THE TARPON
Considered worldwide as one of the most sporty fish on the planet, the Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), is also known in some regions of northeastern Brazil as Pirapema, Pema, Tarpão and more specifically in Recife as Camurupim, Camurim-pim or simply pim.
These fish belong to the Megalopidae family and the Megalops genus. This family is made up of only two species of tarpon. The best known are the Megalops atlanticus, found in coastal and estuarine regions of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, there are occurrences of tarpons in the Pacific Ocean, more specifically in the Southeast Asian region, which are the Megalops cyprinoides. It is worth remembering that the term “Megalops” is a derivation of the Greek composed of two words where “mega” means large and “lops” means eye, which refers to a peculiar characteristic of these fish, which are their large eyes when compared to the size of their bodies and that of other fish.
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Tarpon's Characteristics
In general, these fish look very similar to a large sardine. Their eyes, as already mentioned,
mentioned above, they are large, typical of fish that rely heavily on vision to feed. Their bodies are elongated and laterally flattened.
Another very peculiar characteristic of tarpons is the position of their bony mouth, with their lower jaw protruding and facing upwards. This is because a large part of their diet is found closer to the surface of the water.
Their dorsal fin has the last lower ray that is much more elongated than the others, in a prominent and prominent shape. Their caudal fin is high and forked-shaped, which guarantees greater agility in their swimming ability.
Image by Rafael Marques / @Rafaekbn
They have large, silver-colored scales, which gives them the nickname “silver king.” Their backs are bluish-gray, ranging from light to almost black, depending on the habitat in which they are found.
Individuals that have not yet reached an average weight of 15 kilos are considered “baby tarpons,” although, regardless of their size, they are known for being difficult to catch, with many fishermen claiming that the catch rate is 10 fish for every 1 catch. Large tarpons (adults) can reach 2.5 meters in total length and weigh around 150 kilos.
Image by Rafael Marques / @Rafaekbn
These fish do not have any type of spines or spurs on their fins, which are formed by soft rays that do not harm humans or their prey.
weight or even more. Currently, the world record for a registered tarpon caught on board is 286 pounds or approximately 129 kilos, caught in Guinea-Bissau.
Another remarkable characteristic of this fascinating fish is that it has the advantage of being able to take advantage of atmospheric air, due to an adaptation of its swim bladder.
Occurrence of these species
It is characterized as a pelagic fish, present mainly in warm, tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean (megalops atlanticus) both Western and Eastern, in addition to its occurrence in the Pacific Ocean (megalops cyprinoides).
In the United States, these species are distributed throughout the East Coast, from Virginia to Florida, being most commonly found in the warm waters of Florida and much of the Gulf of Mexico. Down through the Gulf of Mexico they can also be found in the coastal areas belonging to Mexico and Cuba. In the Caribbean Sea, the occurrence of these species includes several islands such as the Caribbean Islands, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, among others.
Also in the Western Atlantic Ocean, Tarpons can be found in several countries in Central America such as Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama and also in South America, such as Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guatemala and Suriname.
As for the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, we can find this species along the entire west coast of Africa, from Senegal to Angola.
Image by Rafael Marques / @Rafaekbn
Image: Distribution of Megalops atlanticus in the Atlantic Ocean
Another species of tarpon with a smaller distribution and occurrence is Megalops cyprinoides, located in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, more precisely in the Southeast Asian region (Indo-Pacific), including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia.
In general, although Tarpons are a predominantly coastal species, they can also be found on the high seas. They are also commonly found in brackish areas, such as estuaries, mangroves, channels and shallower areas that are covered during high tides, following the movement of the tides.
Eating Habits
First, it is worth noting that tarpons are carnivorous and opportunistic predators, and their feeding habits can vary depending on the availability of prey and the seasonal conditions of the environment in which they are found.
Overall, it is understood that tarpons prefer small prey, which initially surprises many fishermen who become more interested in hunting this species. This is because it is a fish that can reach large sizes, in addition to having a very large mouth when compared to other species, causing many fishermen to think that the ideal is to use large baits to catch large tarpons.
Although commonly more effective, the use of small baits is not always a rule, because, as already mentioned, their opportunistic diet depends directly on the availability and occurrence of food in a given location, so it is important to investigate the seasonal occurrence of their prey to better understand the diet of these fish in each environment.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of these fish in terms of their feeding habits is their use of vision and their ability to feed on the surface and in shallow waters. They often use ambush techniques, using speed and strength to capture their prey. Their popularity among sport fishermen is also due to the size of the “explosion” they can make on the surface when attacking their prey and schools of fish.
A large part of their diet includes small fish such as sardines, herring and manjubas. Larger fish such as sardines, mullet, sardines and anchovies are also widely appreciated by medium and large tarpons.
Image: Specimen of Mullet.
Image: Herring, common prey of Tarpons.
In addition to fish, their diet includes various types of crustaceans, such as shrimp and crabs, commonly found in estuaries and mangroves, as well as along the entire coastal zone.
As opportunistic predators, they can also feed on a wide variety of invertebrates, such as cephalopods (octopus and squid) and mollusks (shellfish). They even feed on Polychaetes, known as “Palolo worm”.
There are also reports of tarpons feeding on small birds. In fact, these are not their main source of food, but it is a rare occurrence that can occur when these small birds land on the water, being susceptible to attacks from these fish.
In the same way that they can be versatile in relation to their prey, these fish have the full capacity to adapt to different environments and explore different feeding sites. They can feed in shallow waters, estuaries, mangroves, rivers, lagoons and even in open seas, depending on the seasonality and food availability in each location.
Behavior
It is impossible to talk about Tarpons and not remember one of their most characteristic behaviors, which is the movement of rising to the surface to “take in air”, which is called “rollings”.
Tarpons have the ability to meet their oxygen needs by capturing atmospheric air from the surface due to a specialty and adaptation in their swim bladder, which gives them the ability to survive and tolerate waters with very low levels of dissolved oxygen. Another well-known behavior is their spectacular and acrobatic jumps, which have earned them the title of one of the most sporty fish in the world. These fish can jump incredibly high out of the water, not only when they are hooked, but also when they are hunting their prey on the surface. It is worth remembering that the way they jump is one of the main factors in making them one of the most sought-after sport fish among sport fishermen.
Image by Rafael Marques / @Rafaekbn
Image: Movement of breathing on the surface, called ''rolling''.
Another well-known behavior is the spectacular and acrobatic jumps that give it the title of one of the most sporty fish in the world. These fish jump incredibly high out of the water, not only when they are hooked, but also when they are hunting their prey on the surface. It is worth remembering that the way they jump is one of the main factors that make them one of the most sought-after sport fish among sport fishermen.
Image: Tarpons and their fascinating acrobatic jumps
These are fish that tend to be shoaled, especially during spawning periods. This habit of moving in shoals ensures them greater protection against predators, and also facilitates the execution of their ambush technique in the search for their prey. It is also known that tarpons can organize themselves into a type of social hierarchy, demonstrating display behaviors to establish dominance.
Depending on size and age, larger and older tarpons can be understood as dominant in relation to other smaller and younger individuals. This behavior still needs to be better understood and supported by research, but it is believed that this occurs due to experiences acquired over time combined with the body size of larger individuals, conferring advantages in terms of strength and competition for food.
They also undergo migratory periods, and their ability to travel long distances to reach coastal areas and estuaries in search of ideal conditions for their reproductive period and feeding is well-known.
Importance of These Species
In terms of ecology and biodiversity, tarpons play a fundamental role in coastal and estuarine ecology as top predators in the food chain, helping to control the overpopulation of their prey and establishing greater balance in aquatic ecosystems.
In sport fishing, they are known for their extremely significant role in the development of the local economy and generation of income in a variety of ways. The presence of these fish in certain locations can attract tourists and fishermen from all over the world who will spend money on a variety of services associated with fishing, such as transportation, lodging, food and hiring local guides. The benefits for a local community are numerous, generating jobs and stimulating local economic development.
In science, tarpons also have great value. The study of their biology, behavioral patterns and migrations expands scientific knowledge about coastal and estuarine ecosystems, the evolution of species and the interactions between migratory fish and the environment in which they are found. This information reinforces the development of effective strategies for the general understanding and conservation of aquatic organisms.
Given their ecological, economic and scientific importance, the conservation of these species ends up being of great interest to the population and authorities, since the preservation of their coastal and estuarine habitats is essential to guarantee the reproduction and perpetuation of these fish.
In Florida, for example, there are a series of regulations and restrictions regarding the capture and killing of these species. It is also necessary to acquire a valid fishing license to practice sport fishing for these fish. The control and monitoring of these species is so great that there are some marking “tags” to be attached to the fish before they are released back into the water.
Here in Brazil, although still little publicized and much less monitored, we also have Ordinance 445 from Ibama. This ordinance, among other attributions, requires the comprehensive protection of tarpons in Brazil, prohibiting their capture, transportation, storage, handling, processing and commercialization.
How to Fish Tarpon in Recife
The techniques for catching tarpon can vary depending on the day, tide, wind action, structures, depth, among others.
In Recife, in the estuaries and mangroves, it is possible to catch them in the same day among the branches, on the pillars of bridges, in the middle of the river, channels or shallow areas near the banks.
For these methods, the casts can be directed visually (when it is possible to see their path when they come up to breathe) or by casting blindly, as we say here.
Tarpon will also display different behaviors when they come up to breathe. Some will come up very quickly, showing only a little of their tail and throwing a little water upwards. Others will come up more slowly, showing their back, fin and the upper part of their tail. The most expected thing is for them to rise in this way, as this gives away their position and also gives the fisherman more time to recognize their direction and cast his bait in the correct position (around 1 meter ahead). Normally, when they rise slowly like this, they are hunting.
Depending on the tide and the tarpon's behavior, the work should be slow, but constant. In other cases, you can work faster, always constant. In shallower places, you can and should use surface baits. Poppers can be worked with invigorating touches and slowly.
Tarpon usually strike more than once when they miss the strike, so it is advisable to continue working the bait if the fish misses the strike.
There are points and times when the fish will not be rising as often, so fishing with antlers may be the solution. Accurate casting on the branches and slow work can make all the difference. At times when you don't see many fish breathing on the surface, you can also look for them deeper down, letting the bait "cast" slowly closer to the bottom of the channels.
Another fishing option that is not very popular but can bring good results is trolling, which can be used with jigs, shads or barb plugs.
Where to fish tarpon with us
Currently, within a radius of 200 km around the metropolitan region of Recife, we have more than 7 destinations with real chances of catching a tarpon in the Brazilian northeast. These are varied destinations that include fishing in rivers, bars and seas.
Check out each of these destinations here.