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Gear for Your Tarpon Adventure

When you book a trip with Silver Tide, we want you to arrive ready for success. Whether you’re stalking juvenile tarpon in the mangrove lagoons of Campeche and Celestún, or hunting giants along the Yucatán coast, the right gear makes all the difference.

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Don’t worry — if you don’t have everything, we can provide high-quality rods, reels, lines, and flies, just let us know in advance. But if you prefer to bring your own, here’s what we recommend:

Campeche & Celestún – Baby & Juvenile Tarpon

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In the calm mangroves and shallow lagoons of Campeche and Celestún, accuracy and stealth are key. We recommend:

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  • Rods: 8 and 9-weight fly rods (with 9wt being the go-to choice) for quick shots at cruising fish.

  • Lines: Floating fly lines for delicate presentations over skinny water.

  • Leaders: 30, 40, and 50 lb leaders to balance finesse with enough strength for hard runs and quick jumps.

  • Flies: Proven tarpon patterns in:

    • Black & purple

    • Black & red

    • Chartreuse

    • White

    • Yellow/orange

    • Classic cockroach-style patterns

    • A few topwater flies for explosive surface eats in the early morning or evening

  • Hooks: 1/0–2/0, sharp and strong for quick penetrations.​

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Yucatán Coast – Adult Tarpon

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Along the open waters and deeper channels of the Yucatán coast, the fish are bigger, stronger, and demand heavier gear. We recommend:

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  • Rods: 10 and 11-weight fly rods for battling powerful tarpon in rougher conditions.

  • Lines: Sinking tip lines to get flies down quickly into the strike zone.

  • Leaders: 60 and 80 lb leaders for abrasion resistance against tough jaws and gill plates.

  • Flies:

    • Tan shrimp patterns with bead chain or dumbbell eyes.

    • Dark Clouser Minnows with bead chain or dumbbell eyes.

    • Baitfish patterns in black & red, and black & purple.

  • Hooks: 2/0–3/0, stout enough to hold against prolonged fights.

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