Taming Giant Tarpon

The proper presentation is a SAD one.

As a native Floridian and professional light tackle guide, I’ve fished for and connected with countless tarpon along Florida’s West Coast. Specializing in fly fishing from Homosassa to Charlotte Harbor and Sarasota to Tampa Bay, I’ve been pursuing silver kings since the age of 14.

When talking tarpon, one immediately envisions giant, leaping silver fish, and rightfully so. Being a true game fish of world-class merits without the blue water requirements, no fluffiness is needed here. Here’s a species recognized to be at the top of the fly fisher’s game which provides more enjoyment than most athletes in the entire sporting world could ever know.

These fish are so special, that I believe I could write about all of the tarpon I’ve ever landed. I could tell you where I caught them or what pattern fly and exactly which outfit they were taken on. I could recreate for the reader the day a reckless world-record sized fish leaped directly into my skiff or tell a story about the day the Holy Grail of tarpon fly fishing records was broken by a 202.5 lb. gargantuan silver king. How about the scoop on when Billy Pate’s 21 year-old record was smashed by Tom Evans? Yes, I was there. As luck would have it, I actually filmed video of the silvery monster, but that’s a whole other story.

I have learned a lot over the years, which has inspired me to share a few bits of advice for the angler in pursuit of tarpon on fly. You could call them mistakes to avoid.

You should have two goals in mind when fly fishing

Safety should be your number one concern. Catching fish should be second.

Don’t make the mistake of seeing it otherwise. If an incident jeopardizes the safety of your crew or vessel, you may not be fishing, and you can’t catch fish if your fly is not in the water!

Be a level 4 or 5 fly fisherman. Not a level 1, 2 or 3!

Level 1 - Doesn't understand the mechanics of fly fishing or how to fully utilize the equipment to its fullest potential. We've all been there!

Level 2 – Understands the basics at best, and blames everything on something or someone else!

Level 3 – Convinced they know everything there is to know about fly fishing and still blames the guide.

Level 4 - Casts well while realizing that taming tarpon on a fly is a team sport!

Level 5 - Casts well and fishes well while taking responsibility for errors. He or she has ‘been there’ and ‘done that.’ Level 5 fly fishermen must be congratulated as this angler has reached the pinnacle of the sport.

Use common sense!

If you see spot tarpon traveling, they're usually heading somewhere fast. Don't push the issue. It ruins your chances as well as others around you. Yes, you might think you're closing in for a shot, but the chance of the fish eating is slim. When the pack slows down or stops, then approach. Stay off to the side of the lead fish as far as possible. Gain forward distance and then approach for a well-planned, and hopefully well-executed, line-up. If another team of anglers is lined up for a shot, quietly maneuver and go around. Relaxed fish eat! If everyone pushes the pack and closes in too early, you end up with lousy tarpon fishing. Sound familiar?

Feed the fish!

Don't expect tarpon to be hungry and inhale your fly just because it's in the water. While tarpon are opportunistic feeders and scavengers, they are not always hungry. Place the fly in the sweet spot 30 degrees off their nose and just above it in regards to depth placement. If you make it convenient for her to eat the fly, she will probably exert the required energy. You may need to tease and sometimes tickle her nose with the feathers to entice a strike. If you know you've placed the fly correctly two or three times to no avail, switch patterns. Remember not to strip the fly out of her reach. Stripping is an art. While on occasion it doesn’t matter how you strip as long as it’s not fast, more times than not, it’s how you ‘wiggle the worm’ that’s the deal closer!

Fight smarter, not harder!

Learn to fight tarpon correctly. Practice the pull factor using a scale. Tarpon need to be fought quickly or they may actually succumb to the battle. Let the tarpon tire out a bit before applying maximum pressure. Once you're close, apply side pressure against the fish and pull in the opposite direction that the fish is headed in. Your actions should be smooth, firm and steady while knowing your limits. If you fight the fish too long, something's going to give. The leader system will part, the hook will pull or the angler will fail. Success is up to you and your fighting abilities.

If you're connected to an out-of-control tarpon that is racing towards you and over-running your retrieve, drop the rod tip toward the water and crank like mad! Hopefully, the line that is in the water will create enough drag to hold the hook firmly in place. Use both hands and arms for real pulling power and your dominant hand for line winding. Forget palming the reel for extra pull power. Not with a hundred pound tarpon.

Keep the point of the hook razor sharp

There are three things that could easily affect your success ratio; a razor-sharp hook - a razor-sharp hook, and a razor-sharp hook. Period!

Fly line Etiquette

The angler is responsible for the line in and out of the water. Don't learn the hard way that your line is wrapped around the trim tab, engine or trolling motor when a hungry fish comes swimming by looking for an easy meal. Not only will you lose what may have been your best shot all day, but you may have trashed the fly line altogether which puts the outfit out of commission, as well as you. Line misplacement is one of the most common mistakes novice fly fishermen make and probably accounts for more lost opportunities than any other error.

Practice delivering the fly in every direction

Example: If you are on the bow and the skiff is facing forward, throw to targets from 12:00 o’clock to 7:00 o’clock. Now, the other side: From 12:00 o’clock to 5 o’clock.

Calm down. Remind yourself over and over...it is just an overgrown herring

We all get excited when we see big fish, especially big fish that we're about to cast to. Don't lose control and do something silly like hook the guide. Yes, accidents do happen through lack of attention, anger and frustration or complete disregard for instruction. Keep your cool and trust your coach. He has been here before. All you have to do is make an accurate presentation, and the odds are in your favor.

Cast correctly

As your skill level increases, your success ratio increases exponentially. For successful tarpon fishing on fly, you need to be fishing, not learning how to cast. Fly-fishing for tarpon is not the place to be brushing up on your casting skills. To hook, let alone fight and land an adult tarpon, proper casting technique is essential. Otherwise, be ready to spend $300 to $600 learning that you aren't as good as you thought you were. It could be a humbling experience. If you don't throw tight loops and don’t use a REAL double-haul, stop pretending and re-learn to cast for saltwater correctly. Distance is mandatory. Many fish follow the fly until they become alarmed, so you want to give them the greatest amount of time to make their move. Without enough distance, even a correctly placed fly runs out of eating room. The proper presentation is all about Speed, Accuracy and Distance!

Perfect your back-cast and side-cast!

More than 50 percent of the tarpon you will encounter will pop-up on the wrong side of the boat. If the guide has to spin the boat, chances increase that the tarpon will get alarmed of your presence. The longer it takes to close the distance between you and your target, the less likely the fish will eat. Your back cast should be as fluid as your front cast. Just turn your head, keep your eye on your target, don't change your casting technique and deliver the fly. Once the fly is on the way to the target, reposition and know where your stripped line is...it will make a difference. If your back-cast needs work, practice, practice and practice!

Rightfully so, many guides will not permit you to throw through or over-the-boat as it’s called. The last thing anyone needs is to spend the day visiting the emergency room. By implementing this rule, if the situation dictates an over-the-boat cast, the guide, and only the guide, calls the shot once it's safe for everyone onboard.

Lastly, remember that tarpon have eyeballs nearly ten times the size of ours. If you think the fish can see you, it can and probably already has. Learn to cast sidearm and as close to the water as possible when needed. Wear apparel that blends into the surrounding background. If a fish follows your fly right to the boat, crouch down to decrease your profile. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen tarpon inhale a fly no more than five feet from the rod tip. Never underestimate the intelligence of this brilliant, prehistoric predator. Keep your eye on the target at all times, stay calm, cool and collected, and you may one day have the right to say you tamed a giant tarpon.