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South Florida Gamefish Species
Bonefish
Bonefish
The bonefish is the type species of the Albulidae, or bonefishes. It is
amphidromous, living in inshore tropical waters, moving onto shallow
tidal flats to feed with the incoming tide, and retreating to deeper water
as the tide ebbs. Juvenile bonefish may be observed in large shoals of
like-sized individuals with large mature fish swimming in smaller
groups or in pairs. Bonefish are considered to be among the world's
premier game fish and are highly sought after by anglers. Bonefish are
primarily caught for sport. They are not commonly eaten.
amphidromous, living in inshore tropical waters, moving onto shallow
tidal flats to feed with the incoming tide, and retreating to deeper water
as the tide ebbs. Juvenile bonefish may be observed in large shoals of
like-sized individuals with large mature fish swimming in smaller
groups or in pairs. Bonefish are considered to be among the world's
premier game fish and are highly sought after by anglers. Bonefish are
primarily caught for sport. They are not commonly eaten.
Range
Bonefish are found worldwide in warm seas. The fish are caught by sport anglers in shallows near Sanbis
Resort in Gizo in the Solomon Islands. The abundant sand flats surrounding Christmas Island are prime
bonefishing destinations for anglers from all over the world. The South Florida area of Biscayne Bay to
Islamorada is known for having some of the largest Bonefish in the world.
Description
Largest Bonefish caught in Florida is 16 pounds 3 ounces, Length to 104 cm. Silvery in colour with dusky
fins—the bases of the pectoral fins are yellow. Heavily schooling fish, with some of the larger individuals
traveling singly or in schools.
The bonefish, also known as phantom or gray ghost, is probably pound for pound the strongest and fastest
running salt-water fish. Bonefishing is a shallow-water pursuit done in depths ranging from 8 inches to 8 feet.
Flats sporting currents; dropoffs along the edge and clean, healthy seagrass beds produce adundante small
crabs and shrimps that bonefish prey upon. Bonefish are known to follow stingrays, looking for small prey
items disturbed by the rooting stingrays.
Bonefish are found worldwide in warm seas. The fish are caught by sport anglers in shallows near Sanbis
Resort in Gizo in the Solomon Islands. The abundant sand flats surrounding Christmas Island are prime
bonefishing destinations for anglers from all over the world. The South Florida area of Biscayne Bay to
Islamorada is known for having some of the largest Bonefish in the world.
Description
Largest Bonefish caught in Florida is 16 pounds 3 ounces, Length to 104 cm. Silvery in colour with dusky
fins—the bases of the pectoral fins are yellow. Heavily schooling fish, with some of the larger individuals
traveling singly or in schools.
The bonefish, also known as phantom or gray ghost, is probably pound for pound the strongest and fastest
running salt-water fish. Bonefishing is a shallow-water pursuit done in depths ranging from 8 inches to 8 feet.
Flats sporting currents; dropoffs along the edge and clean, healthy seagrass beds produce adundante small
crabs and shrimps that bonefish prey upon. Bonefish are known to follow stingrays, looking for small prey
items disturbed by the rooting stingrays.
Permit
The Permit, Trachinotus falcatus, is a game fish of the western Atlantic
ocean belonging to the Carangidae family. Adults feed on crabs, shrimp,
and smaller fish. The species name for the Permit, falcatus, is a Latin
adjective, which roughly means "armed with scythes."
This serves as a reference to the Permit's dorsal fin that occasionally
protrudes from the water water when schools of Permit feed near the
surface.
ocean belonging to the Carangidae family. Adults feed on crabs, shrimp,
and smaller fish. The species name for the Permit, falcatus, is a Latin
adjective, which roughly means "armed with scythes."
This serves as a reference to the Permit's dorsal fin that occasionally
protrudes from the water water when schools of Permit feed near the
surface.
Description
Permits can be distinguished by their elongated dorsal fins and anterior fin. The dorsal fin is shaped like a
scythe. Permit tails are also deeply forked, and their bodies are compressed laterally, making the fish tall and
thin when viewed from the front.
The average Permit has six to seven dorsal spines, and eighteen to twenty one soft rays. The anal fin has two
to three spines, and sixteen to eighteen soft rays. Both dorsal and anal fins have dark, anterior lobes. Permits
have no scutes and have a large, orange-yellow patch on their abdomens in front of their anal fins, while their
pectoral fins are dark.
Permit are known for their exceptional long runs and relentless fights on light tackle in the Florida Keys. For
inshore anglers Permit generally can be found on the flats during the warmer times of the year and are
targeted using 10 to 20 pound class lines or 9-10 weight fly rods.
Distribution and habitat
Permit are usually found in shallow, tropical waters such as flats, channels, and muddy bottoms. They are
usually seen as individuals or in small schools. Although Permit are found close to shore and even in some
brackish areas, they spawn offshore. Young Permit are found usually in the surf zone where there are plenty of
small invertebrates for them to feed on.
Permit are found in the western Atlantic ocean from Massachusetts to Brazil, including most of the Caribbean
islands.
Permits can be distinguished by their elongated dorsal fins and anterior fin. The dorsal fin is shaped like a
scythe. Permit tails are also deeply forked, and their bodies are compressed laterally, making the fish tall and
thin when viewed from the front.
The average Permit has six to seven dorsal spines, and eighteen to twenty one soft rays. The anal fin has two
to three spines, and sixteen to eighteen soft rays. Both dorsal and anal fins have dark, anterior lobes. Permits
have no scutes and have a large, orange-yellow patch on their abdomens in front of their anal fins, while their
pectoral fins are dark.
Permit are known for their exceptional long runs and relentless fights on light tackle in the Florida Keys. For
inshore anglers Permit generally can be found on the flats during the warmer times of the year and are
targeted using 10 to 20 pound class lines or 9-10 weight fly rods.
Distribution and habitat
Permit are usually found in shallow, tropical waters such as flats, channels, and muddy bottoms. They are
usually seen as individuals or in small schools. Although Permit are found close to shore and even in some
brackish areas, they spawn offshore. Young Permit are found usually in the surf zone where there are plenty of
small invertebrates for them to feed on.
Permit are found in the western Atlantic ocean from Massachusetts to Brazil, including most of the Caribbean
islands.
Tarpon
The tarpons are large coastal fish prized by anglers. They grow up to 8
feet (2.4 m) in length and sometimes weigh 200 pounds (91 kg). When
swimming in oxygen-poor water, tarpons can breathe air from the surface.
There are two species in a single genus Megalops in the family
Megalopidae, one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific
oceans.
The genus name derives from the Greek adjective megalo meaning
'large', and the noun opsi, meaning 'face'.
feet (2.4 m) in length and sometimes weigh 200 pounds (91 kg). When
swimming in oxygen-poor water, tarpons can breathe air from the surface.
There are two species in a single genus Megalops in the family
Megalopidae, one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific
oceans.
The genus name derives from the Greek adjective megalo meaning
'large', and the noun opsi, meaning 'face'.
Tarpon are superb sport, with a long-lasting, powerful fight generally including several leaps. While edible,
they are seldom eaten, as their flesh is considered too oily to be palatable.
Atlantic tarpon
The Atlantic tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, inhabits coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers. It feeds on
various fish and crabs. It is capable of filling its swim bladder with air and absorbing oxygen from it.
Specimens have been recorded at up to 250 centimetres (98 in) in length and weighing up to 161 kilograms
(350 lb). The Atlantic tarpon is also known as the silver king.
In appearance, it is greenish or bluish on top, and silver on the sides. The large mouth is turned upwards,
and the lower jaw contains an elongated bony plate. The last ray of the dorsal fin is much longer than the
others, reaching nearly to the tail.
The Atlantic tarpon is found in the Atlantic ocean typically in tropical and subtropical regions, though it has
been reported as far north as Nova Scotia and the atlantic coast of Southern France, and as far south as
Argentina. As with all Elopiformes it is found in coastal area, spawning at sea. Diet includes smaller fish and
crustaceans. It is the official state saltwater fish of Alabama.
Fishing for tarpon
The tarpon is considered one of the great saltwater game fishes, not only because of the size it can reach and
its accessible haunts, but because of its fighting spirit when hooked; it is very strong, making spectacular
leaps into the air. The flesh is undesirable and bony. In Florida and Alabama, a special permit is required to
kill and keep a tarpon, so most tarpon fishing there is catch-and-release. Although a variety of methods are
used to fish for tarpon (bait, lure and fly on spinning, conventional or fly rod), the method that has garned the
most acclaim is flats fishing with a fly rod. It is a sport akin to hunting, combining the best elements of hunting
with fishing. A normal tarpon fly rod outfit uses 10-12 weight rods and reels, spooled with appropriate line and
using a class leader tippet of 12–20 pounds (5.4–9.1 kg). Truly light tackle fishing where the fish may weigh
10 times or more than the breaking strength of the leader! Typically an angler stations himself on the bow of a
shallow water boat known as a 'flats skiff' and with the aid of a guide searches for incoming tarpon on the flats
(inshore areas of the ocean that are very shallow, typically no more than 3–4 feet (0.91–1.2 m) deep). When a
school or pod of tarpon is sighted, the guide positions the boat to intercept the fish.
The angler usually has no more than 6-10 seconds to false cast out enough flyline and make an accurate
cast to these fast moving fish. Accuracy and speed are paramount but the task is compounded by the
inevitable excitement and nervousness of seeing a school of fish that may top 180 pounds (82 kg) bearing
down on the angler. Once the cast is made, the fly is retrieved and hopefully a tarpon inhales the fly. The
hookset is difficult due to the hard mouth of the fish which has been likened to the hardness of concrete. For
that reason many tarpon throw the hook on the first few jumps and so many times it is asked of an angler
"how many tarpon did you jump?" rather than how many they caught. If the hook stays secure, then the fight is
on. Tarpon have tremendous endurance and are one of the most exciting gamefish to fight - frequent
spectacular jumps, long runs, and stubborn bulldogging are all part of the game. Although an experienced
and skillful tarpon angler, can usually land a tarpon in less than an hour, the average angler usually takes
longer, anywhere from an hour to more than three hours.
they are seldom eaten, as their flesh is considered too oily to be palatable.
Atlantic tarpon
The Atlantic tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, inhabits coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers. It feeds on
various fish and crabs. It is capable of filling its swim bladder with air and absorbing oxygen from it.
Specimens have been recorded at up to 250 centimetres (98 in) in length and weighing up to 161 kilograms
(350 lb). The Atlantic tarpon is also known as the silver king.
In appearance, it is greenish or bluish on top, and silver on the sides. The large mouth is turned upwards,
and the lower jaw contains an elongated bony plate. The last ray of the dorsal fin is much longer than the
others, reaching nearly to the tail.
The Atlantic tarpon is found in the Atlantic ocean typically in tropical and subtropical regions, though it has
been reported as far north as Nova Scotia and the atlantic coast of Southern France, and as far south as
Argentina. As with all Elopiformes it is found in coastal area, spawning at sea. Diet includes smaller fish and
crustaceans. It is the official state saltwater fish of Alabama.
Fishing for tarpon
The tarpon is considered one of the great saltwater game fishes, not only because of the size it can reach and
its accessible haunts, but because of its fighting spirit when hooked; it is very strong, making spectacular
leaps into the air. The flesh is undesirable and bony. In Florida and Alabama, a special permit is required to
kill and keep a tarpon, so most tarpon fishing there is catch-and-release. Although a variety of methods are
used to fish for tarpon (bait, lure and fly on spinning, conventional or fly rod), the method that has garned the
most acclaim is flats fishing with a fly rod. It is a sport akin to hunting, combining the best elements of hunting
with fishing. A normal tarpon fly rod outfit uses 10-12 weight rods and reels, spooled with appropriate line and
using a class leader tippet of 12–20 pounds (5.4–9.1 kg). Truly light tackle fishing where the fish may weigh
10 times or more than the breaking strength of the leader! Typically an angler stations himself on the bow of a
shallow water boat known as a 'flats skiff' and with the aid of a guide searches for incoming tarpon on the flats
(inshore areas of the ocean that are very shallow, typically no more than 3–4 feet (0.91–1.2 m) deep). When a
school or pod of tarpon is sighted, the guide positions the boat to intercept the fish.
The angler usually has no more than 6-10 seconds to false cast out enough flyline and make an accurate
cast to these fast moving fish. Accuracy and speed are paramount but the task is compounded by the
inevitable excitement and nervousness of seeing a school of fish that may top 180 pounds (82 kg) bearing
down on the angler. Once the cast is made, the fly is retrieved and hopefully a tarpon inhales the fly. The
hookset is difficult due to the hard mouth of the fish which has been likened to the hardness of concrete. For
that reason many tarpon throw the hook on the first few jumps and so many times it is asked of an angler
"how many tarpon did you jump?" rather than how many they caught. If the hook stays secure, then the fight is
on. Tarpon have tremendous endurance and are one of the most exciting gamefish to fight - frequent
spectacular jumps, long runs, and stubborn bulldogging are all part of the game. Although an experienced
and skillful tarpon angler, can usually land a tarpon in less than an hour, the average angler usually takes
longer, anywhere from an hour to more than three hours.
Miami Fly Fishing