Fish Tales ~ May 14 – June 21, 2021
July 11, 2021
Long Caye Outpost: A Fisherman’s Place of Stay
September 22, 2021

A Tarpon’s Preference

Tarpon, nicknamed the Silver king can reach lengths of up to 8 feet may weigh up to 280 lbs. The general life expectancy of the tarpon is around 50 years in the wild.

In Belize, when setting your eyes on landing this premier game fish, you must first understand its habits and preferences. Here are a list of the top three flies that Mike Heusner, one of the owners of Belize River Lodge uses, when fishing the king’s dance for a medium to large sized Tarpon.

  1. Tarpon Snake ( In colors: Black, Red/White )

  2. Big eye Tarpon ( Red Grizzely )

  3. Clouser ( In Colors: Red and White, Chartreuse )

( All flies can be found in our on site Gift Shop)

#KeepEm’Wet

Photo By: M. Nowak

 

When choosing or making a fly, a lot of considerations come into place in regards to color, size, and weight. Tarpon have a preference for darker colors : purple, black, red, and/ or orange. This is due to what is known as the silhouette effect. A dark fly on the waters surface casts a silhouette, mimicking the appearance of this game Fish’s food preference- shrimp, crabs, and/ or smaller fish! This provides means for why these darker flies often get mistaken for food.Brighter Flies are often seen very well by the fish on the surface of the water. This is due to Belize’s crystal blue waters white sand beds that make the flies pop with color when placed above it.

The largest recorded landed and measured Tarpon here at the lodge is 176.6 lbs and counting, but larger have been hooked.

The next time you are in Belize with a goal for landing one of the Worlds best game fish, The Silver King, ask us how we can help you!

Author: M.P.M