Tarpon Fishing
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Tarpon FishingCatch The Big One! |
About Tarpon Tarpon are a large fish, ranging from 25 to 150 pounds, occasionally reaching as much as 300 lbs. The tarpon has a thick body and is generally silver with a dark gray or dark green back, a distinctive dorsal fin, an underslung mouth, large, armor-like scales, and a forked tail. Tarpon are warm-water fish and can be found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the western Atlantic. They are found all along the coasts of Florida, most heavily along the southeast and southwest coasts. The prime tarpon-fishing season runs from spring through late summer, but they can be fished year-round. Quick Facts About Tarpon
The Tarpon's Unusual PhysiologyTarpon have a "swim bladder" attached to their esophagus, which allows them to breath oxygen from the air. They do this in a process called "rolling," in which the tarpon breaches the water surface briefly to take a gulp of air. Because of their swim bladder, tarpon can survive in fresh water as well as salt, and can make their homes in oxygen-depleted stagnant waters in bays and bayous. The swim bladder makes it possible for young tarpon to grow to maturity in areas where sharks can't get to them. The tarpon's surface rolling makes their survival possible, but it also makes fishing them a lot easier. The angler can easily spot a group of tarpon by their distinctive rolling, which is easily visible from a beach or boat. |