Ladyfish

Usually 1-2 pounds; 3-4 pound. Ladyfish are whoppers. Reported to reach even more, but very rarely. World record 5 pounds, 14 ounces;

Family	Elopidae
Description	Tenpounders
Environment	Fresh, Brackish & Marine
Etymology	Greek, ellops = a kind of serpent
Genus	1
No. of Species	7
Order	Elopiformes
Class	Actinopterygii
Reproductive Guild	Nonguarders
Distribution	Chiefly marine; enter estuaries and freshwater, especially as juveniles. Distribution: tropical and subtropical waters. Body fusiform, oval, slightly compressed. Eyes big, partially covered with adipose eyelids. Mouth terminal, upper jaw extending to posterior border of eyes, lower jaw prominent, bony gular plate ventral between its two branches. Lateral line scales usually 95-120. Large pseudobranchiae. Branchiostegal rays 27-35. Usually 20-25 rays in dorsal fin; the last dorsal ray not produced. Rays in anal fin usually 13-18. Pelvic fin with usually 12-16 rays, inserted below or behind dorsal fin origin. Dorsal and anal with base in scaly sheath. Pectorals and pelvics with bony axillary projection. Vertebrae 63-79. Larval stage translucid. Gamefish.

Ten-Pounder, Chiro

Ladyfish occur the full length of both coasts, ranging from the open sea off beaches and shorelines, to inlets and bays, and for up coastal streams. They seem to have no preferred surroundings, but follow wherever good feeding conditions take them whether over shallow flats or in deep holes and channels. They love to feed at night and are common around lighted areas of piers and docks. They often gather in large schools. Occur in shallow neritic areas, over muddy bottoms. Also found in brackish estuaries and juveniles are common in lagoons and hyper-saline bays. Form large schools close to the shore . Feed mainly on crustaceans and small fishes. Spawn in the open sea. Larval development is represented by profound changes in body form accompanied by 2 periods of length increase, interspaced by a period of length decrease. Noted for their habit of skipping along the surface of the water and for jumping after being hooked

A slender, silvery fish with deeply forked tail and large, scoop-shaped lower jaw. Said to be mistaken at times for the Bonefish, but the error is difficult to conceive of, given the big mouth and jumping ability of the Ladyfish. Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-29; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 16 - 19; Vertebrae: 73 - 85. Scales small, more than 100 in lateral line. Gular plate narrow. Silvery overall, with bluish on upper surface. Branchiostegal rays: 26-33

Spawns offshore, the larvae drifting towards the coast where they shelter and grow. Leptocephalus larvae are found in salinities as low as 0.0+ to 0.8 ppt

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Cape Cod (USA), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to southern Brazil. Questionable occurrence records in the China, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

Scrappy on any light casting tackle, including fly. Great sport with ultra light gear. Most are caught on cut strips, small live fish or live shrimp by anglers fishing for something else, particularly for Trout on the flats, but Ladyfish are ready strikers on most artificial lures of appropriate size. Jigs and small topwater plugs rate high, as do popping bugs and small white streamer flies.