L - December 17, 2020

LADYFISH

Scientific Name:

Elops spp.

Salt/Fresh:

Salt

Also Known As:

Tenpounder; Machete; Chiro; Awa; Awa'aua; Bidbid; Springer; Ua; Abgan; Lak; Guinee Machete; West African Ladyfish; Senagalese Ladyfish; Hawaiian Ladyfish; LADYFISH; Bonefish; Bonyfish; Fiddler; John; Long John; Riverfish; Silverfish; Skipjack; Albarana; Banane; Banano; Bidbid; Chiro; Elopid; Elops; Elops Zlotawy; Fateixa; Fateixa-torpedo; Frauenfisch; Guinée Machète; Hopeakala; Juruma; Karaiwashi; Lisa Francesca; Macabi; Malacho; Matajuelo Real; Piojo; Saumon; Taiseiyou-kara-iwashi; Tienponni; Ubarana; Jack-rashes

Rating:

Countries:

Other Countries

United States

Description:

The Ladyfish are a family of ray-finned fish containing the single genus Elops. Their food is smaller fish and crustaceans (shrimp). This family is fished, but the body is bony and therefore this fish is not marketed widely for consumption. Apparently it is one of the best acrobatic small fish in Florida, making frequent and spectacular jumps.

How To Identify:

It is an elongate, slender, and robust fish with a large, deeply forked caudal fin. The body is rough with small, thin, silvery scales. The lateral line runs straight down the length of the fish. The head of the ladyfish is small and pointed with a large terminal mouth. The caudal lobes of the ladyfish are long and slender. Dorsally, the ladyfish is silvery blue to greenish while ventrally and laterally they appear silver in color. The dorsal and caudal fins are dusky yellowish to silvery and the pectoral and pelvic fins are speckled and pale. As a predatory fish, the ladyfish has small, sharp teeth. The gular plate, a ventral bony plate that is located between the two lower jaws, is narrow.

How To Catch:

Ladyfish are chasing, schools of glass minnows and small Mullet, so a bait looking like one of them works best. A lead head jig with a shrimp, mud minnow, small paddle tail minnow, a trout curly tail grub, a Clark Spoon, a Gotcha Lure, just about any Mirrolure that floats or sinks, any fly that resembles any kind of small shiny fish. They are not picky. You will need a leader: If you want to get more than one cast with what ever you have tied on as bait, you are going to need a leader. You can either use a small 6 or 7 inch(15,24- 17,78cm) piece of monofilament, about 30 to 50 pound(13,6- 22,6kg) test or a 4 or 5 inch(10,16-12,7cm) long piece of the smallest wire leader that you can find.
If you are interested in catching some of these great fighting fish, stay out of the middle of the action. Ease up as far away from the action as you can cast and throw your bait into the commotion. Do not drive your boat into the school. they will sound and might not come back up. Stay as far away from them as you can cast.

Where Found:

International

The Ladyfish occurs in the western North Atlantic Ocean from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, and south to Brazil. The Ladyfish is also found in the waters surrounding Bermuda. It is most commonly found south of North Carolina. The Ladyfish has been spotted in the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

LADYFISH

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