Need to ID large fish seen near shore in GA

Not exactly a fishing post...but thought you guys could help. While kayaking
off of Little Tybee Island in GA this last weekend, I had the occasion to see a
very large fish jump from the water. I've been in the area for a while now and
have seen most everything that I have seen a dozen times or more, but this was
a new one to me. The fish was approx 6 ft long...maybe 7 or even 8. I saw it
from a distance, and unexpectedly so I cannot provide details. It was
nearshore in approx 5 feet of murky turbid water on a day in fairly rough water
(whitecaps, 1-1.5 ft waves). The fist time it lept, it's tail did not leave
the water. The second time (about 15 minutes later) it cleared the water
entirely. Both times, it launched itself at about a 30 degree angle to the
surface and maintained the angle as it fell back to the water. There was no
twisting or contortions or anything like that. The only thing I can think of
would be either a Tarpon or a Dolphin (the fish not the mammal). I would be
surprised to find a Tarpon that far north but read that they are found all the
way up to the Carolinas and even to Mass on rare occasions. I would also be
surprised to find a dolphin so near shore, but read that they occasionally do
come in kind of near. Would either fish jump if not hooked? Any other
suggestions?

Thank you kindly
Dave

In article ,
(WalkerDlwalke) wrote:

Not exactly a fishing post...but thought you guys could help. While kayaking
off of Little Tybee Island in GA this last weekend, I had the occasion to see
a
very large fish jump from the water. I've been in the area for a while now
and
have seen most everything that I have seen a dozen times or more, but this
was
a new one to me. The fish was approx 6 ft long...maybe 7 or even 8. I saw
it
from a distance, and unexpectedly so I cannot provide details. It was
nearshore in approx 5 feet of murky turbid water on a day in fairly rough
water
(whitecaps, 1-1.5 ft waves). The fist time it lept, it's tail did not leave
the water. The second time (about 15 minutes later) it cleared the water
entirely. Both times, it launched itself at about a 30 degree angle to the
surface and maintained the angle as it fell back to the water. There was no
twisting or contortions or anything like that. The only thing I can think of
would be either a Tarpon or a Dolphin (the fish not the mammal). I would be
surprised to find a Tarpon that far north but read that they are found all
the
way up to the Carolinas and even to Mass on rare occasions. I would also be
surprised to find a dolphin so near shore, but read that they occasionally do
come in kind of near. Would either fish jump if not hooked? Any other
suggestions?

Thank you kindly
Dave

Tarpon are not rare off the Georgia coast, a little early in the season
for them to be numerous I think but they are not at all rare and do in
fact range up through NC from what I understand (but I have only
experienced them personally as far north as GA.)

Could have been a tarpon in the environment you mention. I am not
certain about a dolphin (mahi mahi) in that environment; near/offshore
species are not really my focus. Dolphin are pelagic as I understand and
the coast of GA is near the gulf stream so I personally could rule that
out. I think if it was a tarpon you could be certain by the color. It
should have been almost shining silver. I have seen them from a distance
and the catch light and reflect like mirror.

If you are certain it was not a dolphin (mammal) and it was not shiny
then I would suggest it was possibly a shark. Black Tips are jumpers and
prevalent in that area. There are some very big sharks off the coast of
GA in that area. I have fished them with a guide where we got into the
wash of the shrimp boats and there are big sharks everywhere you looked.

Both tarpon and sharks would jump without being hooked.

Hope that helps (though I will not claim to be any kind of expert on the
topic).

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com

"WalkerDlwalke" wrote in message
...
Not exactly a fishing post...but thought you guys could help. While
kayaking
off of Little Tybee Island in GA this last weekend, I had the occasion to
see a
very large fish jump from the water. I've been in the area for a while
now and
have seen most everything that I have seen a dozen times or more, but this
was
a new one to me. The fish was approx 6 ft long...maybe 7 or even 8. I
saw it
from a distance, and unexpectedly so I cannot provide details.
snip

You didn't notice color? dark, light? Silvery?

Well, it was a fleeting glance (two actually) from a distance. I believe that
the sun was partially obscured by clouds at that point and in front of me and
the fish anyhow. It definitely did not 'appear' silvery like a tarpon, but
this could have been the conditions. It was more light than dark I
believe...kind of a dirty white, but again, this was at a distance and not
under ideal viewing conditions. For a someone well experienced in these
waters, or an icthyologist, its behavior is probably more of a clue. Nearshore
in low vis water, in excess of 5 ft, when it jumped it was a low angle jump and
without any twisting or contortions or anything like that.

In article ,
(WalkerDlwalke) wrote:

For a someone well experienced in these
waters, or an icthyologist, its behavior is probably more of a clue.
Nearshore
in low vis water, in excess of 5 ft, when it jumped it was a low angle jump
and
without any twisting or contortions or anything like that.

The behavior is not that telling. Size is more a clue I think in your
case. Large fish that may be found in water of that depth would be
fairly limited (shark, tarpon, porpoise). There are large red drum but I
don't know that they jump. I know little about king mackerel but they
are caught 'nearshore' in that area.

Even after further checking I come up with nothing else that fits. An
ichthyologist may be your only hope.
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com

In article ,
(WalkerDlwalke) wrote:

For a someone well experienced in these
waters, or an icthyologist, its behavior is probably more of a clue.
Nearshore
in low vis water, in excess of 5 ft, when it jumped it was a low angle jump
and
without any twisting or contortions or anything like that.

The behavior is not that telling. Size is more a clue I think in your
case. Large fish that may be found in water of that depth would be
fairly limited (shark, tarpon, porpoise). There are large red drum but I
don't know that they jump. I know little about king mackerel but they
are caught 'nearshore' in that area.

Even after further checking I come up with nothing else that fits. An
ichthyologist may be your only hope.
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com

Well, it was a fleeting glance (two actually) from a distance. I believe that
the sun was partially obscured by clouds at that point and in front of me and
the fish anyhow. It definitely did not 'appear' silvery like a tarpon, but
this could have been the conditions. It was more light than dark I
believe...kind of a dirty white, but again, this was at a distance and not
under ideal viewing conditions. For a someone well experienced in these
waters, or an icthyologist, its behavior is probably more of a clue. Nearshore
in low vis water, in excess of 5 ft, when it jumped it was a low angle jump and
without any twisting or contortions or anything like that.

In article ,
(WalkerDlwalke) wrote:

Not exactly a fishing post...but thought you guys could help. While kayaking
off of Little Tybee Island in GA this last weekend, I had the occasion to see
a
very large fish jump from the water. I've been in the area for a while now
and
have seen most everything that I have seen a dozen times or more, but this
was
a new one to me. The fish was approx 6 ft long...maybe 7 or even 8. I saw
it
from a distance, and unexpectedly so I cannot provide details. It was
nearshore in approx 5 feet of murky turbid water on a day in fairly rough
water
(whitecaps, 1-1.5 ft waves). The fist time it lept, it's tail did not leave
the water. The second time (about 15 minutes later) it cleared the water
entirely. Both times, it launched itself at about a 30 degree angle to the
surface and maintained the angle as it fell back to the water. There was no
twisting or contortions or anything like that. The only thing I can think of
would be either a Tarpon or a Dolphin (the fish not the mammal). I would be
surprised to find a Tarpon that far north but read that they are found all
the
way up to the Carolinas and even to Mass on rare occasions. I would also be
surprised to find a dolphin so near shore, but read that they occasionally do
come in kind of near. Would either fish jump if not hooked? Any other
suggestions?

Thank you kindly
Dave

Tarpon are not rare off the Georgia coast, a little early in the season
for them to be numerous I think but they are not at all rare and do in
fact range up through NC from what I understand (but I have only
experienced them personally as far north as GA.)

Could have been a tarpon in the environment you mention. I am not
certain about a dolphin (mahi mahi) in that environment; near/offshore
species are not really my focus. Dolphin are pelagic as I understand and
the coast of GA is near the gulf stream so I personally could rule that
out. I think if it was a tarpon you could be certain by the color. It
should have been almost shining silver. I have seen them from a distance
and the catch light and reflect like mirror.

If you are certain it was not a dolphin (mammal) and it was not shiny
then I would suggest it was possibly a shark. Black Tips are jumpers and
prevalent in that area. There are some very big sharks off the coast of
GA in that area. I have fished them with a guide where we got into the
wash of the shrimp boats and there are big sharks everywhere you looked.

Both tarpon and sharks would jump without being hooked.

Hope that helps (though I will not claim to be any kind of expert on the
topic).

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com