REIGN OF THE OLD SCHOOL
100 million years ago, the oldest relatives of modern tarpon
( Megalops atlanticus ) swam the oceans with prehistoric
creatures that would make most science fiction novels seem
tame. Some of these monsters have evolved into totally different
life forms, while many have disappeared from our world completely.
A small few however, have changed very little over the years,
despite drastic environmental changes. Like fashions, cars,
and weapons, some designs are so good they never go out
of style. From the beginning, Mother Nature designed an
opportunistic survivor in the tarpon family that shows no
signs of giving way to a new order.
Tarpon live on both sides of the Atlantic
Ocean, with their populations concentrated around tropical
climates. Many scientists describe them as thermophilic,
or able to live in high temperature conditions. The range
of the species exists along Africa's coast from Senegal
to Congo, and American waters primarily from North Carolina
south to the West Indies. That puts our own Lee County as
one of the premier tarpon fishing areas in the world.
It's hard to believe that the king begins
as a microscopic egg floating around in the plankton of
the sea. Spawning occurs offshore, primarily around the
full and new moons of May and June. At this time, mature
females can produce as many as 15 million oocytes, or unfertilized
eggs. Once the females release the oocytes, they are fertilized
by the males "milt" of sperm, beginning the long treacherous
journey for the juvenile tarpon. In the first stage of their
lives, the larvae resemble a very small eel or leech which
will travel long distances by currents, tides, and swimming
to inshore estuaries, mangroves, feeder ponds and even drainage
ditches. Along the way, the larvae are very vulnerable to
predators like zooplankton and small fish, and it takes
all 15 million fertilized eggs to overcome the amount eaten
by them. For the lucky ones that reach the estuaries, they
develop through different stages, eventually becoming small
juveniles that are recognizable as baby tarpon at about
2 inches in length.
Have you ever watched a school of tarpon and
noticed they often break the surface of the water frequently?
Prehistoric in design, tarpon are one of the few fish that
are able to breath air directly from the surface. Using
their swim bladder much like a lung, this ability enables
the young to survive in stagnant, oxygen depleted waters,
far out of reach from the many predators living in the sounds
and oceans. In fact, studies have shown that tarpon cannot
survive without the ability to breath air directly. As adults,
they continue to gulp air from the surface when their activity
level is high, such as in times of feeding and spawning.
This enables them to provide quick oxygen to the body, which
prevents fatigue and the build up of lactic acid in the
muscles.
Once tarpon reach about 2 feet in length they
will move to inhabit rivers, canals, and the upper reaches
of bays until sexual maturity is reached at about 6-7 years.
At this point, they join the seasonal migrations and offshore
spawning with other adults. Male tarpon may live over 30
years, while females can live in excess of 50 years, grow
to lengths of 8.2 feet, and weigh as much as 355 pounds!
These silver kings are opportunistic feeders to say the
least. They use speed, power, a keen sense of smell, and
superior eyesight to locate prey of all kinds. The genus
name Megalops even comes from the Greek language meaning
"large eyed". These large, highly sensitive eyes allow tarpon
to see well at night when smaller, less developed fish and
crabs are at a disadvantage.
Traditionally there has been little scientific
interest in tarpon, primarily due to their inability to
be used as a food source for mankind. However, with the
huge economical increase in sport fishing for the species,
more and more money is being allocated for research into
the lives and habits of these incredible beasts. After surviving
millions of years in an ocean full of large sharks and prehistoric
monsters, tarpon have rightfully earned the respect of scientist
and anglers alike. No need for sharp teeth or pretty colors,
these silver kings have made their way through history on
a classic design. They have outlasted many of Mother Nature's
wonderful creations, and they have done it by staying."old
school".
Keep on plugg'n!
Capt. George Howell
(239)770-5166
