How big do tarpon get?
Tarpon can grow to more than 300 pounds and 9 feet in length. The current world record tarpon was caught in 2003 and weighed 286 pounds and 9 ounces but larger tarpon have been caught, tape measured and photographed but not weighed and officially recorded.
The Florida record is 243 pounds but both the world record and the Florida records have surely been exceeded multiple times by people who photographed their fish and released them unharmed.
Three friends in Nicaragua caught and tape measured a tarpon that was 9 feet and 3 inches in length. A tarpon of that size would have weighed more than the world record but they didn't have the means to weigh the fish.
Many huge tarpon have been caught in Africa too. Those places are even more underdeveloped and remote so official recordings of the lengths and weights would be nearly impossible.
The author of this article is a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN. He has been fishing the grass flats, oyster bars and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In the article below, we will talk about the sizes and ages of the largest tarpon in the world and how to catch them.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to learn more about how large a tarpon can grow and live.
Tarpon can grow to more than 300 pounds and 9 feet in length. The current world record tarpon was caught in 2003 and weighed 286 pounds and 9 ounces but larger tarpon have been caught, tape measured and photographed but not weighed and officially recorded.
The Florida record is 243 pounds but both the world record and the Florida records have surely been exceeded multiple times by people who photographed their fish and released them unharmed.
Three friends in Nicaragua caught and tape measured a tarpon that was 9 feet and 3 inches in length. A tarpon of that size would have weighed more than the world record but they didn't have the means to weigh the fish.
Many huge tarpon have been caught in Africa too. Those places are even more underdeveloped and remote so official recordings of the lengths and weights would be nearly impossible.
The author of this article is a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN. He has been fishing the grass flats, oyster bars and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In the article below, we will talk about the sizes and ages of the largest tarpon in the world and how to catch them.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to learn more about how large a tarpon can grow and live.
How long do tarpon live?
Tarpon can live to be more than 60 years old in captivity but the lifespan in the wild is usually around 50 years of age. As with most types of fish the females of the species grow larger and live longer than the males of the species. The male tarpon can live up to approximately 30 years of age and the oldest female tarpon lived in a Chicago aquarium to the ripe old age of 63 years.
A tarpon does not reach sexual maturity until about 7 years of age and they can begin their spawning rituals. Scientists believe that the tarpon go out in deep water up to 400 feet to spawn. They believe that the great pressures at those depths helps the females release their eggs.
It takes roughly 13 to 16 years of age for a tarpon to get to 100 pounds. This is why it is so important to revive your tarpon and make sure that they can swim off under their own power.
Monster tarpon will fight to the death and must be revived or they will just sink to the bottom and die. A fish that has managed to beat the odds and live for 40 or 50 years deserves to be treated well after capture.
I created an online tarpon fishing course that will teach you the best baits, lures, tips and techniques to catch tarpon more effectively. You can access this online course by clicking right here.
Tarpon are one of the best fighting fish in the world and fishermen come from all over to fish for tarpon in Florida and other tropical places. Because they can get so big they are hard to weigh and measure accurately. This is probably why there are so many photos of huge tarpon that have never been officially recorded.
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Conclusion:
Tarpon can get huge and live a very long time. They are my favorite fish to target when I go out fishing. If you decide to target larger tarpon make sure to check the rules first.
There are lots of rules when it comes to tarpon fishing so make sure that you know the deal when you start to fish for them. They are very highly regulated because people come to Florida from all over the world to get a shot at catching a personal best tarpon.
Tarpon are responsible for bringing millions of dollars to Florida so don't make any mistakes when you are fishing for them or it could cost you a ton of money. If you ever want to come to Florida and target tarpon from a kayak, then you might want to check out our Kayak Fishing Tarpon Charter in the Summer months.
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