Florida Tarpon Fishing Guide

Florida Tarpon Fishing Charters in Boca Grande

Of all the fish species that inhabit the inshore waters of West Central Florida, the tarpon is the by far the most spectacular charter. Tarpon, often refered to as the silverking, have been the most sought after inshore charter species in the Clearwater, Tampa and St. Petersburg area and entire West Cost of Florida since people have been coming here to fish.

No other Florida fish puts up a battle that matched that of an angry tarpon and few are as exciting to hunt. Hunting is more an appropriate term for the tarpon charters we run. These giant tarpon have a primitive air bladder that allows them to supplement the oxygen they derive from the water with some from the air. When tarpon rise to the surface to gulp air, known as rolling, they can be seen from some distance. This along with the fact that tarpon often swim in clear shallow water, makes stalking and sight casting to them an effective catching technique and thats how we do it.

The thrill of casting a bait to a 150 pound tarpon in 4 feet of water, then watching its huge mouth open and inhale your offering is simply amazing. At the first hint of a hook set most tarpon go straight to the air, leaping and rattling their gills across the surface.

Knowing where to look and in all conditions is what makes a great guide and few tarpon guides know where and when to look better than Captain Ed.

Over the years Captain Ed Walker has become recognized as one of the top tarpon fishing guides in the state of Florida. To a fishing kid growing up near Indian Rocks Beach, catching a tarpon was the pinnacle of fishing success and Ed has put in many years as a student of all things tarpon. From fly casting to ten pound tarpon in secret creeks in the woods, to 1.5 mile long bike rides out onto the old Skyway Bridge to battle the giant monster tarpon, years before it became public fishing pier, there isnt much Captain Ed Walker has not seen when it comes to tarpon. As a young guide in the early eighties Captain Ed guided fly fishermen to the world record class tarpon on the legendary flats off Homosassa where he fished with some of the biggest names in flyfishing such as Stu Apte, Andy Mill, and Billy Pate. His personal best was a tarpon on fly that measured 180 pounds, just shy of the world record at the time.

Tarpon Fishing Charters in Boca Grande Florida

As the tarpon fly-fishing charters on the flats of Homosassa began to experience declining catches in the late eighties, Captain Ed began exploring new tarpon fishing hotspots around the state of Florida, from the Keys to Charlotte Harbor. A friend, Captain Chris Klingel, told him to come check out the Boca Grande tarpon scene and shared with him an amazing secret that would later change the face of the local fishery entirely. In 1990 these two skiff guides were venturing into the legendary Boca Grande Pass, which at the time was fished primarily by the large traditional inboard charter boats. It was no place for skiffs they were told. Using Walt Klingels secret invention, the two began catching so many tarpon the two putting on a show in the pass. As the new techniques were perfected, twenty tarpon days were the norm for the two young guides in the "little boats". Double and triple headers and nearly constant tarpon hook-ups were commonplace everyday. Soon the big boats captains were grumbling. For the next few years Klingel and Walker won many of the pass tournaments and lots of people tried very hard to figure out how they were doing it. To this day Captain Ed has the second largest tarpon ever weighed in a tournament in Boca Grande, a 208 pounder. He also holds the record for the largest purse in tarpon fishing history with his a sweep of the 1998 Worlds Richest Tarpon Tournament which immediately changed its rules to exclude small boating light tackle anglers who were privy to the secret, an adaptation of a lead head jig. These rule changes and casued a great deal of controversy and within a few years this once prestigous tournament collapsed and ceased to exist. Its is s shame to witness what has become of Boca Grande Pass today. On a weekend there will be 180 boats fishing one spot where there tarpon have come for eons to gather in preparation for spawning.

Boca Grande Tarpon fishing charters undergo major changes

Unfortunately, over the next few years, the secret tarpon lure and the newly refined tarpon fishing technique, known as the break-away jigging, was figured out and exposed to the masses. Almost overnight it made tarpon catching too easy. Scores of overnight tarpon "guides" poured into Boca Grande from all over the state all using this new lure that changed tarpon fishing in the pass forever. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to find 100 jigging boats, TV crews, police, fights, crossed lines, dozens of unskilled and qualified dot com "guides" guides trying to get in on the tarpon charter cash cow. There was/is lots of yelling between boats, collisions and just too much and other unsportsmanlike activity crowded into one or two tarpon holes in the pass during the summer season. Disappointed with what the pass has become and the overwhelming flood of new jig fishermen, Walker and Klingel have now abandoned tarpon fishing in the famous inlet all together. Nowadays Captain Ed fishes in quiet remote areas and catches just as many if not more tarpon far away from the noisy pass and the swarms of boats that the tarpon avoid. We have found that our clients greatly prefer sight fishing for tarpon in secluded, quiet, and little known spots instead of fighting the crowds and the tangled tarpon lines of the pass. None that have fished Boca Grande Pass and new style of fishing ever want to return to the big pass. Due to past experiences we keep our information and tarpon catch reports as tightly held secrets to keep the masses and thier NexTel phones from looking for us and calling in the troops. Only the people onboard our trips ever know just what happens in a day on our boat and thats just the way we like it.

If you would like to join us on our Florida tarpon fishing charter please drop us an email or give us a Call at (727) 944-FISH (3474) today to book your Florida tarpon fishing guide. We do suggest booking thse trips as far in advance as possible since the tarpon season schedule (May-Mid July) usually books out by the middle of January each year.