A hefty tripletail can put a bend in a fishing rod and a smile on the angler's face. Photo by Pete Cooper Jr.

From what I've seen, heard, and learned during almost 40 years of living within a very short cast of some excellent saltwater fishing here on the Gulf coast, I doubt I'd be far wrong in believing that at least half of the anglers who regularly fish these waters have never seen a tripletail, much less caught one!

Part of that presumption is based on personal experiences. For almost two decades, I fished in waters that I later learned were full of them before I encountered my first one. It was 20 more years before I actually caught one! But after that, I began seeing them all over the place!

In fact, "seeing" is the main factor in catching these tantalizing, tentative -- and quite tasty -- fish. To catch them consistently, you have to be looking for the fish, and for the better part of my life on the coast, I wasn't. Since I got that first one, I sure have been!

What do you look for? Well, something that resembles a humongous freshwater crappie is one way to put it. Tripletails are brownish-black while in an upright position -- which is how most fish pass their time. But not this species, which likes to lie on its side just under the surface. While doing so, the fish appears starkly white.

I once asked a nationally renowned fisheries biologist about those color variations and why they occur. After several mumbled attempts at postulating plausible theories, he admitted, "Pete, I just don't know."

Whatever the reason, look for a brownish-black upright fish or a big white one lying on its side, and don't worry about "Why?"

Tripletails commonly range up to 10 pounds or so. But in the northern Gulf of Mexico, some in the 40-pound range have turned up. That's pretty big for a crappie!

Most tripletails weigh in the single digits, and for culinary appeal, that's just right. Fillet, skin, cut out the red meat and then slice the fillets into chunks. Next coat them with a beer batter and fast-fry them. Folks, that's hard to beat. Still, to reach this point, first you have to catch one.

These fish are found in temperate waters worldwide. Along the Gulf Coast, you may encounter them in water ranging from roughly 6 to 1,500 feet deep. They also inhabit large coastal bays and sounds, often in numbers that can provide a good day's sport. Usually, however, the best and most consistent action lies in near-shore waters.

Of the number of 'tails I've taken over the years, almost all of them came from the Gulf in water between 30 and 60 feet deep. More importantly, they were found along a current line, or "rip." Most important of all, that rip had accumulated odds and ends of flotsam. While these fish can certainly be found associating with stationary structure like pilings and buoys, the free-floating debris on rips is more dependable.

Flotsam that draws these fish occurs in many forms, shapes, and sizes -- both naturally and man-made -- and more of it is always better than less. Virtually anything afloat can serve that purpose, and as in many other types of fishing, a "different" piece of debris within the larger collection can be the best game in town.