The Tarpon Migration

Every coming spring into early summer, tarpon migrate up the coasts of Florida. For those unfamiliar with tarpon, they are large tropical fish that resemble that of herrings.  Although the are predominately a salt water fish, they are versatile creatures and have been known to live in fresh water as well. Being of larger scale in the fish kingdom these mighty beasts range, on average, between 40 and 80  pounds and mature between the their 7 to 13 years of age.

May to September is the time in which tarpon breed which is around the same time as their migration along the coast. Although the fish itself favors inshore waters, migration leads it further out. The tarpon will travel in a school along the coast until reaching it’s destination. Often times these fish will not eat until arriving where it is they intend to be.

The most common place in which fishers have caught the tarpon is off the shores of the Key West in Florida. The state record for largest tarpon weighed in at 243 pounds. However, the world record tarpon caught was found in Sierra Leone, Africa and weighed a mighty 283 pounds.

Tarpon, being tropical fish, have to stay within warm waters. At the mere temperature of 55 degrees, they begin to die. That leaves no surprise as to why they migrate along the Floridian coast, having some of the warmest waters on the planet. In any case, tarpon are said to be relatively tasty and a beauty to see in the water, so take that vacation time you’ve saved up and hit the beaches of Florida, you might just caught the next record tarpon, if you’re lucky.