Frequently Asked Questions: Recreational Tarpon and Boca Grande Tarpon Gear
- Hook-and-line only; snagging, snatch hooking, spearing and the use of a multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited.
- Snagging is defined as catching or attempting to catch tarpon that have not been attracted or enticed to strike an angler’s gear.
- Tarpon is a catch-and-release-only species, with the exception of the harvest or possession of a single tarpon when in pursuit of a state or world record and in conjunction with a tarpon tag.
- Tarpon tags are limited to one per person, per year (except for charter boat captains).
- Transport or shipment of tarpon harvested with a tag is limited to one fish per person.
- Vessel limit of one tarpon harvested with a tag.
- People are allowed to temporarily possess a tarpon for photography, measurement of length and girth and scientific sampling, with the stipulation that tarpon more than 40 inches must remain in the water.
- Florida tarpon regulations extend into federal waters.
- Catching or attempting to catch tarpon that have not been attracted or enticed to strike an angler’s gear is prohibited statewide.
- Fishing with gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited.
- Live or dead natural bait is not considered to be a weight.
- Anything other than live or dead natural bait that is attached directly to the hook in such a way that it hangs lower than the hook could be considered weight.
- This applies to fishing for all species year-round within Boca Grande Pass.
- If this gear is on board a fishing vessel while inside the boundaries of the Pass, it cannot be attached to any rod, line or leader and must be stowed.
When fishing for tarpon, gear is limited to hook and line only and you cannot use multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait. When fishing in Boca Grande Pass (for any species, year-round), gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited. For the purposes of this rule, live or dead natural bait is not considered to be a weight. If this gear is on board a fishing vessel while inside the boundaries of the Pass, it cannot be attached to any rod, line or leader and must be stowed.
This is an example of prohibited gear:
These jigs would be allowed so long as the weight cannot slip down the shank to the bottom of the hook while being fished.
Jigs, such as the ones pictured, are still an allowed gear.
Hi-Lo or Chicken Rig used with live or dead bait to target bottom fish and reef species.
Bottom rig used to target a variety of fish species with live or dead bait.
Butterfly jigs and spoons used to target a wide variety of fish species.
No. Live or dead natural bait is not considered to be weight.
Yes. When fishing for any species in Boca Grande Pass during the months of April, May and June, the use of breakaway gear is prohibited and no more than three fishing lines may be deployed from a vessel at any one time.
While recommended, anglers are not required to use circle hooks when targeting tarpon. If you catch a reef fish while targeting tarpon on a non-circle hook it must be released.
Only if the tarpon is properly tagged and the angler believes the tarpon may qualify for a state or world record. All harvest of tarpon has been eliminated, with the exception of the harvest or possession of a single tarpon per year when in pursuit of a state or world record and in conjunction with a tarpon tag. A tarpon that does not have a tarpon tag attached to it can be temporarily possessed only for photography, measurement of length and girth and scientific sampling, with the stipulation that tarpon more than 40 inches must remain in the water.
A tarpon that does not have a tarpon tag attached to it can be temporarily possessed only for photography, measurement of length and girth and scientific sampling, with the stipulation that tarpon more than 40 inches fork length must remain in the water.
To learn more about fish handling and how to help your catch and release fish survive visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on "Fish Handling."
- Fishing with gear that has a weight attached to a hook, artificial fly or lure in such a way that the weight hangs lower than the hook when the line or leader is suspended vertically from the rod is prohibited. This rule applies to fishing for all species year-round within Boca Grande Pass. If this gear is on board a fishing vessel while inside the boundaries of the Pass, it cannot be attached to any rod, line or leader and must be stowed. Natural bait is not considered to be a weight.
- During the months of April, May and June, no more than three fishing lines may be deployed from a vessel at any one time.
- During the months of April, May and June, no person shall use, fish with, or place in the water any breakaway gear.
For more information contact the Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554 or email Marine@MyFWC.com.