THE TARPON 7 



mouth of Arch Creek. These fish were evi- 

 dently looking for a passage through to the 

 west coast, having found their usual route 

 further south barred by the railroad. 



On the west coast tarpon are to be found in 

 Shark, Harney, Broad, Turner's and Losman's 

 rivers, and among the Thousand Islands. In 

 Surveyor's Creek, Estero, and the Caloosa- 

 hatchee River, also in the Passes that divide 

 the outer islands such as Captiva and Boca 

 Grande, and up along the Gulf of Mexico. 



These fish are supposed to return south in 

 early November, but many remain in the deep 

 holes of the rivers during the winter and do 

 not show unless the water is at least as warm 

 as 68 degrees. 



Where these fish come from is not known, but 

 they appear to arrive from the West Indies via 

 the Gulf Stream. 



There is another migration up the west side 

 of the Gulf that appears to come from the rivers 

 of Mexico. They begin to arrive at Aransas 

 Pass in March. 



It is not known where they spawn. Some 

 people believe it happens at sea but, from what 

 I have seen, I believe they spawn in brackish 

 water at the headwaters of streams, or at the 



