Tarpon Time! Fly Fishing Cozumel's Annual Tarpon Run

One of my favorite times of the year here in Cozumel is the annual Tarpon Run, when schools of Tarpon begin moving south along the beaches on the west side of the island.

These aren't the giants you may associate with Florida Bay, but what we don't have in size, we can certainly make up for in numbers!

The last time Captain Mike, Ruben, and I fished the Tarpon Run together, we jumped 17 Tarpon and landed 14 of them between us. The fish ranged from about 25 to 60 pounds—and believe me, a 60-pound Tarpon on a 9-weight fly rod will give you all the excitement you can ask for!

The Tarpon Run usually begins around the end of September and continues through the first few weeks of November. As the fish move down the coast, Captain Mike is on the lookout for any signs of single Tarpon and schools traveling along the beaches.

Although the main Tarpon Run generally takes place from late September through early November, we sometimes encounter Tarpon along Cozumel's beaches as early as August.

This is also a different kind of fishing from our normal days on the flats. Instead of quietly searching the shallow water for Bonefish or Snook, we're looking for moving Tarpon and trying to get the boat into position ahead of them.

The idea is not to chase the fish, but to anticipate where they're going and put the fly in their path. When everything comes together and you watch a Tarpon turn toward your fly, the next few seconds can seem like an eternity.

And then comes the eat!

One of the hardest things for a fly fisher to do when a Tarpon takes the fly is not lift the rod. Our freshwater instincts tell us to raise the rod tip and set the hook, but with a Tarpon we need to keep the rod tip down and use a firm strip strike to drive the hook home.

Keeping the rod tip down means that your fly line stays in the water. This creates added drag to wear the fish down and get him to the boat for a quicker photo and release.

Once the fish feels that pressure, hang on—because there's a very good chance you're about to see a spectacular sight in saltwater fly fishing: a Tarpon exploding out of the water with your fly in its mouth.

And don't forget to bow to the King!

When that Tarpon jumps, push the rod forward toward the fish and give it some line.

A Tarpon shaking its head six feet in the air can make very short work of a tight leader.

For those of you who have always wanted to catch a Tarpon on a fly, the annual Tarpon Run offers a special opportunity here in Cozumel.

You don't need a 100-pound Tarpon to experience what makes these fish so addictive. A 25- to 60-pound fish will jump, run, shake its head and test your tackle—and probably your nerves—as well as any fish you'll ever hook.

Many of our guests tell us they prefer the smaller Tarpon because they don't turn your arms into noodles the way the 100-pounders will!

Planning a fly-fishing trip to Cozumel?

The Tarpon Run generally takes place from late September through early November, so keep those dates in mind when planning your next visit.

Come join us at Flyfishing Uno Mas for some fun times!