Species guide

Tarpon Fishing

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.

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Tarpon

Every charter here names tarpon on its own website, checked on the captain's own site

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. Seasons and limits are set state by state. The ones on this page are Florida's, copied from FWC in Sep 2026 and listed with their source at the foot of the page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the rule for the water you will fish with your captain or with that state's wildlife agency.

Where to fish for tarpon

1039 charters name tarpon on their own website, across 240 towns in 1 state.

State records for tarpon

The heaviest tarpon each state has certified, biggest first.

StateWeightWhereYearAngler
Louisiana 246.63 lb West Delta Block 2015 David Prevostsource
Florida 243.19 lb Key West 1975 Gus Bellsource
Texas 229 lb Gulf of Mexico 2017 Michael Shane LaRue IIsource
Alabama 203 lb — 1992 Billy Wildbergersource
North Carolina 193.31 lb Sea View Pier 2008 Malcolm Condiesource
Mississippi 185.55 lb — 2019 Don Ruizsource
Georgia 161 lb — 1995 Christopher Charles Edwardssource
South Carolina 154.62 lb Hilton Head 1987 S. B. Kisersource

Each from that state's own records page, linked on every row. A location links to its town only where the agency named that town — a record logged to "Gulf of Mexico" or an offshore block belongs to no city. Weights are printed as the agency prints them. Records are certified by the state 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.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

Statewide

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

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.