| |
| |
|
Fishing Information |
|
|
|
Tarpon Fishing and Catching The Elusive Silver King - Megalops Atlanticus
If you have ever had the priviledge of hooking up on a big tarpon then you know the exhilaration and thrill of testing yourself in battle against one of the most sought after gamefish in the world. This distinction is easy to see at first glance as the tarpon starts a series of spectacular acrobatic leaps in the air that will have your heart pounding, your rod bending and your drag screaming. You better hold on! Since the tarpon's habitat is so close to the shoreline, fishermen of all types and skill levels can catch them. They can be caught from jetties, passes, docks, bridges, beaches, piers and rivers. Tarpon can be caught while using many types of tackle, rods, baits, lures and rigs either while fishing from a boat, canoe, kayak or walking and wading from the shoreline as the tarpon work up and down the beaches. Live bait fishermen's bait of choice is the 'dollar crab'. A small live blue crab about two inches across its carapace, hooked through one end of it's shell or underneath through a swimmer leg. Other extremely effective live baits include pinfish, threadfin herrings and pilchards. On days when the tarpon is being finicky in it's tablefare selection, try these for the best results, and oh, by the way, don't forget about a live mullet. If you can get them, use them. Flyfishermen are not left out either. The stealth of casting the right fly can sometimes be the trick to hooking up. But Just What is a Tarpon? Scientific classification: Kingdom: Animalia This exceptionally fine creature is a prehistoric animal and the only fish with an air bladder. This allows it to absorb oxygen and live in waters with very low oxygen content. You can see them gulp air at the water surface. Tarpon are also called poons, tarpum, sabalo real, cuffum, silverfish or silver king and belong to the bony fish family Elopidae. The Latin designation is Megalops atlanticus. While only microscopic at birth, tarpon have been documented at lengths of more than eight feet and weighing 280 pounds. Catches weighing more than 200 pounds, while uncommon, do occur. Many fish caught are well over 100 pounds. Their growth rate is slow, taking 8 to 10 years to reach maturity, and generally those over 100 pounds are female. Tarpon can live 55 to 60 years. They are greenish or bluish on top, and silver on the sides. The large mouth is turned upwards and the lower jaw contains an elongated bony plate. The last ray of the dorsal fin is much longer than the others, reaching nearly to the tail. They are found primarily in shallow coastal waters and estuaries, but they are also found in open marine waters, around coral reefs, and in some freshwater lakes and rivers. Their normal migratory pattern ranges from Virginia to central Brazil in the western Atlantic, along the coast of Africa in the eastern Atlantic, and all through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Florida is widely regarded as having many of the best tarpon fishing locations in the world, especially the world-renowned Boca Grande Pass in Southwest Florida. Fishing for the tarpon can at times be an excercise of patience and discipline. You may be surrounded by large schools of rolling tarpon containing hundreds of fish and they will not hit anything you throw at them. Other times, it is a feeding frenzy. So, go fishing for tarpon every chance you get, that next world record catch may be waiting just for you. Greg Smith is a life-long fisherman and publisher of fishing information websites. Visit http://www.tarpon-fishing-i.com/ for more resources, tips, tricks and techniques.
MORE RESOURCES:
Fishing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Find and Catch More Fish, Quickly and Easily, with the FISHIN BUDDY 2255 "Wherever you like to fish-lakes, reservoirs, rivers or streams, you'll never have a fishing buddy who can spot fish as easy and as fast as a Bottom Line Fishing Buddy?."If you are fishing primarily in lakes I recommend the Bottom Line Fishing Buddy 2255 highly - it's a reasonably priced, good quality fish finder. Why The Moon Is Your Key To Night Fishing Success Want To Catch More Fish At Night, Watch the Moon!Sounds like a crazy idea, doesn't it?I thought so to, until I experienced it first hand.Using the moon, you are able to learn several things about fish at night. Understanding the Effects Moonlight on Swordfishing In order to better understand why swordfish concentrate their feeding habits in certain depths on any given night or why the bite is better during different times of the month requires you to better understand how the effects of moonlight influence swordfish.Before you can understand how moonlight affects swordfish, you must understand the moon and its phases. How to Fish Spring Trout Streams Fishing spring creeks isn't easy. Don't expect large quantities of catches, but do expect a challenging experience which has a certain mystique about it. Care And Repair Of Fishing Lures Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself angler. But the maintenance of these lures is just as important to ensure a tip-top condition. The Way Of A Bass Fisherman With a Fly Rod And The Way Of A Bass With A Fly -----SIDEBAR------------------------------------------Older fly fishing classics contain a wealth of knowledge for the beginner fly fisher as well as the experienced angler.The following is an excerpt from Practical Fly Fishing, by Larry St. Get Ready For Bed....Bedding Bass That Is! It's getting near the time bass will be on their beds. Not just any bass, but trophy size bass in Ohio. Some Things You May Not Know About Luring Fish In The Night Night fishing is becoming more and more popular recently, and for good reason.Not only do you get cooler temperatures, less competition and congestion for the best areas, but there are also many more opportunities for bigger catches. Fly Fishing for Largemouth Bass Like all bass fishing, bass fly fishing has exploded in popularity. The largemouth bass is considered by many the greatest of all gamefish. 10 Fishing Gems Fishing Gem #1 - When Is Best?If you are in a boat and plan to anchor and bottom fish, get out there before the sun goes down and set up .Over many years, it has been noticed that a good bite usually starts 2 hours before sunrise. Planning Your Fly Fishing Trip When planning for your fly fishing trip in Wyoming, there are several factors that should be considered. A little time spent planning will make your fly fishing trip more enjoyable, and your time on the water more productive. Choosing The Fishing Trip Destination Thats Right For Your Group Try doing a web search on the words "fishing lodge" and you will come up with hundreds of thousands of matches. Visit any major sports show and you'll find dozens of outfitters, each offering promises of the trip of a lifetime. Erie Steelhead Flies As we stated in our article on Pacific Steelhead flies, the steelhead fisheries of the Great Lakes region has developed differently. First off the Erie steelhead has only been around a little over a hundred years. Rock Fishing Techniques Many shore anglers avoid fishing rock marks because they are scared of losing tackle. However, very few marks are totally unfishable, and often the most effective rigs for fishing rough ground marks are also the most basic. Why Do You Need a Tacklebox? A tacklebox or a tackle bag is a necessity to store your fishing lures, bobbers, and hooks. A tacklebox is a necessity to store your expensive lures. A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques - Part II Method 1EquipmentI fish baits at all depths, not just the bottom, in wide-open water. I always set up and fish deep lake structures. Interesting Features of The Speckled Trout For those who are interested in speckled trout, you will be happy to know that these fish are some great catches. One of the most interesting features of this fish is the actual speckled trout fishing you will get to do. Trout Fishing Techniques One of the most popular trout fishing techniques is called trolling. Trolling is popular as far as trout fishing techniques go because on still bodies of fresh water like lakes and ponds, the act of fishing for trout is meant to be as relaxing and enjoyable as the act of catching trout is exhilarating. Fly Fishing Secrets for the Novice as Well as the Seasoned Angler Perhaps the most rewarding element of fly fishing is the variety of beautiful natural surroundings in which anglers often find themselves; a secluded stream up in the mountains, a peaceful meandering river deep in the forest, or a tranquil blue lake somewhere out in big sky country. For some, it may be the opportunity to test ones' individual skill against nature - in an intricate game of cat and mouse (but in this case, man against fish. Bass Fishing In The Winter In The North The next few days in Ohio are supposed to be in the 50's, so, guess what I plan on doing if the lakes thaw out? Yep, go fishing for bass.As you know the bass are not going to spend a lot of energy going after your bait, so offer them something a little larger than usual.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
