Lady Fish, Poor Man's Tarpon
Lady fish are cousins to the larger (much larger) tarpon. They have some similarities to the tarpon but less exagerated and smaller. I'm not sure what a terminal mouth means but the Florida Wildlife Commission biologist says they have one. Ladyfish have a slender body with small scales that come off very easily when boated. Their last dorsal ray is slightly elongated on a single dorsal. Ladyfish have a small pointed head and no teeth, but are feisty fighters and readily take artificial lures and baits.
INSHORE fish, in bays and estuaries; occasionally enters freshwater, occurring in tidal pools and canals; often forms large schools and harasses bait at the surface. We find ladyfish are abundant almost everywhere we fish from Ft Pierce Inlet to Mosquito Lagoon grass flats and dropoffs. You'll often find them in large schools in the middle of the lagoon feeding on glass minnows and other small finfish.
Ladyfish spawn offshore and are a great species to target for fun. Kids love to catch and watch these beautiful and easily targeted fish.
Once hooked, these fish stay in the air more than the water. Cousin to the larger tarpon, ladyfish are pound for pound as skillful and aerobatic fighter as the silver king. While ladyfish are not as sought out as the larger tarpon they can be a pleasant surprise for an angler when fishing is slow. Try ladyfish on small fly casting equipment or ultra-light spinning tackle, you won't regret this awesome Florida gamefish
Ladyfish Tip: Look for diving birds and splashing fish on the surface and you'll often find ladyfish schooling in the Indian River Lagoon. Ladyfish chunks make awesome baits for other species as they produce a wonderfully fishy aroma that triggers feeding in many Florida gamefish.
4 lbs., 10 ozs. |
