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I don't know where this pond is, but someone needs to get our euryhaline friend here on PB a GoPro for Christmas!

It's a wonder that dog escapes bodily injury!!!!

I wonder if the dog is chasing the hotdogs or the fish??

Dog is after the hotdogs. Cool fishery where do we get some tarpon? Anyone know their requirements? Bobby Rice-why isn't your pond full of hotdog eating tarpon?

The following from the web is why tarpon will not thrive in your pond.
"Spawning is where it all begins. This remains the most unknown variable of the equation, and one of the most important. Protection of spawning sites is vital to maintaining the tarpon fishery, because without the future generations that result from spawning there would be no tarpon fishery at all.

We know that spawning occurs in late spring through summer, and the limited information available suggests that tarpon spawn over 100 miles offshore, where they presently receive no protections. Limited data also indicate that spawning occurs in association with the full and new moons, but we don’t think that every tarpon spawns every month. Anecdotal evidence from anglers also support this theory – descriptions of schools of tarpon heading offshore prior to the full and new moons, and back into coastal waters in the days following during spawning season. Some of the satellite tag data show that tarpon undergo deep dives, to 400’ depth, during the days just prior to full and new moons, and we think this may be associated with spawning. The theory is that pressure difference between depth and the surface aids males and females in the release of their sperm and eggs into the open water, a spawning strategy known as broadcast spawning. The eggs are fertilized in open water, and hatch as small leptocephalus larvae.

Once the eggs hatch, the month-long larval stage begins. Tarpon start out looking like a miniscule eel with the transparency of a jellyfish (called a leptocaphalus). How do we know that tarpon leptocephali are in the open ocean as plankton for a month or more? They have small otoliths (aka earbones) that gain a new layer each day. When leptocephali are captured, and their microscopic otoliths examined, their age (in days) can be determined simply by counting the layers. This is also how spawning times have been determined – just count backwards from the day of capture, and the date of spawning can be determined. A leptocephalus grows to approximately 3-4 inches long and has quite exceptional mobility for its size. Their capacity to use their limited swimming ability to navigate currents from over 100 miles offshore into estuarine conditions is a remarkable feat. On the east coast of Florida, near the Indian River Lagoon, larval tarpon enter the estuary at night, using the cover of darkness as protection from predators. They appear to prefer entering the estuary through the shallowest cuts possible. Once inside the estuary, the journey is far from over. The leptocephali must traverse varying habitats including seagrass beds, oyster reefs, and shoals full of predators until they reach their final destination where they can safely continue their transformation into juvenile tarpon.

During the juvenile stage, a tarpon looks like a miniature version of its adult counterpart. Juvenile tarpon tend to thrive in backbay creeks and protected estuarine environments where there are very few predators. Why are there fewer predators than the open waters of the estuary? The backwater areas usually have stagnant water, which causes low dissolved oxygen conditions. Juvenile tarpon can deal with the hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions with help from their swim bladder. Although most fishes possess a swim bladder that helps with buoyancy control, tarpon have the ability to control the contents of their swim bladders by obtaining and releasing the ambient air and can use that air for respiratory functions. This allows the juveniles to obtain much of their oxygen from the air rather than the water. Since most fish need oxygenated water to survive, juvenile tarpon predators are unable to access these backwater habitats.

The fact that juvenile tarpon require such specific habitats, and that these mangrove and wetland habitats continue to be lost, underscore the need for protecting these important habitats. And since juvenile tarpon aren’t found in equal abundances in all wetlands, research is necessary to identify which locations are most important so their protection can be prioritized.

Many think that tarpon are obligated to gulp air, but research has shown this is not true. Anglers often see adult tarpon rolling in well oxygenated habitats, such as passes and in harbors. Studies link this behavior to the learned habit that was initially a juvenile survival necessity. Rolling for adult tarpon seems to be a preference more than a survival strategy which was confirmed by one research study. Adult tarpon were placed in an artificial habitat that was well oxygenated and their ambient air supply was cut off by placing a lid over the tank. Although the tarpon attempted to roll at the surface (a behavioral response), their respiratory functions were not hindered by the lid.

As they are throughout their lives, juveniles are opportunistic feeders. They eat small crustaceans (copepods, mysid shrimp) and worms, for example, and expand their diet to include fish as they grow.

The sub-adult stage of the tarpon life cycle, from 2 years old to maturity, is similar to that of a teenager: they’re still experimenting with their bodies; they look like adults but still act like children; they eat and eat but never leave home. Sub-adult tarpon expand their diet, including crabs, fish, shrimp, and worms. They also expand their use of habitats and the ranges that they travel, although we don’t think that the younger sub-adults move great distances.

The adult phase of the tarpon life cycle is what makes anglers lose sleep and quit their jobs. Many have conquered the Silver King, but more often than not it is the angler who has been conquered by an adult tarpon. The longevity of a tarpon is upward of 80 years......""

Yo Bill, VERY interesting info, thank you.
The first yr I came down to Fl I did a lot of snoopiin around. I stayed in the Collier-Seminole St park that is near the furthest town south on the west coast. The waterways in this park are all backwater brackish being long canals that run out to the gulf. One day I was sitting at a lagoon and saw a guy hook onto a small (13"s) Tarpon. Any guess about how old/young that size of fish might have been? Paleeeze don't tell me "it depends". I'm close enough to needin Depends that I don't even like the word.
I've been told that if you hook into a Tarpon that you're supposed to immediately cut the line. Any help on that Bobby Rice? Seems rather odd to me that the DNR wants any fish swimming around with a long line attached.
I'll probably talk to ya before you and the Korn King come to visit but I'll still put a bug in your ear. (I'd much rather put it elsewhere but can't mention where on here). When ya come down can ya bring a sterile jar so ya can test this trailer park nuclear waste cement pond water for me? If it turns out very unsafe I have a couple of very nosey neighbors that I may just contribute some of the large Tilapia to.

It always depends when it comes to biology. From my reading a 13" tarpon is around a year old, maybe 12 to 14 months. Growth rates for young tarpon range from 0.7 to 1.4 mm per day. For a one year old at 1 mm per day expect it to be 300 to 350mm or 11.8"-13.7". Hope to see you in mid December. You left too early to see the first frost that we had this week.

Bill, I've got hundreds of miles of "frosted" beaches and ya don't need to scrape your windows in the morning.
My daughter is bringin her three brats down on the twentieth. Hopefully you will be able to meet them. They already know who you are cause when they ask why my fish are big I tell em Bill Cody and Cecil baird.

Good thing that dog isn't a little smaller and the tarpon a little larger. If they'd eat hot dogs I'm sure they like a little schnauzer

That is very interesting Bill. Will now appreciate them even more every time I see them. Here are some under water observations of adult Tarpon.

On the wild side (open ocean side) of Bonaire Bonaire tourism there is a cove protected from the open ocean by a small, shallow inlet. When diving it from a boat we actually have to time the waves as we swim in because it is too shallow to just swim in. This cove is somewhat the shape and size of a high school football stadium with sheer walls on three sides, a sand bottom and a depth of maybe only 15-20 feet. The adult tarpon come in to this area I assume to rest. Sometimes there are schools of them so thick they just slowly part as we swim through them. Maybe a few hundred in this relatively small area. Average size 5' with some a little bigger, but all in all pretty uniform sized adults. I've only done this dive once (requires a dive boat on the side of the island few dive boats go) but it is reported the Tarpon are always there. It is called White Hole because of the absence of other features other than sand and coral rock. Occasional turtle and a few associated reef fish inside, but the Tarpon is what divers go to see.

On the lee side of the island (where the vast majority of the diving is done because of calm, clear waters with lots of coral and fish) we encounter Tarpon almost daily. In these encounters the fish are again adults in the 5-6' range and usually seen single or small groups of two or three. They are solitary hunters where we see them. They have become very accustomed to divers and will often pass within a few feet, unconcerned. If you approach them they will just slowly swim away. They usually stay to the outside of the reef with the diver between the reef and them. But occasionally they will swim between.

They are very powerful. I once saw one get spooked from something. Not sure what. Maybe I just looked at it wrong, because I was watching it. But the tail was so powerful in its takeoff that I heard the "pop" and saw a bubble form because of cavitation from its tail.

They are generally just swimming slowly, almost lazily, along the reef. The reef in Bonaire is a fringe reef that hugs the bank of the island, not a barrier reef like most people envision. But occasionally we will seem them come up from depth into shallow water. The odd thing about this process is they "burp" bubbles as they ascend. They burp a bubble maybe every twenty feet or so as they come up in the water column. A bubble maybe a couple inches in diameter along with some smaller bubbles. Very odd. Never see them doing this when swimming horizontally. Only when coming up from depth towards shallow water.

They hunt at night. They become very pesky for night divers. When we start a night dive, if we are lucky we are seeing octopus and other neat creatures. But almost inevitably sometime during the dive (hopefully later rather than sooner) one to three Tarpon will show up to accompany us. There is so much diving and so many Tarpon around Bonaire they have become conditioned to use the divers lights to hunt at night. They swim around the divers, often passing very closely. It is great fun to take a new diver that has had few or no night dives and especially no night dive on Bonaire and "forget" to tell them about the Tarpon. They always come from behind and pass right by the divers head (they are using his light to hunt fish). It is hard to keep from flooding my mask from laughing as the new diver makes loud sounds with explicitness in his regulator. But as soon as the Tarpon show up it is relatively certain we will see few creatures out in the open. The sleepy fish wobble to what cover they can find. We try not to hold our lights on a fish for any length because if we do the Tarpon will have it. It is cool to watch, but a bad habit for the Tarpon. They act kind of like sidewinder missiles following a target. I would guess they use a combination of sight and some kind of other prey locating feature. Or maybe just the low light and their eye location they can see better by weaving back and forth. But they will hone in on a target and as the fish tries to sleepily escape the Tarpon will weave back and forth, following it. At the last second or two, sometimes it will almost turn upside down to maneuver to get its meal and then "snap" and it is all over. They usually target fish in the 6-10" range but will take other sizes. Never seen them go after a big fish.

They come so close to divers at night, I've had them come within a foot of my mask as they pass by from the rear. While touching fish is discouraged, they are very often within touching distance. If you do reach out and touch them while passing by they might just give a leisurely flick of the tail and proceed on. I suppose if a person tried to grab them they would violently flee but have never done that. But sometimes they will also just kind of freeze momentarily as your hand glides along their body. Almost like a dog getting petted. This is a fish as long as the diver mind you.

Very beautiful fish. Looks like solid chrome under water. Always moving but usually slowly. Slightly curious of divers but mostly ambivalent. Never aggressive or a threat. Cool fish.

Man talking about this makes me realize my gills are getting dry!

I feel the tarpon in the my pond might be eating the pellets but have not seen that for sure. I used to feed tarpon pellets at another pond I knew of that had some it. They would swim lazily and take them from the surface. I might try teaching them the hot dog trick, Funny though the pond is 2 miles away and I find it hard to get to it every day for stuff like that. Perhaps I could put some hotdogs in the auto feeder.

snrub - Very interesting observations about your 'dances' with tarpon. Swimming with them would be fascinating. Thanks for taking time to share it with members.