Tarpon dominate Florida Keys fishing as spring weather settles in

Richard Hastings said the giant silver kings had taken over the Florida Keys, and after a windy March, the steadier spring weather had anglers out every day with one goal: a 100-pound tarpon on fly. For captains and customers deciding whether to run, the biggest change was simple, better water meant better odds, and the season’s value showed up in every backcountry trip, oceanside drift and last-minute booking.

Hastings said most of the fish were still stacked in the backcountry, where the best action remained bayside when lighter winds opened a farther-north search in muddy water. That mattered because the choice was no longer just whether to fish, but where to invest the day. Some anglers and guides had started spending a few days oceanside, looking for larger schools pushing out of channels, but the report made clear that the strongest bite was still inside.

One of the week’s best fish came downtown, where Hastings said a long-time friend and client named Jerry fought a big tarpon for 25 minutes before a bull shark appeared and ended the battle early. The encounter was a reminder that sharks are part of the calculation in the Keys right now. Hastings advised anglers to bring tarpon to the boat quickly and cut the line close to the hook if a shark shows up, because the fish’s survival matters more than holding on for a photo.

The rules around that fight are strict. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says tarpon is a catch-and-release-only fishery, and tarpon over 40 inches must remain in the water unless an angler is pursuing a state or world record with a tarpon tag bought before the trip begins. The agency says the regulations extend into federal waters, and anglers may temporarily possess tarpon for photography, length and girth measurement, or scientific sampling.

That conservation culture has deep roots in Monroe County. Florida currently holds 29 world records for tarpon, and the state record on conventional tackle is a 243-pound fish caught near Key West in 1975 by Gus Bell. The spring bite, with its mix of weather, sharks and big fish, remains one of the Keys’ defining seasons, and right now the backcountry is still where the action is strongest.