Tarpon

Palm Coast provides access to some impressive Tarpon fishing, particularly in the warmer months. These silver kings migrate along the coast, often staging in the ICW and near the inlets. Focus your efforts around bridges, docks, and channels, where tarpon hunt for crabs, shrimp, and baitfish. Live mullet or crabs are excellent bait choices, but large swimbaits can also entice a strike. The months of May through September are generally the best for tarpon, with early morning and late evening being particularly productive. A local tip: try fishing the outgoing tide near Matanzas Inlet – the current often concentrates bait and draws in hungry tarpon. Be prepared for a fight; these fish are incredibly strong and acrobatic. Ensure you have the appropriate heavy tackle and know how to properly handle a tarpon if you intend to release it.