Tarpon
Tarpon are large fish of the genus Megalops. There are two species of Megalops, one native to the Atlantic, and the other to the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are the only members of the family Megalopidae.
There are two species of tarpons, the Megalops atlanticus (the Tarpon) and the Megalops cyprinoides (the Indo-Pacific tarpon). Megalops atlanticus is found on the western Atlantic coast from Virginia to Brazil, throughout the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, throughout the Caribbean. It is also found along the eastern Atlantic coast from Senegal to South Angola. Megalops cyprinoides is found along the eastern African coast, throughout southeast Asia, Japan, Tahiti, and Australia. Both species are found in both salt and freshwater habitats usually ascending rivers to access freshwater marshes. They are
able to survive in brackish water, waters of varying pH, as well as habitats with low dissolved O2 content due to their swim bladders which they use primarily to breathe with. The habitat of the tarpon varies greatly with the developmental stage they are in. Stage one larvae are usually found in clear, warm, oceanic waters relatively close to the surface. Stage two and three larvae are found in salt marshes, tidal pools, creeks, and rivers. The habitats are characteristically warm, shallow, dark bodies of water with sandy mud bottoms. It is quite common for tarpon to ascend rivers into freshwater. As they progress
from the juvenile stage to adulthood, they move back to the open waters of the ocean, though many remain in freshwater habitats.
Tarpons grow to about 5-8 ft. long and weigh 80-280 lbs. They have dorsal and anal soft rays and have a bluish or greenish back. Tarpons possess distinctive lateral lines and have shiny silvery scales that cover most of the organism except for the head. Tarpons have large eyes with adipose eyelids and a broad mouth with a prominent lower jaw that juts out farther than the rest of the face.
Belize
In its jungle, river-side setting, Belize River Lodge would not give anyone the impression of being only a very short boat ride and an even shorter drive (just a few miles) from the Belize International Airport.
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Mexican Yucatan
One of the oldest established fishing lodges in the Mexican Yucatan is Boca Paila Lodge. It was founded in 1964, by the Gonzales family and has built a rock-solid reputation as a great destination for bonefish...
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Mexican Yucatan
This new fishing lodge was opened on the island in June of 2006. Located on pristine white sand Discovery Beach, it overlooks the ever changing aqua waters of the atoll's lagoon.
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Mexican Yucatan
If one were to dream up the perfect location for a saltwater flats fishing lodge, it would be hard to find one better than on the private island of Punta Pajaros directly between Ascension Bay and Espiritu Santo Bay...
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Belize
Sharing a border with Mexico and at the very northeast corner of Belize is Ambergris Cay. Situated on a private 40 acres on the Caribbean coast of this island is El Pescador Lodge...
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Mexican Yucatan
In the Mexican Yucatan, near the small village of Punta Allen, you can find the first of its kind fishing lodge in Mexico and maybe all of Central America. Grand Slam Fly Fishing Lodge was built...
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Mexican Yucatan
At the very northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula is a small island that was kind of overlooked when tourists took over the Cancun/Cozumel area. Beautiful sand beaches line the northern, Gulf of Mexico...
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Venezuela
Los Roques is an off-shore national park located about 85 miles from the Venezuelan mainland. It was first "discovered" by the fly fishing community in the mid-1980's, and immediately was reported...
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Mexican Yucatan
About a 3 hour drive south of Cancun, on the oceanside beach of the little fishing village of Punta Allen sits the Palometa Club. Its location is perfect for searching Ascension Bay...
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Mexican Yucatan
Paradise Lodge is aptly named. What was at first hailed as the lodge most consistently productive for tarpon and snook now includes outstanding bonefishing and permit fishing in the most scenic and remote flats...
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Mexican Yucatan
There are few areas of the world where there are as many square miles of shallow water flats as there are in the Mexican Yucatan. And right in the middle of it, Pesca Maya. It has been there for 25 years,...
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Mexican Yucatan
Playa Blanca is a beautiful full service resort located on a secluded white sand beach with several guest bungalows and a central lodge for meals, meetings and cocktail hours. Playa Blanca is located 10 miles south...
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Belize
On the seaward side of the largest and most biologically diverse atoll in the Caribbean Sea is built one of the most beautiful and complete lodges in Central America; Turneffe Flats Lodge.
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Belize
Turneffe Island Resort is located on a private island at the south end of Turneffe Atoll. It is about 35 miles from Belize City and takes about an hour and a half to transfer there by boat.
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