Catch Them If You Can! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tarpon

Adult tarpons feed at night and are carnivorous, swallowing their food whole. They are not, however, very picky eaters! It appears they migrate more looking for warm water temperatures than for food. Reaching a size of eight feet long and 280 pounds, they are avidly fished because they leap and fight when hooked. Because they are bony and their meat is not especially tasty, they are usually returned to the sea.

Answer: Four-winged flying fish

Because both pectoral and pelvic fins are enlarged, the flying fish can glide for some distance over the water. When finished gliding, which can last as long as forty-five seconds, the fish can fold its fins to re-enter the water or even drop its tail into the water to push for another glide.

The average distance "flown" is 160 feet, although some have been able to travel 1,300 feet. The fish is one of the national symbols of Barbados, which is known as "the land of the flying fish"; it is also an important food source in Asian countries.

Answer: Swordfish

With a length of over nine feet and reaching over 1400 pounds in weight, the swordfish does not use its beak as a spear; it appears to use it to slash its larger prey. An oily fish with high amounts of mercury, swordfish is not recommended eating for everyone. It is, however, a very popular sports fish as it is a powerful fighter when hooked.

Answer: Bonefish

Named for their numerous fine bones, bonefish are also called bananafish. The sport of fly fishing for bonefish is called bonefishing. As the fish usually live in shallow waters, they can be caught by fishermen either wading or fishing from a small boat. Measuring up to three feet long and weighing nineteen pounds, the bonefish is not as large as some of its fast-swimming cousins, and is fished more for sport than for food.

Answer: Blue shark

Blue sharks have been given their nickname based on their tendency to swim in segregated schools, separating them by sex and size. Females give birth to live young, and can have as many as one hundred per litter! Not an aggressive species, they rarely attack humans.

Answer: Yellowfin tuna

Found in waters all over the world, yellowfin tuna are popular sporting fish. Running in schools with fish similar in size, it feeds on a variety of fish - even other tunas! It is classified as near-threatened on the IUCN list. A popular sporting fish, it can reach a length of more than eight feet and weigh over four hundred pounds.

Answer: Bluefin tuna

It is estimated that approximately 80% of the bluefin tuna caught in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is consumed in Japan, where it is a popular sushi meat. For centuries, however, the bluefin has been a popular food all over the globe. Called "The king of all fish" by Ernest Hemingway, the largest catch on record was fourteen feet long and weighed 3/4 ton!

Answer: Wahoo

The wahoo is considered to be a rarely-fished species and is usually caught by game fishermen by accident rather than design. Sports fishermen do enjoy the challenge of bringing one in! It is considered to be a tasty specimen and grows to be rather large, with adults weighing in at 180 pounds and growing up to eight feet in length. Watch out, however, for its sharp teeth!

Answer: Marlin

Sailors use a tool called a marlinspike for splicing and tying ropes; those who become especially proficient are called "marlinspike seamen". A member of the billfish family, marlins are called "blue-water fish" because they spend most of their lives far out at sea.

The raw meat is considered to be a delicacy in Japan. Nemo's father, in "Finding Nemo", was named Marlin. The marlin was also the fish caught by Santiago in "The Old Man and the Sea".

Answer: Sailfish

Normally kept to its side, the sailfish will raise its sail when feeling threatened or excited. In addition, it will use its sail to maneuver prey while eating. At 220 pounds and ten feet long, the sailfish puts on quite a show when hooked; it may take a while, sometimes hours, to land the powerful fish, which is more prized for sport than food.

It is said that the meat is a bit tough!