Tarpon Fishing Charters in Miami

Most of our tarpon fishing is done inshore or near shore, and that is part of the magic. Many fish are caught within sight of the glamour and glitter of our very own South Beach. Where else can you battle a trophy tarpon right inside a major metropolitan area?

Tarpon can be caught using several baits and techniques. The most common method is drifting a live shrimp near the bottom. Later in the season we switch to small blue crabs, which often draw the attention of prize-size permit. Permit are one of the most popular targets in their own right, especially along the flats.

Another productive approach is fishing the many bridges that line our beautiful bay. Bridge fish are usually feeding on shrimp, so we drift live shrimp right where they live. Fly anglers do very well here too, throwing flies that imitate shrimp. On many nights it is not unusual to hook several tarpon this way. Bridge tarpon tend to run a bit smaller than their cousins out near Government Cut, averaging about 20 to 60 pounds.

Government Cut, our main shipping channel, holds the bigger fish. During the fall, when mullet migrate along the beaches, tarpon zero in on them and mullet become our bait of choice. We drift them along or slow-troll them, and they rarely last long when tarpon are anywhere nearby. Most of this action happens late in the day, so there is no need to take the day off work.

The variety of structure is what makes Miami tarpon fishing so consistent. We have flats, bridges, the deep channel, and beach edges all a quick idle from our home slip at the Dinner Key Marina waterfront. Capt. Orly reads the tide and the season to put you on the right spot at the right time. The same waters also produce snook and hard-pulling jacks on the inshore trips.

Night trips have a rhythm all their own. The city lights shimmer over the water, the boat traffic dies down, and rolling tarpon give themselves away in the calm. When one eats, the first jump usually comes within seconds, and the fight can stretch past an hour on the big ones. We fish premium Daiwa and Shimano gear matched to the bite, and Capt. Orly coaches you through every run and head-shake.

Tarpon are almost always released, so we keep them in the water, get a quick photo, and revive each fish before it swims off. If you are new to the game, the inshore tarpon trip is a great introduction. Curious what else swims our waters? Browse all of our Miami target species, or see why repeat anglers keep rebooking.