view raw text
FACTS ABOUT THE MIGHTY TARPON Sea Monster of Many Local Names Which Haunts Our Southern Waters The tarpon is scientifically classified as Megalops atalanticus a name much lass interesting to most anglers than the several local names by which this famous game fish is designated such as tarpiim jirandaeoy silver fish sabol savanilla jewfish and silver king In appearance the tarpon resiinbles that of the bigeyed herring having the same elongated form It is reported that this species attains a length of eight and a half feet and a weight of 400 pounds but fishing records show a much less weight than this A 240pound fish is the largest credited to the rod and 200pound fish are now and then caught but even this weight is considered uncommon The average will probably be in the neighborhood of some eighty pounds Small fish are caught on the hook and a fifteen or twenty fivepound tarpon will on suitable tackle put up a fight in no way inferior to that of the liveliest salmon or brook trout troutUntil Until 1884 the tarpon was only occasionally killed with the harpoon or but seldom taken by accident when trolling for blnefish or mackerel with a large jig or spoon William Hood caught the first Florida tarpon on hook and line and it is to his close observations that we owe much of our knowl ¬ edge of the habits of this great game fish While many of the tarpons habits are yet unknown it is unquestionably a warmwater fish and no doubt lingers in the vicinity of the Florida keys through ¬ out the year In the early spring months the tarpon appear at Fort Myers Punta pnla and Piuitu Uassa and working up the Gulf coast they are found in large numbers in the waters of St An ¬ drews Bay and other bays and headwaters of rivers going into the Gulf of Mexico Unlike most fishes which bite better on the incoming or flood tide the tarpon teems to be less influenced by the tide often biting freely upon the ebb or slack water
