What’s On the Line: Atlantic Tarpon, the ‘Silver King’
The word “Tarpon” conjures images from fishing lore of large, silvery fish making spectacular leaps out of the water when hooked.
Atlantic tarpon are actually closely related to eels. They may not look at all like their cousins when adults, but their larval stages are considerably more similar.
Also known as “the silver king,” tarpon are found in the Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina south to Brazil, throughout the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. A population is now established on the Pacific side of central and northern South America. These large fish can grow up to 8 feet in length, but they weigh an average 25 to 80 pounds.
You may be interested
Cold Water, Hot Bite: Late Fall Inshore Fishing in the Carolinas
Tim Wilson - October 30, 2026Every November there’s a morning when the air bites differently. The marsh grass has gone gold, the mullet are gone, and the water is clear enough to…
Three Ways to Make Your Offshore Trip Count
Tim Wilson - October 30, 2026Four hours of trolling without a strike can make an offshore fishing crew start watching the clock. You have already made the run, burned the fuel, and…
What Harvest Data Can Tell You About Deer Hunting
Tim Wilson - October 30, 2026How many times do you head to the woods before you get a shot at a deer? Most hunters have never counted, but state wildlife agencies have.…
Most from this category
