triple-tail
Species Facts
Science Name: Lebotes Surinamensis
Other Names: Drift Fish
Description

The tripletail is characterized by its rounded dorsal and anal fins, which reach backward along the caudal peduncle, giving the fish the appearance of having a three-lobed, or triple, tail. It has a deep, compressed body that resembles the body shape of the freshwater crappie, and it has a concave profile. The eyes are far forward on the snout, and the edge of the preopercle is strongly serrated.

Compared with other saltwater fish, tripletail probably most resemble grouper but lack teeth on the roof of the mouth. Like a chameleon, the tripletail changes color to blend with its surroundings. When young, it changes color to hide from predators. When grown, it becomes a predator and changes colors to ambush prey.

Where to Find
Inhabiting tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans, tripletail are found in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts and Bermuda to Argentina. In the eastern Pacific they occur from Costa Rica to Peru.

Habitat
Tripletail occur in coastal waters and enter muddy estuaries, commonly in depths of up to 20 feet. There is some suggestion of a northerly and inshore migration into warm waters in the spring and summer.

Feeding Habits
Tripletail feed almost exclusively on other fish, such as herring, menhaden, and anchovies, as well as on eels and benthic crustaceans like shrimp, crabs, and squid.

Tips for Fishing

Most tripletail are caught by sight fishing. Anglers observe surface-floating specimens, often near weeds, and pitch bait to them. Shrimp works especially well. Small jigs, tipped with baits or equipped with a soft grub body, and streamer flies, also catch these fish, as do small plugs on occasion. Lures and flies should be worked near the surface, usually with a pausing, twitching motion.