Tarpon Season 2025 in the Lower Keys
Long, hot days of fishing for the Silver King have finally wound down in the Lower Keys. It’s bittersweet. Starting the day off to the sound of my alarm clock, smelling the coffee brewing at 4 A.M., getting some stretching in to loosen up those sore muscles and the long days on the water can get a little old but you know its finite. It only lasts for so long and the insane stoke I get from guiding my anglers to the magnificent Tarpon makes it totally worth it. By March, my flies were tied, leaders were pre-rigged and my skiff was in perfect working order. All I had to focus on was the fishing.
The 2025 Tarpon season started early. We had some incredible Tarpon fishing in Big Pine Key and Key West by mid March and it stayed hot through July. My anglers traveled in from all over the world to the Florida Keys to chase 100+ pound Tarpon and weren’t disappointed. In general, we had great weather and lots of fish migrating through the Keys. Some days were better than other days but all in all, it was a great season!
Early in the season, the crowds of boats on the flats were light. As the month of May approached the crowds grew. Fortunately for me, I had been targeting Tarpon since mid-March.
I had my fishing spots dialed in. I knew where I wanted to be based on the tide and wind on any given day and didn’t really have to deal with the question that plagues so many anglers visiting the Florida Keys…. “Where should we fish?”
The backcountry of the Lower Keys fished great and allowed me to stay off the oceanside and away from the crowds for most of the season. Eventually, the Tarpon moved out of the backcountry and waded up in the channels and on the bridges moving most anglers and guides out to the oceanside beaches. I do my best to find areas to fish where I have space to move around and line my anglers up for the best shot at hooking into one of these big fish. Like most fish, a relaxed, happy Tarpon is more open to the idea of eating your fly than a fish that has been thrown on multiple times before reaching you. Sometimes that means long runs to a spot often overlooked by other guides.
I can honestly say that I am anxiously awaiting the return of big, migratory Tarpon in 2026 to the Florida Keys. Feel free to contact me with any questions you have or to inquire about open dates. If you think you are interested in fly fishing with me for Tarpon, shoot me a text, give me a call or send an email. I’d love to figure out how to get you on the bow of my skiff and hooked up to the fish of a lifetime.
