Cruising Carpool: Why Some Fish Travel On Each Other’s Back

The season of road trips is almost upon us — which means families across the country will be piling into the car en route to their favorite beach, national landmark, and amusement park destinations! As it turns out, we’re not the only ones traveling in a pack. Deep beneath your Blackfin offshore fishing boat, there are many fish that hitch a ride on larger marine animals to get from Point A to Point B safely.

Just read on to learn more about these social travelers — and how they might be able to aid your angling adventure!

Meet The Suckerfish

Like its name might suggest, the suckerfish is known for latching onto larger creatures using suction-powered dorsal fins. The suckerfish doesn’t discriminate when it comes to catching a ride — in fact, it can be observed riding on everything from sharks and whales to dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, and even boats. In fact, the suckerfish’s real name — remora — comes from the Latin word for “delay,” and the fish appears in Roman mythology as a force that could actually hold ships back from their journey! Don’t worry about a suckerfish stopping your Blackfin Boat, though: they’re not quite strong enough in real life.

You Scratch My Back...

The suckerfish may seem like a hitchhiker catching a free ride across the ocean — but the arrangement isn’t totally one-sided! As it turns out, the suckerfish may help remove parasites and dead skin from their host rides. (Isn’t that kind of them?) This is similar to mutualistic relationships we see in other areas of the animal kingdom, like the oxpecker that rides on hippos, giraffes, and rhinoceroses and picks away pests and parasites in return.

The Angler’s Secret Weapon

Interestingly, there may be a third party that benefits from remora’s carpool situation: humans! In certain cultures, anglers catch the suckerfish to use it as part of their fishing technique — and it actually makes a lot of sense. As SLICE explored in a 2021 documentary aptly titled “The Vampire Fish,” the Bajun anglers of Kiwayu Island tie remora to a line and then let the fish “go” (while still attached) to find its ride, like a shark, turtle, or manta ray. Once the remora’s suction is activated, the anglers successfully reel in the prey!

Of course, this specific maneuver isn’t practical (or advised) for the everyday angler — in addition to local wildlife regulations that would prohibit it, you wouldn’t want to catch a sea turtle anyway! But the technique is a powerful reminder for anglers to be resourceful and make the most of the natural environment. There’s a lot to love about modern navigational tools and fishing tech — you’ll find it on Blackfin Boats for a reason! — but there are also plenty of resources on the water around you. Flocks of seabirds above a patch of water usually means there’s some action (read: potential catches!) beneath the surface, for example. And certain on-the-water structures like buoys, driftwood, and bridge pilings play host to hungry fish, so they’re worth checking out as you scope out the scene.

By learning more about the ins and outs of the ocean ecosystem, you’ll be that much more equipped to level up your offshore fishing adventure.