World record Tarpon from Ganbia

[richardsheard1]

Hi All

anyone who has the equation for calculating Tarpon sizes please run the measure over this little beauty .


One of two similar sized fish both caught by my friend Pater in the Gambia , both released , However this fish was found 7 hours later floating having obviously not survived the ordeal . They are pretty sure its the same fish as they took two scales off it before it was initially released . As they were fishing from a small boat they decided to tow the fish back rather than try to lift it into the boat , however whilst it was being towed the vent filled with water and the gut section of the fish was ripped open , a fairly sizable part of the fish was lost from the back end .

It was then weighed in its damaged state and it weighed 362lbs !!!!! near as dammit 80lbs over the word record . As far as I know thats three fish in the last 5 years from Guinea Bissau and Gambia that should have taken the record .

So is this the Biggest Tarpon ever caught on rod & line possibly the biggest Tarpon ever seen or photographed , 8ft long 4ft 7in girth.

Please calculate it and let me know , Its too big for one of the tables and the old formula has it at 363 lbs , but being it had been dead for a while and its gut was badly ripped surely it should come up as heavier or maybe the formula is not qiite right for this size of fish

Richard@worldsportfishing.com

[jw]

hi richard, what a super fish

i think there are large individual variations, you wont get an accurate weight from length / girth
as this length weight blue shark graph shows

[jw]

i guess this is the tarpon graph, which as you say its off the axes

[richardsheard1]

Well next one will get knocked on the head and weighed properly , it would be nice to have the Tarpon record

I have never killed one , but I might be tempted if it was the record and I could be absolutely sure .

Richard

[johng]

Hi Richard,
Are ye now able to find them consistently in Gambia, I was there 10 years ago looking for these monsters based on reports of world record fish from yourself and Mark Longster.
Apparently they are very hard to locate. What are the catch rates in Gambia these days? I booked fishing through you for sailfish too, got some small tuna and small dorado. I was told while there that the fishing had deteriorated massively due to over fishing. That was 10 years ago....

[jw]

i find your question a bit odd, are you asking if one catches a record fish consistently? i once went pollack fishing with a guy
who had a tantrum because he didnt catch a specimen after 20 minutes fishing

[CIANDOWNEY]

What a f$$kin fish mate, well done

[johng]

@JW- From what I was told about Gambia tarpon, they are much bigger on average than western Atlantic tarpon. 300 pounders are relatively common by all accounts but they are seasonal and difficult to locate. Well they were 10 years ago anyway. I just wondered if the lads had figured them out now and if they can find them more consistently. I'd love to go back and catch one...

[shorty]

That's some fish my god I'd say there was some fight

[richardsheard1]

Yes they can be caught reasonably consitantly on th right tides with the correct methods .

My boat will be at dog island this season fishing for the big Tarpon , as they have know built a very nice lodge there it is now much easier to access the fishing two tides a day and in the Dark when they feed .

You can contact me for details if you want.

We have also had a very good season for them in Guinea

R