Tarpon Fishing in Miami Florida How to , Size of Tarpon and Age?

Take if from me, we fish for Tarpon and our clients have caught them upto and over 200 lb

 

Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) are a popular game fish found in the waters off Miami. Known for their impressive size and acrobatic fighting ability, they attract anglers from around the world. Here's a summary of their age and size characteristics in the Miami area:
Size:
 * Tarpon can grow to impressive sizes, reaching lengths of 4 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 meters).
 * They can weigh between 60 to 280 pounds (27 to 127 kilograms), with females typically growing larger than males.

 

 * While the average size caught in Miami waters is generally between 40 and 60 inches and 40 to 60 pounds, larger specimens are certainly encountered.
 * The Florida record for tarpon is 243 pounds, and the world record is over 286 pounds. It's likely that even larger, unrecorded fish exist.
Age and Growth:
 * Tarpon are relatively slow-growing fish and can live for a long time, with a lifespan often exceeding 50 years in the wild. Some captive individuals have lived even longer, up to 63 years.
 * They reach sexual maturity relatively late, typically between 7 and 13 years of age, with females maturing at a larger size (around 49 inches) than males (around 35 inches).
 * Growth is faster in their younger years, up to about 12 years old, after which it slows down considerably. It can take 13 to 16 years for a tarpon to reach 100 pounds.
 * Juvenile tarpon grow at a rate of about 2 to 5 cm per year in some habitats, but can grow faster (20-25 cm per year) in optimal conditions.

 

Miami Considerations:
 * Miami's coastal and inshore waters provide suitable habitats for tarpon, including flats, backcountry areas, and inlets.
 * Tarpon migrations occur, with larger fish often moving along the beaches during spring  fall and winter. However, resident populations are present year-round.

 
* Fishing regulations in Florida, including Miami, protect tarpon, especially those over 40 inches, which must remain in the water. Harvesting is generally prohibited without a specific tag.
In summary, anglers in Miami have the opportunity to encounter tarpon of significant size, some potentially weighing hundreds of pounds and being several decades old. Their slow growth and late maturity make conservation efforts crucial for maintaining healthy populations in the region.