Tarpon are a major game species in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and Southeastern United States that helps support a $6 billion sport fishing industry. Although tarpon tournaments in the Keys have rules requiring minimal handling of fish, some contests in Mexico and elsewhere still allow anglers to hang dead fish up on scales. In Southwest Florida’s Boca Grande Pass, the Professional Tarpon Tournament Series has come under fire for encouraging contestants to drag large, live fish by a lip gaff to be weighed in a sling-type scale before release.
The new Ault-Luo ellipsoid formula allows anglers to use a simple measuring tape to get the fish’s fork length and dorsal girth (an all-around measurement of the fish’s body starting just below the dorsal fin), then view a spread sheet or Tarpon Master version 1.0 app on an iPhone to instantly find its weight. Read the full article here.
The new Ault-Luo ellipsoid formula allows anglers to use a simple measuring tape to get the fish’s fork length and dorsal girth (an all-around measurement of the fish’s body starting just below the dorsal fin), then view a spread sheet or Tarpon Master version 1.0 app on an iPhone to instantly find its weight.
