The 3rd Annual Hell’s Bay Tarpon Cup Tournament at Cabin Bluff in Woodbine, Georgia, has come to a close and was a major success for BTT tarpon research! During the course of this event, anglers targeted rolling and bait-busting tarpon around captivating estuaries, rivers, and beaches. With the support of guides and anglers (particularly Captain Danny Flynn) BTT—in collaboration with University of Massachusetts—surgically implanted acoustic transmitters into seven tarpon between 50 and 160 pounds. BTT Director of Science and Conservation Dr. Aaron Adams said, “The tarpon fishery in Georgia is relatively new and expanding, and the guides learn more about their tarpon every year. It’s great to see their enthusiasm – not just for the fishery, but in support of the science needed for conservation.”
We are approaching one of the most exciting stages of the tarpon acoustic tracking project as tagged tarpon begin to migrate south, so these tagging efforts in Georgia are sure to yield interesting results. With a battery life of five to seven years in the tags, we’ll be able to track these fish across multiple migrations throughout Atlantic and potentially Gulf of Mexico waters. Further, these surgically implanted transmitters enable us to track tarpon as small as 20 pounds, a feat which was previously impossible with pricey, larger and shorter-lived satellite tags. This research effort represents a major step towards refining tarpon management and conservation efforts – none of which would be possible without a cast of dedicated tarpon anglers and guides. We look forward to more thrilling angling adventures, acoustic tagging, and the crucial findings this project will provide.
A special thank you to Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Cabin Bluff, William Knives and Fish Hippie for the generous support and for helping us tag these fish! We look forward to learning more about the movement patterns and habitat use of these Georgia tarpon.
