Name: TARPON

Description: Tarpon are long, slender bodied silver fish with big scales and a huge, upward pointing mouth.  A Tarpon’s back is dark blue to greenish-black and they have a distinctive dorsal fin that extends into a long filament reaching nearly to the tail fin.

Aliases: Silver King, Ladyfish

Habitat: INSHORE along a hard bottom, mud flats, in sea grass or inshore estuaries.

Tackle Used: Conventional light to medium tackle, trolling. Tarpon always seem to be hungry and will bite at both live and dead bait.

Fight: Tarpon put up a strong fight with several acrobatic leaps into the air before they can be landed, sometimes after an hour.

Vital Stats: Tarpon average about 70 lbs but have been known to grow to a whopping 180 lbs

State Record: 243 lbs caught near Key West

Limits: 2 fish possession limit. Requires $50. Tarpon tag to possess or harvest. Snatching and spearing prohibited.

Flavor: Tarpon are not for human consumption