I got a lot of great feedback from last month’s NauticalMile column about how to catch more tarpon on fly around Pine Island and
Matlacha, especially from so many transplants to this area coming from the
freshwater streams and lakes up north. Since
it’s finally warming up out there, and the tarpon should pop up any day now, I’ll
go into some more detail about the gear you’ll need to make landing these fish on
fly around here a reality.
For starters, your 5-weight trout rod from Cabela’s is obviously
not going to cut it. You’re going to
need something with a little more backbone so start looking at 9-weights if you
don’t have one already. This is the
perfect all-around saltwater fly rod, especially for inshore species. A 9-weight will easily be able to handle
tarpon up to the 50 pound mark, which are actually mid-size fish but the most
common this time of year.
If you already have a 9-weight, think about adding and 11 or
12-weight to your arsenal. These are the
rods you’ll need if you want to tangle with the big girls that cruise up the
Gulf beaches starting next month. And
yes, I said big girls because all the triple digit tarpon are females. Male tarpon rarely exceed 70 pounds so those
huge fish you’ve sees hanging dead in the old black and white photos were unfortunately
breeding females. All the more reason to
be glad that Florida banned the random killing of tarpon decades ago.
The brand of rod you choose is not as important as it used
to be. The days of Orvis, Sage, and G
Loomis dominating the saltwater market are gone and now there are dozens of excellent
fly rods out there, many in the $200 range, that also offer a lifetime
warranty. My personal favorites are currently
the Temple Fork BVK series which retail for $250. These rods would have easily cost twice that
much if they were built ten years ago but advances in graphite manufacturing
have brought their price way down without any sacrifices in quality.
You can also pair one of these rods with a $250 solid
aluminum Temple Fork BVK reel and have an outstanding tarpon fishing package
for around $600, including the fly line and backing. There are dozens of rods alone that will cost
you $200 more than that but won’t give you a really significant increase in
performance unless you’re an advanced fly angler. If you’re just getting into the sport, spend
the extra money on a few hours of casting lessons and you’ll reap the benefits
when you hit the water.
No matter what rod and reel you choose, it should be matched
with a weight-forward floating line.
This is standard for all shallow water tarpon fishing, especially here
around Matlacha and Pine Island. The
average depth where we find these fish is no more than five or six feet so skip
the intermediate or sinking lines. If
you find fish that are running a little deeper, a weighted fly tied to a fluorocarbon
leader will sink down to them just fine.
Finally, when it comes to flies, I’ve written entire columns
on the subject and since I don’t have that much space left here just pick any
pattern you like as long as it’s red and black.
I’ve honestly caught 90% of my tarpon over the last ten years on red and
black rabbit fur patterns, in both dark and clear water, from the Caribbean to
the Panhandle. Placement of the fly
obviously matters more than anything in this sport but these colors have worked
best for me time and time again.
Keep in mind that everything you just read are just my
opinions, but are also based on almost twenty years of chasing tarpon with a
fly rod. If you’re just getting into the
sport don’t hesitate to throw questions at anyone who might know a little more
than you do. And if you come across
something that works on your own, stick with it. Fly fishing for tarpon can be the most
infuriating and rewarding pastime you’ll ever experience and Pine Island is one
of the best places in the world to throw yourself into it. Best of luck out there.
