The Best Lure To Catch Backcountry Juvenile Tarpon
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
It’s tarpon time!!
Juvenile tarpon in backwater creeks are a blast with their aggressive strikes and acrobatic jumps.
But catching them is different than most other inshore species.
Here’s why:
- The lure that I use to target them is unique (I don’t really use it to target other species)
- Jig head color seems to really matter (whereas, it doesn’t seem to matter as much for other species)
- And they’re never really dialed into one specific retrieve technique
Check out the video below to see what lure I use to catch these tarpon, the two best color jig heads, and how to retrieve your lure to catch them.
Enjoy!
The Best Lure For Juvenile Tarpon [VIDEO]
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE INSIDER CLUB
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE INSIDER REPORT (INSIDERS ONLY)
When I’m fishing the flats for redfish, snook, or trout, I usually use a paddletail or a jerk shad.
I can catch juvenile tarpon with these lures, too, but if I really want to focus on catching them, I’ll tie on a white 4″ Gulp Swimming Mullet.
I like to rig it on a Saltwater Assassin Pro Elite jig head in the 1/8 or 1/4 oz size, depending on the depth.
And one thing I’ve noticed with tarpon is that jig head color seems to be very important.
They have really good eyesight, so this is probably why jig head color matters for these fish more than it does for other species.
If the water is relatively clear, I’ll use a red jig head, but if the water is dirty, I’ll use a chartreuse jig head.
And now that you know the best lure for these small tarpon, here are three tips on catching them:
- Look for them in backcountry creeks
- Switch up your retrieve technique (try fast, slow, pauses, twitches, etc.)
- When they jump, point your rod tip towards them to take a little bit of tension off of the line
Conclusion
If you find yourself in a backcountry creek and there are small tarpon around, tie on a 4″ Gulp Swimming Mullet rigged on a red (if the water is clean) or chartreuse (if the water is dirty) jig head.
Have any questions about catching juvenile tarpon?
Let me know down in the comments.
And if you want to see exactly where I was fishing, join us in the Insider Club!
As an Insider, you’ll get access to all of our Insider Reports, where we show you exactly where we were fishing, what we were using, and how we caught fish.
Click here to join us in the Insider Club!
Related articles:
- How To Catch Big Redfish, Trout, & Snook In Clear, Shallow Water
- Little-Known Paddletail Lure Rigging Secrets (That Increase Strikes)
- How To Rig & Retrieve Soft Plastic Jerk Shads For More Strikes
Disclaimer: When you buy through links on our site, we sometimes earn affiliate commission from places like Amazon, Bass Pro, Tackle Warehouse, etc. It’s one more way we can help you quickly find the best deals on the web while making sure we’re still around to serve you for years to come (and you do want us to be around to help you catch fish for many more years, right)?
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
Great information as usual.
Thank you Jason!
i would like help finding these small places to fish from my kayak
Hey Anita!
What area are you in?
Great Report Tony! Thanks for the tip on the Gulp Swimming Mullet. Each time I fish the Tarpon Bay area near Isle of Capri, I spot tarpon breaking the surface… I see them during low incoming tide at the mouth of the inlet leading into Tarpon Bay and then I see them on the flats as the tide near high tide… usually in groups of 2 or 3. I have tried getting their attention with the moon walker and slam shady 2.0 and an Owner Twistlock 1/8 oz and have been ignored.
Salt Strong! Thomas
Thanks Thomas!
Tarpon are probably the pickiest eaters when it comes to artificials.
Freelining or drifting a small finger mullet on a circle hook is another tactic to get a bite.
good catch
Thanks Caleb!
I have caught tarpon on the Gulp swimming mullet also. But my favorite go to tarpon lure is a DOA Terror Eyz. The regular and the Tinny ones. The best all around color for me has been root beer/gold glitter for both sizes. The best color for the tinny is the purple/silver glitter. Have also done well with the gold glitter/green back and gold glitter/black back. I would just get 1/8 oz red head for the tinny and get all three red head sizes for the regular bodies. These lures are amazing for baby tarpon. The regular size will catch some big tarpon though. The baitbuster is a great lure for bigger tarpon.
Good stuff Ron! I have used the Terror Eyez once and it worked very well for snook and tarpon. I wasn’t a big fan of the hook they come with though. Seemed kinda weak. I wonder if there is a jig head that could be used to replace their hook for a little more durability.
I will certainly try those lures, I actually have some on hand. Where I see “juvenile tarpon” (translation; T HEY HAVE NO MANNERS!) is on my neighbor’s dock, everyday at high and low tide they wait at the canal cross intersection. Their favorite trick is to hit the bait, jump, toss the hook, and keep the meat. How they actually do that, and on a regular basis, is beyond me. I can get them to hit the dead mullet or catfish, but I would love to get one on the lure.
Haha, they are a pain!