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Atlantic Tarpon
Family - Megalopidae (Elopidae)
Genus - Megalops
Species - atlanticus
Taxonomy
Valenciennes described the tarpon in 1847, classifying it under the genus Megalops, which translates from the Greek into "large-eyed," a conspicuous feature of the tarpon. One other species exists in the genus, Megalops cyprinoides, the ox-eye.
Common Names
The silver king is the most common pseudonym given to the tarpon by anglers, descriptive of the bright flash that reflects from its large silver scales when it jumps into the air. Other common names include abalitsa, Atlantic tarpon, atlantischer and tarpun.
Geographical Distribution
Tarpon inhabit a large range on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The range in the Eastern Atlantic extends from Senegal to the Congo. In the Western Atlantic, the fish primarily inhabit warmer coastal waters concentrating around the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and the West Indies. However, tarpon are not uncommon as far north as Cape Hatteras, and the extreme range extends from Nova Scotia in the north, Bermuda, and to Argentina to the south. Tarpon have been found at the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal and around Coiba Island.
Habitat
Tarpon are plentiful early spring thru mid-summer in Stuart Florida's St. Lucie River and off shore. In July, the fishing is definitely a bit slower, more relaxed, and a little more weather dependant but you can expect good numbers and some very large fish to still be caught. Tarpon fishing in July focuses primarily on the beach in the early morning and evening so it combines great with other types of fishing around the middle of the day. Up the North fork of the St. Lucie River the tarpon strikes are happening most every evening with the fish in the 50 - 110 pound range. Don't be put off by the afternoon rain storms as they have usually passed through and the skies clear up by 6 - 6:30 in the evening. If you've ever had a dream of catching a tarpon that weighs 100 pounds or more, now is the time to make that dream become a reality. A combo trip with Shark, Goliath Grouper, and then Tarpon can make for an action packed long summer day.
Although a marine fish, tarpon can tolerate euryhaline environments (0-47 parts per thousand) and often enter river mouths and bays and travel upstream into fresh water. In addition, tarpon can also tolerate oxygen-poor environments due to a modified air bladder that allows them to inhale atmospheric oxygen. The only variable that seems to limit their choice of habitat is temperature, and research shows tarpon to be thermophilic. Rapid decreases in temperature have been known to cause large tarpon kills. During such temperature drops, tarpon usually take refuge in warmer deeper waters.
