Tarpon Fishing

If you’re wanting to catch the strongest fighting inshore fish of your life, you’ll find that in a Georgetown Tarpon . The tarpon can make the migration to Georgetown, SC from Florida, and even further south. They average anywhere from 50-130 lbs with some fish in the area during summer months climbing above 150 lbs.

The fight of a tarpon is unlike any other fish in Georgetown’s fishery. Their ability to jump completely out of the water and peel 100s of yards of line off of a reel in what feels like seconds will test the fishing ability of any experienced angler. Not only will a tarpon have your arms burning 5 minutes into a fight, they are experts at finding crab pot buoys or any other obstacle that might allow them to break off. It is a true battle of wills.

Tarpon aka The Silver King

Where they can be found?

These monsters first arrive on the Carolina coast towards the end of April and usually stay until the end of October depending on the speed at which the water temperature warms and cools.

Bait migration also has a large impact on their location during the year. Typically, August and September are the best times to target tarpon due to the average population numbers being higher in these months, but don’t be surprised to see these fish rolling around you in the early days of June. There are a lot of factors that lead to Tarpon being in the area, so feel free to contact Capt. Taylor to receive the most up to date fishing report.

Tarpon in the Georgetown fishery can be found in the rivers, in the bays, and nearshore; depending on the time of year and the weather. This unique combination allows for several different ways to target Tarpon in a small area.

Megalops Atlanticus (Tarpon) Facts

  • The tarpon species is old! fossils from the Megalops genus have been traced back 113 million years.

  • They range from the coast of Virginia all the way to Brazil.

  • Tarpon have eyelids. Tarpon have an adipose eyelid (transparent eyelid) that is usually found on deep ocean fish species. There are many theories as to what this eyelid is for ranging from simply an extra layer of protection from foreign objects, to increasing the fishes ability to focus on a single prey, to even providing them the capability to see polarized light!

  • Tarpon can breathe air! A tarpon’s swim bladder is coated with blood capillaries with a thin epithelium over the top. This allows the fish to breathe when it rolls and forces air into its swim bladder. This roll is when most people see these fish.

Tarpon Fishing Tips

  • Know the seafloor you’re fishing. Where are the sandbars and deep cuts? Are there any rips in the area? Tarpon are waiting for an opportunity where they can easily feed without expending too much energy. Use the “Cost- Benefit Analysis." Where could you easily ambush prey, while using the least amount of energy possible?

  • And the question you should ask yourself when fishing for anything in Georgetown- Where’s the bait? Following birds to find bait works when all else fails and the bigger the bird, the bigger the bait!