Other Names
Silver King
Similar Fish
(as juveniles) ladyfish, Elops
saurus.
Size:
Most angler catchs 40 to 50 pounds.
Description
The tarpon, a spectacular
large fish which rightly carries the name of Silver
King, is unmistakable. Characteristics include large
flat scales up to three inches in diameter, an elongated
dorsal fin, falcate anal fin and large bony underslung
jaw.
Where Found
Young tarpon may be found
in brackish water around marsh channels in St. Augustine
Florida. Adults
sometimes may also move up the larger rivers in St.
Augustine.
How To Catch
Tarpon will hit trolled
spoons and jigs and also will take live pinfish and
mullet under a cork and menhaden using drift fishing
methods. The ensuing fight is dramatic, marked by leaps
from the water and shaking of the body.
Remarks
Slow grower; matures at 7 to 13 years of
age; spawning occurs between May and September in St.
Augustine; female may
lay more than 12 million eggs; can tolerate wide range of
salinity; juveniles commonly found in fresh water; can
breathe air at surface; feeds mainly on fish and large
crustaceans in St. Augustine.
Saint Augustine
tarpon