Tarpon
Megalops atlanticus, otherwise known around Florida as the “tarpon.” These large fish are easily recognizable due to their size and coloration. Tarpon have huge silver scales, a greenish or dark blue back, a large upward opening mouth, a forked caudal fin, and a dorsal fin that extends into a long filament.
Tarpon are ancient creatures, having survived for several million years. Tarpon are found in warm saltwater all over the world. Specifically in the United States they range from the Virginia’s, down the Atlantic to the Florida Keys, and up and around the Gulf down to Texas. Their largest concentrations are found in South Florida and the Caribbean. Regardless in the fishing world, they are one of the most prized and sought after game fish. So highly thought of, they are often referred to as the “silver king.”
Tarpon are one of a few fish to possess a swim bladder that acts and serves as a lung, allowing tarpon the ability to breathe air from the atmosphere. They take in this air by “rolling” at the surface and gulping the air with an open mouth. This swim bladder is an important survival tool for juvenile tarpon. After spawning offshore, the newly hatched tarpon larvae return 30-45 days later (about 1 inch long) to inshore waters where they take up residence for several years. Here they take shelter in the most unlikely of places…ditches, retention ponds, canals, etc. Because these waters are stagnant and oxygen depleted, natural enemies are few and far between. Yet juvenile tarpon are able to survive because they can breathe air from the atmosphere.
As juveniles in these inshore waters, tarpon go through rapid periods of early growth. Once they grow to about two feet in length, tarpon move from their first homes in ditches, ponds, etc and seek out shelter in larger bodies of water. Now they will be found in creeks, channels, bays, sounds, residential canals, coastal rivers, and lagoons foraging on small baitfish, fish, crabs, shrimp and other crustaceans. Upon reaching sexual maturity at 7-13 years-of-age they join other adult tarpon that migrate up and down the oceans. Males at this time weigh about 40 pounds and the females are close to 60 pounds (about 4 feet in length). Tarpon can reproduce for up to 45 years once sexually mature releasing up to 12-20 million eggs each spawn.
As mentioned tarpon are prehistoric and have been around for millions of years. An adult male tarpon can live over 30 years, while adult females can live to be over 50-years-old. Generally a 100lb tarpon is about 13-16 years-old. Adult tarpon can grow to tremendous sizes. The Florida state record tarpon was caught in Key West and weighed a whopping 248lbs. The current all-tackle world record tarpon weighed over 286lbs and was caught off the coast of Africa. For the most part tarpon have no value as table food. In 1989, Florida enacted a $50 kill tag and imposed a two fish harvest limit per day. Few of these permits are ever sold, and most tarpon are primarily catch-and-release fish.
It’s one thing to catch a tarpon; it’s entirely another thing to actually land that fish. Tarpon are known for their initial jumps, their acrobatic displays in the air and their powerful runs. Even a big tarpon weighing in over 100lbs is easily able to clear the water by several feet during their jumping displays. Tarpon can be caught on various types of gear. They are often caught on spinning rods using soft-plastics, jigs, and plugs. They are also fan favorites of fly anglers. Fly fishing is a great way to sight fish tarpon because of the general small fly sizes that tarpon find irresistible and the subtle and light presentation of the fly. Flies that resemble minnows, crabs, shrimp, fish, and small baitfish are a must. Understandably fly gear is generally much bigger and stouter than what you would use for our redfish our sea trout. Live bait anglers have success using live blue crabs, mullet, catfish, ladyfish, and other baitfish.
The Indian River Lagoon area isn’t only just about trophy redfish and sea trout. East Coast Florida Tarpon fishing in is a seasonal opportunity that many don’t think about or experience, but yet it provides the same fishing and catching thrills of that found in the Florida Keys. Starting early in the spring, juveniles in the 5-40lb range begin to get active and show themselves in various locations, allowing early rising and patient anglers a chance to sightfish pods of rolling tarpon on fly and light tackle. As the summer progresses, migrating adult tarpon begin to fill the deeper waterways and line beaches while following bait pods. A majority of these adult fish range from 80-150lbs and provide anglers exhilarating runs and leaps on light tackle and fly.
