A report from within this year’s Key West and Lower Florida Keys tarpon battle. The word “battle” may be an understatement, as this season’s weather conditions have proved up till now. Out of the past 47 days I believe I have counted only 10 of them with winds less than 10 mph. It sure feels as if the majority of the weather leading up till now has just been plain windy. Fortunately enough, the tarpon are certainly here and jumping skyward on the end of fishing rods daily. The gusty conditions have made it tough hooking them in shallow water, but has still left plenty of opportunity in the many current driven channels, particularly those off of Key West and the Lower Florida Keys backcountry. This offers great live-bait and artificial lure action for big tarpon. I have witnessed some of the largest tarpon I have ever seen nearly spool some reels this year while forced to focus mainly on deeper channels during past week’s gusty conditions. So while I have yet to relive my memories of calm morning flats full of rolling tarpon this year for the most part, I have instead been left with memories of jaw dropping aerial displays of 200 plus pound tarpon, a fair enough trade.

Courtesy of Captain Luke Kelly from CyberAngler