Here are some things which have happened to me
while fly fishing salty pelagics .
Let's see how some of you would have
solved these problems:
1.) A large fish is hooked. A tangle of
line is on the deck ready to steam up to the stripper guide as the fish
runs.
Invert the rod, reel & guides up & hope for the
best.
Yes. Turn the rod over and point it at the
fish. Once in a while this will work. G.
2.) By one means or another this tangle
got through the guides and now is between the fish and the rod
tip.
Allow slack hoping the fish will stop and use that slack to untangle or
cut-out and re-splice. Both pretty risky.
Agree. Especially on the "risky".
One of you (Jim Brady) was on my skiff years ago and had hooked his first
tarpon. I sure didn't want that one lost ! My idea was
to keep that fish way out there 'til he died of old age before letting Jim get
it any where near the skiff. I turned about to view a new school of tarpon
coming up aft and upon turning back was horrified to see that Jim had reeled the
whole mess up onto the reel..... Now I had to pole like a demon to
keep that fish close in until we could land it.
G.
3.) While fighting a large tarpon, the
fly line engages a ball of seaweed. It's heavy and won't come
off.
Stick the rod tip in the water to make the wad's mass less of a factor and
see if you can maneuver to extract it by hand. If not just fight the fish
through the seaweed ball.
Yes ! Depends a lot on the kind of
weed. With matted eel grass and manatee grass, I reduce the drage a lot
until I can get rid of it. Sometimes works to move up on the weel ball
while reeling, put the rod tip down in the water and shove it under the weed
mess..... then gradually raise the ball as the water comes off it.
Once lightened, I can sometimes flip it off with a series of waves.....
then tighten the drag and continue the fray. G.
4.) Your tarpon is about to run around a
lobster trap buoy. You are alone in your flats
skiff.
A.See if you can flip the line over the buoy - tight line aerial mend
B. follow the fish around the trap tether if it is close enough and
you can reach it.
Flipping line over the buoy has never been a
workable option for me when fighting a tarpon. Your "B" is a better
answer. Best move, if possible, is to steam forward and place your skiff
between the trap buoy and the fish. G.
5.) The fish runs beneath a large matted
weed line.
Sink the tip and pursue or
let the line go slack and see if you can get the angle on him and coax him
back under your direction.
OK. Main thing is to plunge your rod deep to
the weed with either ploy. G
6.) You have been fighting a large fish
for about 45 minutes. He's no where near ready to land. Suddenly
the handle falls off your fly reel into the
water.
Probably break him off and reassemble the reel.
Might try to strip and land with no reel, but the backing is likely to cut
you up - so maybe not a good idea.
Most big fish are caught the night before the cast, eh?
Happened on a big poon to my nephew, Tim.
Fortunately the fish was somewhat fatiqued. (Couldn't reassemble since the
handle had gone overboard.) If he'd tried to strip in the fish and
got much line on the deck, a run might well end up with a tangle and broken
tippet. Tim fought that fish for another 30 minutes or so cranking
with his thumb and forefinger engaging the reel counterweight
! (At the end of the fight he applied pressure with the rim
drag and turned it bit by bit 'til the fish was skiff
side. ) G.
7.) A large lemon shark approaches the
tarpon you just hooked a minute ago.
Break him off so he doesn't get eaten by the shark. The terrible feeling of
landing just the head of a magnificent fish is abject.
Not a fair question, because you really have to
know your shark species and the likely behavior of each. Having said
that:
1. Note I said that that fish had only
been hooked for minute. That makes Gary's answer correct .... break
him off.
2. In the event that fish had been on
for a while, you have a chance of finishing off the fight by putting max
pressure on the tarpon while repeatedly turning your motor on and off.
(Won't work to turn and leave it on .) A lemon will often back off every
time you start that motor.. Then release the fish and run your
skiff right at the shark.
3. This won't work with Bull sharks, Tigers
or big Hammerheads.. Sometimes works with Black-tips
G.
8.) A huge bull shark is chasing the 80
lb. tarpon you are fighting.
I'll give you Rick Whorwood's answer on that
one:
As for a Bull Shark and Tarpon, the
Bull most always wins, the trick is not to fall overboard and become the other
half of Surf and Turf !!!!
Rick Whorwood
Rick is correct. In all my years of doing
this, I've never been able to save a fish when a bull shark is after it.
Same with a tiger shark. Only once with a
hammerhead :-
I had Stu Sholiton, a trout fisherman from
Ohio out with me. Stu wouldn't fish until he'd seen me land a
tarpon. I did so, and brought a fish of about 80# up. The fish was
on its side ready for release. A hammerhead almost as long as the skiff
roared up and laid on top of the tarpon.... but couldn't get a bite of it's
broad side. I yelled to Stu to hit him with the push-pole. Stu did
that... and the shark grabbed the pole and shook it. Stu released the
pole into the water and lay down on the foredeck with his head at the
peak. I lip gaffed the fish and pulled it athwartships aft.... then
fired up the iron and rammed the shark...... the dorsal fin was huge and hit
Stu in the head. The shark thrashed in the shallow water and threw
water, weeds, sand, etc. all over us. Then I went full speed for about 2
minutes and released the fish.
After all that, Stu stood up.... his hair
on end and a wild look in his eye..... ............... said, "
Gordy... this is a lot different than trout fishing in Ohio
!" G.
Try to put the boat between the shark and the Tarpon and get the Tarpon
held alongside the boat. Then, motor-off far away from the Bull Shark and let
the Tarpon go. depending on how long he has been hooked, that fish may not have
the reserves to escape the shark if you just break him off.
See my comment, above.
G.
9.) You have just taken the hook out of a
large tarpon and are ready to release the fish as a big
hammerhead shark approaches.
Get the boat between the shark and the Tarpon. You have him landed, so
harness him to the gunwale and motor him off a safe distance from the Hammerhead
before release. That fish may not have the reserves to escape the shark after it
has been fought.
Doesn't work .... you MUST get that fish aboard
before taking off. I had the teeth marks on my gunwale to prove
it.
Once, in Panama, I had a big shark grab
the propeller of the outboard..... shook the skiff like he was trying to
pitch us oeverboard. My Panamanian guide thought fast ...... started the
motor, gunned it and gave the shark a dental job.
G.
10.) You just released a 50 lb. tarpon in clear
water 6' deep. You are dismayed to see that the tarpon is on the bottom
upside down (belly up) and not moving.
Try to rouse him, very carefully, with the push pole. If that doesn't
work, jump in and try to right him and lift him up to resuscitate by moving him
in a figure eight until he makes off on his own power.
Yes to the push pole caper. Just tilt him
upright and he'll usually swim off.
I've had sufficient problems with big sharks in the
particular area where I do most of my tarpon fishing that there is no way I'd
get in that water with the tarpon .... I know others have done it and have had
their pictures taken ... sometimes for a fishing rag .... chest deep in water
with a Kodak smile holding a large tarpon. Poor judgment, in my
opinion. G.
11.) You try to remove the hook from the
tarpon's mouth but it is stuck in the bone so deep you cannot get it
out.
Cut the tippet short and turn him loose.
Yes. G.
12.) The `12 lb. albie you have just
landed is vibrating so rapidly that you can't get the hook out for a quick
release.
Turn the fish upside down - that sometimes settles them
Cut the tippet short and send him off.
Yes. As with most fish, when you turn it
upside down, the wiggling and struggling stops. Fish biologists have
taught us, however, that when you hold any fish in this inverted postion for
more than a few seconds.... even in water, that this is very stressful for the
creature and may result in an unsuccessful release.
G.
13.) You just removed the hook from a
schoolie bluefin tuna of about 20 lbs. What is the best way of releasing
that fish ?
Toss him like a dart , head first into the water.
Yes !!!! (I thought no one would get
that one right.) Good way to do it with scombaroids... (tunas and
mackerels). Not with many other species including tarpon .
(Reminds me to host a topic on the best way to release various species in fresh
and salt. ) G.
14.) This morning the sailfish are very
aggressive.... they have been "piling on" the fly and inhaling it so deep that
the class tippet keeps breaking. What do you do when the next fish
approaches ?
Try to snatch it away from him as he takes.
Sounds like a good idea .... but I never got it to
work.
When the next one comes up on the teaser, cast your
fly TO THE TAIL of the billfish. If he's sufficiently lit up, he'll almost
always whirl around and get hooked in the side of the mouth.
G.
15.) The grouper you hooked on a Clouser
and density compensated fly line has sounded and gone into the rocks.
You can't budge him.
First, rap the rod with your knuckles while the line is tight and see if
that rattles him.
Second, try to give him slack and see if he moves out on his own.
Third, Move off to the side about half your backing or more and apply low,
side-pressure steadily.
Best answer is your second one. From
Rick Whorwood:
Gordy
These all sound like experiences we've
had. I well remember your trick when you hooked a rather large grouper and it
went to the bottom and lodged itself in a hole. You gave it loads of slack then
patiently waited till it swam out, then you continued the fight landing the
fish !!
Rick
16.) You have been fishing for small
bluefin tuna in the 20 lb. to 40 lb. range. Suddenly a giant tuna of
about 700 lbs booms through the school and grabs your
fly.
Clear your line and start the motor so you can give chase.
If you can't get underway quickly enough, break him off quickly and
re-tie.
I've had that happen at Montauk. Nothing you
can do will lead to a happy outcome ! That behemouth will move
off lightning fast and that reel will spin with blinding speed.
Best to do nothing but hold on and tighten the drag. He'll break any
tippet. (If you simply let him run all 600 yds. of backing off, he'll
break the tippet anyway...... and then you spend the rest of the hour winding
the backing back on ! ) This all happens so fast, you have no time to turn
and give chase..... and, anyway, it would be an exercise in
frustration. G.
17.) You have a guest on your
skiff. Every time a tarpon takes his fly he immediately strikes with the
rod tip and pulls the fly right out of the fish's open
mouth.
If he can't get over his trout strike, see if he can modify to a side
-sweep and strip combined. I think it may be useful to have them strip-strike
with their eyes closed so the panic factor is moderated.
This has happend countless times when anglers
inexperienced in tarpon fishing get a take..... especially trout and salmon
fishermen. After the third time, I can see that the "trout strike" has
been imprinted on the angler's DNA. So here is what I
do:
When a poon is spotted, the angler makes the
cast. I have him place the rod under the casting arm and do a two hand
strip. When that tarpon takes, there is no way the angler will be doing
anything but fumbling the rod up for a strike. By then it IS time for a
strip strike. G.
18.) A large tarpon tracks your fly and follows
it but won't take it !
Let he fly sit still and see what happens.
If no luck, bounce the fly up for a short hop with the rod tip and strip
faster. .
Your second answer is best. I speed up
the retrieve while I jerk it repeatedly. Sometimes
works. G.
19.) A bonefish follows your fly for
quite a distance but doesn't take it.
Vary the stripping pace to include some stops.
OK. A Bahamian guide taught me a neat
trick. Stop it for a moment..... then make
a
l o
n g smooth strip. He'll take it
almost every time. G.
20.) The whipped loop on the end of your
fly line rubbed on the coral as you fought your last fish and is coming
apart. It is the only line you
brought.
Tie a loop with a pair of 15-pound mono nail knots on the line
doubled on itself.
Yes. If you wish to go back to a
whipped loop, simply carry a loaded bobbin with
you. G.
21.) You have been fishing with an
intermediate sink fly line. Now the fish are on the flat in water only
12" deep. You don't have a floating fly
line.
You should be able to fish this line carefully. You may also grease the
leader.
The word "carefully" needs to be
defined.
You can make an intermediate sink line perform much
like a floating line as long as you are not trying a dead drift. Trick is
to start your retrieve AS YOUR LOOP IS TURNING OVER ! That way, the
line is moving toward you from the moment your fly hits the water and won't sink
worth a darn. G.
22.) You have fought a tarpon on a 15'
Spey rod. You are in a skiff and cannot get the fish to the boat by
usual means.
If the water is shallow enough, get in the water and try to move the fish
to the boat or have a partner get in the water to release the fish.
consider wrangling the fish form the poling platform or other elevated
area. While you can grab the rod closer to the tip, this risks breaking the
rod.
You may elect to break-off the fish by in-line pull.
In my sharkey waters, I don't relish the idea of
getting in the water with a tarpon.. amazing how a big bull shark can swim
in super shallow water ! (In remote areas
in Central America, the natives told me they sometimes pick little
kids off the beach.) If in the right spot, you might be able to get
out on a sand bar or beach and land the fish that way.
I once landed a tarpon that way on Middle Cape
...... a nice sandy point. My skiff was only a couple of feet away. A
hammerhead came up as I beached the fish.... but as I backed up with my eye on
the shark, I backed into my sharp propeller and got a nasty cut on my right
calf....... Now I'm in the water with a pool of blood around my legs. Got
out on the beach FAST. (We thought that shark had gone... but after
releasing the tarpon, the shark nailed him.)
I've fallen from the push pole platform into the
water and a couple of times into the skiff.... so I don't do it that
way.
Nasty as it is, I put my rod down on the deck and
grabbed the line and hand lined the fish in. (Any time you do that, it is
best to back way off on the drag, because if that fish takes off and you can't
hold him, you may lose your outfit or break the rod when the drag is
tight.)
I don't fish tarpon on the Spey rod any
more. G.
23.) The large striped bass you are
fighting from a skiff dives straight down under the boat on the port side and
then runs under the bottom in the direction of the starboard side. (A
"keel-haul !)
Drive the rod as deep into the water as you can allowing slack. Walk the
immersed tip around the boat until you are on the same side the fish was headed
and resume the fight.
Yes. (Have your buddy tilt
up your outboard.) G.
24.) You are casting to tarpon rolling on the
surface one evening in the Bahia Honda channel .... water is 15' to 25'
deep. You cannot get a strike.
Throw a Gummy Minnow across the fish on a sink tip and retrieve erratically
with stops.
Keep changing presentation until you find what works.
It is rare for those fish to strike. Only way
I've been successful, is to use a sinking line. I make the cast leading
the fish by at least 50', let it sink ...... THEN make the
retrieve. The tarpon way beneath the surface fish are the ones which
will strike. G.
25.) You just hooked a tarpon as you were about
to pull your retrieved fly from the water. The fish leaps only 10 feet
from the skiff. you have 75' feet of fly line on the
deck.
Bow to the fish and stick the rod tip in the water as you reel like
mad.
After a couple of solid strip strikes, your job is
to pay close attention to nothing other than that line on the deck ! With
that much loose line on the deck, I find it best to make a ring with your line
thumb and forefinger and control the line going out. I place that hand
DIRECTLY OVER THE CENTER OF THE PILE OF LINE ON THE DECK..... (NOT off to one
side) and let the fish run until he's on the reel.
(Too many bad things can happen if the angler reels
like mad to get lots of line back. One of the reasons is that when you do
that, you are reeling in line from the bottom of the pile !!! A
tangle is likely.) G.
26.) You have just made a cast to a bonefish
which spooked. Your guide points out another approaching from behind
you. He hasn't got time to turn the
skiff.
Deliver your back cast, now.
Yes. G.
27.) The tarpon are feeding in a weed
line. Scattered weeds all over the place on either side of this
line. You are fishing with an intermediate line, but do not have any
weedless flies.
Cast alongside the weed line and try to retrieve parallel to it rapidly
enough so that the fly does not sink very deep.
Sometimes works. Often the poons are
taking bait fish or shrimp from beneath that weed line. In any event, you
have scattered weed all over the place.
My way of handling it is this: I make a
cast right over the weeds using an aerial wiggle mend with small mends. I
let it sink below most of the weeds. I make one long pull to straighten
out the wiggles. Most of the weed comes off. Then I make my retrieve
with the intermediate sink line and fly below the weed mess on the
surface. (You hope you get a strike before any weed left on your
line gets near the fly.) G.
28.) You and your buddy have just hooked
up on two big tarpon ... a double header.
Decide whose turn it is to yield and let the other party make the call. I
think my personal skill level would make risks for tangling and loss of both
pretty high.
Yes on both counts.
With some other fish such as sailfish, you have a
much better chance of landing both than you do with tarpon. With sails, my
dad and I have done it this way years ago on several
occasions:
Often one fish will run way off while the other
stays closer and jumps. The trick is to keep the distant fish way out
there while the closer fish is fought hard within the limits of the
tackle. This way, if they cross, the close in fish always moves well
beneath the other line and no tangle happens.
Almost never works with two big tarpon !
Usual result is the loss of both fish.