Key West Catch of the Week - October 28, 2014

This past week has given way to some truly amazing fishing. The variety of catches has been astounding and proves that this is yet another week of fall fishing that is just as spectacular as what the summer season brought to the waters of Key West. While there were a wealth of catches that could have won this week's award, it was the Tarpon haul by Dan from Boston that was clearly the Key West Catch of the Week. This Tarpon weighed in at around 80-85 pounds, about the size of a medium dog. While Tarpon can reach over 200 pounds in size, this 85 pound Tarpon was still quite the fantastic catch.

The Atlantic Tarpon is one of the most prevalent species of fish found in Key West and is caught primarily during light tackle fishing. In fact, it was on one of our premier light tackle fishing charters that Dan was able to snag his massive 85 pound Tarpon. Tarpon is a species of fish that is native to the Atlantic Ocean. Though they can be found as north as Virginia and as south as Brazil, they are most common in and around the waters of Florida, particularly Key West. Tarpons make their habitat in a wide range of different locations, due to the fact that the specific habitat that they choose depends primarily on the stage of development that they are in. For instance, Tarpon larvae are typically spotted in creeks and rivers, while adult Tarpon move from those creeks and rivers out into warm and clear ocean waters.

Tarpon will grow anywhere from 4-8 ft and can range in size from 50 to over 200 pounds. They can most often be identified by anglers due to their dorsal rays and the bluish, greenish hues of their backs. Their lower jaws stick out far more than most species of fish, which is yet another aspect of their bodies that is distinct. Even at their lowest weights of 50 pounds, Tarpon can be exceedingly tricky to catch and reel in, due to the fact that they are extremely jumpy once they have been properly hooked. We can only imagine how difficult it must have been for Dan to hold onto his catch and reel it in before it got away, so kudos once again to Dan for being able to do so.

Tarpon are known to feed on many different types of food that can be found in the ocean, such as shrimp, insects, crabs and fish. They can be located most easily when they are feeding. This week of weather has provided particularly amazing fishing conditions, especially in regards to Tarpon as they prefer warmer waters. With temperatures hovering around the lower 80's and intermittent rain and sunshine, the waters are extremely inviting for anglers of all experience levels. If you would like to see if you can best Dan's catch, then drop by Key West and take out one of our light tackle fishing charters today!