Other Names: Silver King, Atlantic Tarpon
Habitat of Tarpon
Tarpon are typically found in warm, tropical waters such as the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Because of their special swim bladder that allows them to gulp air, they can thrive in several environments.
Below are the most common areas you’ll spot the silver king:
- Coastal waters: Tarpon are found along the coasts in shallow waters, typically where there are mangroves, seagrass beds, and muddy bottoms. These are typically where you’ll find juvenile or baby tarpon.
- Estuaries and lagoons: tarpon frequent these areas where fresh and saltwater mix. The waters, rich in nutrients offer a diverse ecosystem with plenty of food supply.
- Offshore: Tarpon are known to migrate in the deep sea, especially in warmer months. They can also be found around reefs and wrecks.
- Rivers and canals: Because tarpon can tolerate lower levels of salinity, you will find tarpon migrating through rivers and freshwater canals.
Geography and Distribution
As mentioned, Tarpon typically stay in warm waters but do have a wide geographical distribution that include both tropical and sub-tropical regions.
Within the western Atlantic, you can find Tarpon in:
- North America: Tarpon are common on the east coast of the United States and are found frequently in Florida. In summer months they can migrate even further north towards the northeastern United States.
- Gulf of Mexico: Tarpon are abundant near coastal areas on the Gulf of Mexico, near states such as Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.
- Caribbean Sea: You can find many Tarpon in the Caribbean near islands like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and The Bahamas.
- Central and South America: Tarpon are found along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Honduras and down to South America including Colombia and Venezuela.
While less common in the western Atlantic than the eastern Atlantic, you can also find Tarpon in:
- Africa: Tarpon are found along the western coast of Africa, typically from Senegal to Angola.
- Europe (rare): Tarpon have been spotted along the coasts of Spain and Portugal; this is a rare occurrence and might happen only in warmer months.
Identifying Tarpon
The pre-historic Tarpon are easy to identify due to their unique combination of ancient and modern fish characteristics.
Size
Tarpon can grow to be quite large, up to eight feet and weigh up to 280 pounds. On average Tarpon are usually between 4 to 6 feet and weigh between 60 to 100 pounds.
Long Body
Tarpon have a long, streamlined body that allows them to swim in both deep and shallow waters.
Sleek Silver Shine
Tarpon are known for their metallic silver color, which can sometimes reflect hues of green or blue. They also have large, thick scales that act like armor.
Head and Mouth
Tarpon have a prominent, upward-facing mouth which helps them gulp air at the surface. They are also known for their bony jaw, making them hard to hook. Additionally, Tarpon possess very small teeth for their size.
Dorsal Fin
The tarpon’s dorsal fin has a high anterior lobe and sharp downward slope, and contains 13-15 soft rays.
Note on Juveniles
Juvenile Tarpon are much smaller than adults, typically weighing five to thirty pounds. They also have a much more translucent appearance and lateral lines to the side of their bodies.
Behavior and Characteristics
In addition to their distinctive physical characteristics, they’re also known for their unique behavior including feeding habits, migration patterns and physiological adaptations.
Feeding Habits
Tarpon are predatory fish that feed primarily on smaller fish such as sardines, anchovies and mullet as well as crustaceans such as shrimp and crab.
They are known for their ambush style of feeding, where they often stalk prey and strike with speed and precision.
Tarpon also tend to feed at the surface of the water due to their unique swim bladder, which we explain more below.
Spawning and Reproduction
Tarpon typically spawn offshore in the sea during warmer months. The spawning takes place typically in deeper, secluded areas of the ocean, in large groups, and occurs usually between late spring and summer.
Migration
Because Tarpon prefer warmer waters, they are highly migratory especially in the Atlantic. They travel north during the summer and south during the winter in search of warm waters. Tarpon are also known to undertake long migrations, traveling from coastal areas to offshore for spawning.
History and Lifespan
Tarpon are especially unique in two regards: their history and lifespan. Prehistoric, Tarpon have existed for roughly 120 million years, longer than most other fish.
Their life span is also impressive; Tarpon typically live to around 50 years with the oldest tarpon in captivity living to 63 years old.
Their remarkable longevity can be explained partly by their large, thick scales that act like armor as well as their ability to gulp in oxygen from the air.
Air-Breathing and Rolling
As mentioned, one of the things that makes Tarpon unique is their ability to gulp in oxygen from the air. This adaptation, enabled by their special swim bladder, allows them to survive in areas with low oxygen levels including estuaries, lagoons and flats. Due to this special ability, Tarpon are often rolling on the surface of waters to take gulps of oxygen.
Tarpon typically do this either in swimming areas with lower oxygen levels or as a defense mechanism to escape prey, creating safe zones. Tarpon are also seen rolling when being fished by anglers, which allows them to last longer in a fight.
Recreational Fishing and Acrobatics
Due to their size, strength and acrobatics, Tarpon are a prized fish to catch by many anglers. They are known to leap out of the water and thrash in acrobatic displays, making them a challenge and exciting fish to catch. Tarpon are not tasty fish to eat, and are typically caught and released; in many areas such as Florida this is the law.
Where is the best place to fish tarpon?
The best place to fish for tarpon is in shallow coastal waters and estuaries where they are known to feed. For an optimal experience, tarpon fishing Key West offers some of the best opportunities with its rich, productive waters.
What’s the best way to catch a tarpon?
The best way to catch a tarpon is to use live bait such as mullet or sardines and to maintain a steady, patient approach. Learning how to catch tarpon involves understanding their feeding habits and preferred environments.
