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Tides will stir up tarpon

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2009

GO FISHING is a look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Bill Miller.

Tarpon fishing should be good this week because of the new moon tides. Many people pick the full and new moons in June as the best time for tarpon fishing all year. Tides around these moons are very strong, which moves baitfish out of the bushes and off the grass flats. The baitfish are flushed into the passes and out into the bay where tarpon can easily find them.

Clearwater Pass, Pass-a-Grille Pass, the Sunshine Skyway, Egmont Key, Southwest Pass and Longboat Pass are good places to look for tarpon on the outgoing tide, which will be in the afternoon. Free-lining pass crabs, which can be found where you are fishing, is a very effective technique. Big greenbacks under a cork, placed in front of rolling fish, will sometimes produce spectacular strikes.

It gets very crowded in the tarpon fleet during these moon tides. Be courteous of other boaters and go slow as you motor around the fleet. If another boat is drifting downtide, do not run or stop in their drift. Move around and uptide of the drifting boat and set up in a boat clear drift pattern. Anglers not experienced in this type of fishing should hang outside the fleet and watch how it is being done before trying it the first time.

Land-based tarpon fishermen have been jumping fish off the Skyway, Big Pier 60 and the Dubai Long Pier at Redington Beach. The best bite this week has been in the afternoon.

Captain Bill Miller hosts "Hooked on Fishing" on Bright House Sports Network, Channel 47. To book a charter with captain Bill or his son captain Billy, call (813) 363-9926. Captain Bill Miller hosts "Hooked on Fishing" on Bright House Sports Network, Chan

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