Nicknamed the Silver King for both its bright silver armor plate like scales and breathtaking aerial jumps, Tarpon are considered by many as the ultimate prize catch for a shallow water gamefish. What makes this fish even more unique is that this species’ evolution came to a halt about 60 million years before fishing was even invented. Tarpon are one of the oldest fish species in the ocean and have remained basically unchanged since the time of the dinosaurs.
So many things about the Tarpon are interesting, even if your not a die-hard fisherman. They start life as microscopic larva from a spawn of nearly 16 million eggs. They grow slowly and can live almost as long as a human, over sixty years. The hatchlings spend their first several years hiding in the dense mangroves or freshwater creeks and canals. Half-pound baby tarpon are even a common sight in the water hazards of many South Florida golf courses. When full grown, the females can exceed 300 pounds, while the males seldom weigh one-fourth of that.
Tarpon Fishing Florida is a true adventure but you may not know that not only can Tarpon live in fresh or salt water, they can also breath air. These pre-historic fish have a primitive lung, a buoyancy bladder that is lined with red blood cells. This lining allows them to process the oxygen when they gulp air from the surface. This action is known as “rolling” and is a common sight when fishing for Tarpon, especially in very warm waters like the coast of Florida. This rolling action is what experienced anglers use to spot an area that has tarpon and might be the best area to drop a line.
The current IGFA (International Game Fish Association) world record stands at 286 pounds 9 ounces and was caught by Max Domecq of Hossegor, France and was guided by Captain Patrick Sebile on March 20, 2003 to catch the All-Tackle 286 lb 9 oz (130 kg) tarpon. There have been several recent reports of Tarpon topping 300 pounds in the Gambia River, but failed to qualify for the world record for technical reasons. Tarpon this big a fairly unusual, but a good fight with any Tarpon over 100 pounds will most likely be the catch of a lifetime for many anglers.
