Common

Ladyfish

Q: What is the scientific name for ladyfish?

Ladyfish is Elops saurus. Anglers also call it skipjack, poor mans tarpon.

Elops saurus

Also called skipjack, poor mans tarpon

A slender, silvery fish known for its acrobatic jumps when hooked. Often called the 'poor man's tarpon' due to its similar fighting characteristics.

The record

Ladyfish at a glance

Scientific name: Elops saurus
Typical size: 12-24 inches
IGFA world record: 6 lbs
State record: 6 lbs 4 oz
Water: Saltwater
Habitat: Inshore
Rarity in the Fishdex™: Common

Where it lives

Habitat

Inshore flats, mangroves, and passes. Acrobatic fighters that leap repeatedly.

Catch one and it is yours

Log a ladyfish through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your photo, your personal best, and the exact conditions on the day. The app also carries the slot and season rules for wherever you are standing.

How the Fishdex™ works

From the tackle library

What to throw for ladyfish

The lure classes that produce for ladyfish, drawn from the same species map Cobia reasons about. Each one opens a full page on what it is, when it works and how to fish it.

Spoons Primary choice

Jigheads Primary choice

Soft swimbaits and paddletails Also takes one

Jerkbaits Also takes one

Bass Pro Shops Crappie Maxx Squirmin' Squirt

Grubs and curl-tails Also takes one

Bucktails and hair jigs Also takes one

Flies and jig flies Also takes one

Browse the tackle library

Which one, in which color and which weight, depends on the water in front of you today. That part is the app.

Questions

Ladyfish questions people ask

What is the scientific name for ladyfish?

Ladyfish is Elops saurus. Anglers also call it skipjack, poor mans tarpon.

How big does a ladyfish get?

A typical ladyfish runs 12-24 inches. The IGFA all tackle world record stands at 6 lbs. Cobia records the length and weight of every ladyfish you log and keeps your personal best on its Fishdex entry.

Where do ladyfish live?

Inshore flats, mangroves, and passes. Acrobatic fighters that leap repeatedly. It is a salt water species, filed under inshore in the Fishdex.

What is the world record ladyfish?

The IGFA all tackle world record ladyfish weighed 6 lbs. The standing state record on file is 6 lbs 4 oz.

What lures work for ladyfish?

Spoons and jigheads all produce. Which one, in which color and which weight, depends on the season, the water temperature and the tide on the day, which is the part Cobia works out against the lures you already own.

Is ladyfish in the Cobia Fishdex?

Yes. Log one through the Cobia Camera and this entry fills in with your own photo, your personal best, and the conditions on the day you caught it. The app also carries the slot limits and season dates for wherever you are standing. It is free.

Inshore