INSIDE THE ULTIMATE FLY BOX
fight begins. Keep the rod butt against your belly to
Most of the articles and books on the prevent the line from wrapping around
subject of tarpon fishing mention that it as line flies up from the deck. Many
tarpon are very difficult to hook properly tarpon fishers prefer to fish barefoot
and that many will shake the hook (use lots of sunscreen) or in socks so
right at the bite or during the fight. If they are less likely to be standing on
you can learn to hook one properly the their line at the wrong time.
percentage of solid hook-ups will be a Seeing fish is important. Your ability
lot higher than all of those articles suggest. to spot fish on your own, or quickly
What happens after that hook-up is locate those fish your guide points out,
another lesson entirely . . . it can will increase your chances of success.
quickly become a question of who’s Ask your guide what he looks for and
caught whom as the fight progresses! work on improving your fish-spotting
Dave Stanley: Casting. Practice is skills while you are out on the flats.
mandatory prior to the trip because
Bob LeMay
Always tell your guide if you do not see
most fly fishers don’t handle an 11-,
Fishing Guide—Pembroke, Florida
the fish he is trying to point out.
12- or 13-weight in their freshwater A final thought: Be realistic about
fishing. An easy way to do this is have Captain Bob LeMay is an what you expect from your first trip for
a friend cast a sock with a weight tied
innovative fly tier and hard-
tarpon. Landing a fish or two is certainly
in the end of it on a heavy spinning rod
working skipper who fishes
the goal, but it should not determine
across a lawn. He should reel the “tarpon” the success or failure of your adventure.
back at different rates of speed as you
for practically everything that
There is a tremendous amount to be
repeatedly deliver your fly—hook-
swims. Bob’s Big-Eye Tarpon
learned. Tarpon fishing has been
less—five to 10 feet in front of the fly series is effective wherever described as long periods of boredom
moving target. Vary the distances and
the silver king swims.
followed by short periods of intense
angles. Make sure you practice into and frustration. If they were easy to catch
across the wind, as well as downwind. everyone would do it. Enjoy your days
Wind on the flats is an ever-present
control of the line.
in pursuit of these amazing creatures and
adversary. Learn to deal with it.
Listen to your guide. He’ll be talking
the phenomenal environs they inhabit.
Most anglers new to tarpon fishing
to you as you cast and retrieve. Make
put too much emphasis on how far they
sure you can hear him because he has
WHAT HAVE TARPON
can cast as opposed to how accurately
the best view of what is going on and TAUGHT YOU ABOUT
they deliver the fly. As you practice,
he will give you invaluable direction. TYING FLIES FOR THEM?
you will develop a maximum distance
After you have an unsuccessful shot at
that works for you. Mark it on your line
a tarpon, ask your guide what—if
Borski: First and foremost, I want a
with a permanent pen. Don’t strip out
anything—he thought you did wrong.
fly that does not foul when the wind is
any more line than that when you are
Make every effort to eliminate that
hitting the fan, the angle of presentation
on the boat. Cast for your guide before
mistake when you get your next
changes, in the middle of a cast—or
the fish show up, so he can see what
chance. Don’t take your guide’s criticism
ever. If the fur wraps once I might fix it.
you are capable of, and comfortable
personally; he wants to catch a fish as
A second time and that fly is removed
with. He will then try to get you in
much as you do.
from the leader. No exceptions. It doesn’t
range as best he can.
When a tarpon finally eats your fly,
even do any good to take the hook
Use a floating line if at all possible
this is when everything happens—in
home to re-use: It has been tainted by
and treat it daily with a good-quality
fast-forward. All you have to do is keep
fouling too!
line cleaner. It is far easier to pick up a
your cool and not make a mistake while
An endless range of color schemes,
floater than an intermediate or other
a 100 pound herring tries to separate
from white to black and all points
sinking line after a poor cast and get it
you from your fly . . . NO PROBLEM!
between, will take fish often enough to
in front of a fish quickly for your next
When a tarpon rushes to eat your fly,
keep an angler coming back. It is only
attempt. If you make a bad cast it is
keep stripping. When you feel the
reasonable to be reasonable. Begin the
better to be short than long. A short
weight of the fish as it turns with the
day by choosing a pattern according to
cast rarely spooks fish. Unfortunately,
fly, anchor the fighting butt of your rod
light conditions, water clarity, personal
it usually doesn’t catch them either.
in your belly and pull hard with your
favorite, gut feeling, lucky sandals, etc.,
One last casting tip: Don’t complete-
line hand to bury the hook in that
and fine-tune from there. By reasonable,
ly let go of the line when you shoot it
tough jaw. If the fish doesn’t react, continue
I mean things like don’t go overboard
on the final cast. Make a circle with
to set the hook with several low, short,
with flashy mylar or hooks big enough to
your thumb and forefinger and let the
powerful jabs from your rod while keep-
land a croc. (You get it: begin mainstream.)
line out through this circle. You will be
ing the line tight. Usually the tarpon will
When the water glasses over and
able to take up slack and begin stripping
explode at this point; your job is to
slicks out, the fish have been pressured,
much faster if you have immediate
clear the line and get him on the reel.
tide flow is weak, or whenever conditions
72 FISH& FLY
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