 40 inches. FWC requires those to stay in the water unless you hold a tarpon tag bought before fishing and are chasing a record.

What is a tarpon tag?

One tag per person per year, bought when chasing a Florida state or world record. Vessel, transport and shipment are limited to one fish.

What gear is allowed?

Hook and line only. Snagging, snatch hooking, spearing and multiple hooks with natural bait are prohibited.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from FWC, tarpon regulations and FWC, tarpon profile in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.