Species
Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus · family Megalopidae
Live · updated
The Silver King — a 100-plus-pound migratory gamefish prized for spectacular leaping fights. A near-pure catch-and-release fishery in Florida; famous runs include Boca Grande Pass and the Keys bridges. Feeds hard around moving tides and the new and full moons.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 74–90°F (ideal 80°F)
- Tide
- incoming
- Moon
- full
- Depth
- 3–30 ft
- Active months
- Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Best tarpon conditions today
New Smyrna Beach
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Daytona Beach
Jacksonville Beach
St. Pete Beach
Clearwater Beach
St. Augustine Beach
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Lake Worth Beach
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Sanibel Island Beach
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Pensacola Beach
Navarre Beach
Mexico Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Destin Beach
Panama City Beach
St. George Island
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
FL
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
atlantic
- Creel
- 0
Catch-and-release only. A $50 tarpon tag is required only to possess a fish for an IGFA record attempt; tarpon over 40" may not be removed from the water.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
gulf
- Creel
- 0
Catch-and-release only. A $50 tarpon tag is required only for an IGFA record attempt; tarpon over 40" may not be removed from the water.
Source · verified 2026-05-29