Sprint's Big Fish Madness | Saltwater Fish Bracket Tournament | Saltwater Fish Facts

	BARRACUDA Sphyraena barracuda Range: It is found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. IGFA World Record: The current International Game Fish Association (IGFA) official world record is for a great barracuda - caught in 1992 in the Central-Pacific Republic of Kiribati - that weighed 38.6 kg. This figure is obviously lower than the 50 kg typically mentioned as the species' maximum weight (at least one hook-and-line record exists, from the Bahamas, of a 1.7-m-long great barracuda that weighed 46.7 kg) but certain criteria have to be met for a fish to become an IGFA record-holder. Fish Fact: Known for its large size; Barracudas can grow up to 6 ft in length and up to a foot in width, and their fearsome appearance. Being formidable hunters, they should be respected, as barracudas are perfectly capable of defending themselves against

	BLACK MARLIN Makaira indica Range: Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical waters, occasionally entering temperate waters. Stray individuals will migrate into the Atlantic around the Cape of Good Hope IGFA World Record: 1560 lbs. – Cabo Blanco, Peru – August 4, 1953 Fish Fact: Footage of the world record marlin was used in the film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea".

	BLUEFIN TUNA Thunnus thynnus Range: Western and Eastern Atlantic Ocean extending to the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea IGFA World Record: 1496 lbs. - Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada – October 26, 1979 Fish Fact: The meat of the northern bluefin tuna is used almost exclusively for sushi.

	BLUE MARLIN Makaira nigricans Range: Atlantic Ocean and other tropical waters IGFA World Record: Max Size: 500 cm Fish Fact: Reaches speeds of up to 50 mph. Once a Marlin is hooked, a group effort is nearly always needed to land the fish.

	BONEFISH Albula Vulpes Range: Florida and the Bahamas Fish Fact: The bonefishes are brackish or saltwater fish typically living in estuaries and traveling out to sea to spawn on a lunar cycle. They feed in the shallow sand and mud flats, on animals that live on the bottom like worms, mollusks, shrimps, and crabs.

	GIANT TREVALLY Caranx ignobilis Range: Around reefs and rocky islands. Around peaks on outside of outer reefs Fish Fact: An extremely tough deep fighter, that always heads for obstructions on the sea bed.

	GIANT GROUPER Epinephelus lanceolatus Range: Indo-Pacific region, with the exception of the Persian Gulf. Fish Fact: They are fairly common in shallow waters and feed on a variety of marine life, including small sharks and juvenile sea turtles.

	MAHI MAHI Coryphaena hippurus Range: Abundant in Gulf of Mexico, Florida Current and throughout the Caribbean and Hawaii, however also found on East coast IGFA World Record: Max Size- 6 feet, 30 kg (65 lbs) Fish Fact: One of the fastest swimming fish in the sea. Mahi Mahi is a Hawaiian word for "Strong Strong".

	SHORTFIN MAKO isurus oxyrinchus Range: Temperate and Tropical Seas Worldwide Fish Fact: Mako sharks have a better hydrodynamic shape than all other sharks, and this, combined with the lamnidae's typical high aerobic muscle mass, reflects in the spectacular speed and agility of both the longfin and shortfin makos.

	PERMIT Trachinotus falcatus Range: Massachusetts to southeastern Brazil including the Bahamas and many of the West Indies IGFA World Record: 60 lbs. 0 oz. – Ilha do Mel, Paranagua, BRA – December 14, 2002 Fish Fact:A premier gamefish in every way; Permit are pound for pound one of the strongest fish in the world. Permit are found over hard bottom, wrecks, and reefs and make long drag screaming runs of 200 yards of line on their first run. They then have the ability to use their their wide bodies late in the battle and keep their head down. This makes them one of our best sport fish available in the sea.

	REDFISH Sciaenops ocellatus Range: Juveniles are an INSHORE fish, migrating out of the estuaries at about 30 inches and joining the spawning population OFFSHORE Fish Fact: Take care when releasing these fish. They will literally fight to the death. They are exhausted when you get them to the boat, so make sure you revive them before allow them to swim. If you release one and it turns belly up, go get it and revive it again. When it kicks and swims off upright, you have done your job.

	STRIPED BASS M. Saxatilis Range: This fish is found all along the Atlantic coast, from Florida to Nova Scotia, and are caught as far north as Hudson Bay. On the West Coast, stripers are found throughout the San Francisco Bay and surrounding coastline. They are also found in the California Aqueduct canal system, and many California lakes IGFA World Record: The largest striped bass ever caught was a 78.5-pound specimen taken in Atlantic City, NJ on September 21, 1982. (Not IGFA record) Fish Fact: At times, striped bass can be very choosy about the baits they take. Because of the wide variety of baits that are known to work and their finicky nature, they are considered among fishermen as being an opportunistic or "lazy" feeder. However, it is estimated that 90% of their diet is fish.

	SWORDFISH Xiphias gladius Range: Can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans in warm-temperate waters IGFA World Record: 1,182 lb Fish Fact:With its streamlined physique it is able to cut through the water with great ease and agility. Mainly the swordfish relies on its great speed, which enables it to reachspeeds up to 50 mph. The Swordfish grows to large sizes such as the IGFA taken off Chile of 1,182 lb, but are known to grow over 1,400 lb. Swordfish are vigorous, powerful fighters, they have been known to dive so quickly when caught that they have impaled their swords into the ocean bottom up to their eyes. Although there are no reports of unprovoked attacks on humans, swordfish can be very dangerous, they have run their swords through the planking of small boats when hurt.

	TARPON Megalops atlanticus Range: The Atlantic Fish Fact: The only variable that seems to limit their choice of habitat is temperature, and research shows tarpon to be thermophilic. Rapid decreases in temperature have been known to cause large tarpon kills. During such temperature drops, tarpon usually take refuge in warmer deeper waters.

	WAHOO Acanthocybium solandri Range: The Wahoo is a dark blue scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. Fish Fact:Wahoo can swim up to 50 mph, making them one of the fastest fish in the sea. With an elongated body and reaching up to 8 ft. in length and weighing up to 180 lb. they are a formidable foe when caught.

	YELLOWFIN TUNA Thunnus albacares Range: Occurs worldwide in deep, warm temperate oceanic waters. It thrives in the open sea and seasonally migrates, but has been known to come fairly close to come to shore. Fish Facts: Probably the most colorful of all the tunas; the back is blue-black, fading to silver on the lower flanks and belly with a golden yellow or iridescent blue strip running from the eye to the tail with all the fins and finlets being golden yellow. The Yellowfin's diet includes flying fish, other small fish, squid and crustaceans. Fishing methods: include trolling with small fish, squid, or other trolled baits including strip baits and artificial lures as well as chumming. Yellowfin's are a popular sport fish in many parts of their range and are prized for their speed and strength.