Hard to say whether it would work, without knowing what dish and whether you need fronds or seeds...but I find tarragon does have a slightly licorice flavor, somewhat like fennel. Not as pronounced, but not as different as many here feel. (In fact, that flavor is precisely why I like, don't love, tarragon and dislike fennel.) Maybe I'm a licorice super-taster, if such a thing exists, because it really puts me off.
Are you trying to avoid the fennel flavor, or just don't have any? As others have said, their flavor profiles are quite different. And are you referring to fennel as vegetable (the bulb) or fennel the herb (the fronds).
Suggestions from my handy Food Substitutions Bible (none will be exact, but they will be close and interesting):
for fronds: one or more of dill, parsley, celery tops
for fresh bulb: one or more of celery and bok choy, boosted with anise or fennel seeds, Ricard or Pernod to give fennel flavor
for fennel seeds: one of anise, caraway, cumin, yellow mustard or dill seeds
i completely disagree with you. I use dried tarragon regularly in a tomato fennel braised mushrooms recipe and in a chicken recipe. Also interesting that i haven't seen that slam repeated elsewhere. But hey, it's apparently a 'known fact' that a certain population segment finds cilantro to taste like soap.... As many varying taste buds as there are things to taste!
Probably not, the tastes are very different. Did you know that fennel is also called "anise"? Anise seeds are widely available and can convey the fennel flavor, though more strongly than fresh fennel.
If you let us know what you are cooking, maybe we could suggest a stand-in for fennel.
Aniseed could be a stand in for fennel seed (though they are different plants) , but both of them would convey quite a different character than fresh fennel. Tarragon could work but I would be conservative and add less than the equivalent amount of fresh fennel (I'm assuming fronds as well), then add more to taste.
Like for fennel fronds? I think it should be okay, but keep in mind, tarragon has a very forward, assertive flavor that's a little more nuanced than just the anise flavor.
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for fronds: one or more of dill, parsley, celery tops
for fresh bulb: one or more of celery and bok choy, boosted with anise or fennel seeds, Ricard or Pernod to give fennel flavor
for fennel seeds: one of anise, caraway, cumin, yellow mustard or dill seeds
If you let us know what you are cooking, maybe we could suggest a stand-in for fennel.