Tarpon fishing
in Pine Island.
Tarpon are the reason Captain Stuart picked up a fly rod in the first place. Down here we can pretty much find one year-round — but spring through early summer is when the migratory schools push through and everything lights up. From the beaches of Boca Grande to the back of Pine Island Sound, big tarpon roll, eat, and jump with the kind of violence that ruins anglers for every other fish.
Tarpon fishing in Pine Island, Florida runs year-round, with the peak March through June when migratory schools push through Boca Grande Pass and along the beaches. Fly anglers target migratory adults on 10- or 11-weight rods and backcountry juveniles on an 8-weight. RescueFly Charters runs half-day, 6-hour, and full-day tarpon trips out of Pine Island, FL.
Updated April 2026 · Captain Stuart Behrens
Tarpon on the fly.
An 8-weight is the rod you don't leave the house without — it covers backcountry juvenile tarpon and most days on the water. When the migratory adults show up, we step up to a 10- or 11-weight for the big girls. Most days are sight-fishing — long shots, the right fly, and a rod you know how to load.
Why Pine Island for tarpon?
Pine Island sits between two of the most famous tarpon fisheries on the planet — Boca Grande and the Florida Keys flats. We get the fish before they reach the crowds, and we have the flats and creeks to fish all year long.
Tarpon are a catch-and-release fishery in Florida. A $50 tarpon tag is required only if you intend to take a fish from the water, which we never do.
Current rules: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission →
About tarpon fishing in Pine Island.
- When is tarpon season in Pine Island?
- Honestly, year-round — tarpon down here can't read a calendar. The peak is spring into early summer (March through June) when the big migratory schools push through. Backcountry juveniles are in the creeks all year.
- Do I need to know how to fly fish?
- For the big migratory adults, yes — you should be comfortable double-hauling 60+ feet quickly. If you're newer, the backcountry juvenile fishery on an 8-weight is a perfect place to start.
- How far do we run?
- Depends on the fish. Some days we never leave Pine Island Sound. Other days we make a run to Boca Grande or down to the beaches — that's included.
Other species we chase in Pine Island.
Chase tarpon at these locations too.
Ready to chase tarpon in Pine Island?
Limited dates each season. Reach out to lock in your charter.