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TARPON

Scientific name: Megalops atlanticus

Description: Green or steel blue above, silver on sides and belly. Deep, thick body; forked tail. Long trailer at end of dorsal fin.

Other names: Silver King Tarpon, Sabalo

Range: All Florida coasts, plus the Greater Antilles and some other Caribbean islands, including the Virgins and Caymans. Scattered in the Bahamas, where they are most plentiful around Andros but also present elsewhere, including Bimini, the Berry Islands, and the Exumas.

Habitat: Fishable throughout Florida in warm months. Adults are largely confined to South Florida in the winter. Major fishing efforts for big Tarpon are directed at live-baiting in large passes, inlets, channels, and river mouths throughout the state, and at sight-fishing with fly and casting tackle on shallow flats in the Keys and on the lower Gulf Coast from Homosassa southward. Large and medium Tarpon are also found off the beaches and in the surf of both coasts at times, and many are hooked from bridges and piers, especially at night. Medium-sized fish are common in a variety of settings in South and Central Florida, including freshwater rivers and landlocked canals. Tiny juveniles inhabit landlocked canals and ditches.

Size: From 12 inches or less to about 75 pounds (average). Big fish of 100 to 150 pounds are numerous in many areas. World record: 283 pounds, 4 oz. Florida record: 243 pounds

Food value: None.

Game Qualities: Famous for the spectacle and frequency of its jumps.

Best Ways to Fish: casting, drifting, still fishing, trolling.

Tackle and Baits: Anglers seeking big fish in passes, channels, deep bays, and surf areas like to use at least 30-pound test line. For smaller fish, all sizes of spinning, baitcasting, and fly tackle get lots of play as well. For big fish on shallow flats, use at least 15-pound line on spinning and casting gear, and at least a 10-weight fly outfit with minimum 16-pound tippet. Heavy monofilament leaders or tippets are required because of the Tarpon's very rough mouth. Drift-fishermen in the passes and inlets prefer live baits--mainly small crabs and small fish. All Tarpon will take dead baits, such as mullet, if fished patiently on bottom. For trolling or surfcasting with heavier gear, large jigs, spoons, and lipped plugs work well. Generally, casters enjoy the most success with swimming plugs, jerk plugs, and surface plugs. Fly fishermen rely heavily on scissor-action feather streamers and bulky bucktail streamers.