The tarpon that frequent our beaches during the months of May through August provide an enticing target for fly anglers. These armor clad warriors can weigh in at over 200 pounds, and the average fish will run from 80 to 100 pounds. That's why fly fishing guides describe the experience as the "Apex of Angling."

Some of the best tarpon fishing in the world can be experienced on our nearshore bars and inshore waters. Fishing for tarpon on the fly isn't a game of numbers, it's the hunt and the eye to eye action that keep anglers on the bow.

Fly tackle should match the quarry, so fly anglers intent on landing one opt for a 12-weight outfit and 70- to 80- pound bite tippet. While it might seem like a difficult task to land a tarpon on a fly rod, anglers knowing the limits of their tackle can actually land a tarpon in a surprisingly short time. The key is to apply maximum pressure from the hookup and never let up. Many beginning fly anglers baby their tarpon in a misguided attempt to land them. In actuality, the longer you fight tarpon the better the chance of losing them.

A properly tied tarpon leader usually runs between 10 and 12 feet and is tapered. It includes a butt section, a mid-section, class tippet and a bite tippet. The butt section should be half the length of the leader and run about 60- pound test. The mid-section is next and runs approximately 24 to 30 inches. The class tippet, about 18 inches of 16- to 20-pound test, is followed by the bite tippet to which the fly is tied. The best knot is a non-slip mono loop.
While many anglers use 80 to 100 pound test for the bite tippet, you'll get more bites with 50-70 pound test. Flies vary from the classic splayed feather Key's style to more complex designs like the Toad. There are lots of YouTube videos available with directions on how to tie leaders and flies. It's also critical to have a very sharp hook as tarpon have extremely tough mouths.

The key to enticing tarpon to the fly is accuracy. The fly must be placed perfectly, move in a precise direction relative to the fish and be at the proper (fish's) depth. Even when all of these factors come together, there's still about a 50 percent chance that the tarpon will reject the fly.

Patience is paramount when fly fishing for tarpon. The most successful anglers anchor near the edge of a sandbar or other underwater feature that tarpon track and wait. Sometimes tarpon come at a steady rate, but just as often, there are long periods of time when the only thing to look at is the water and the bottom. This really separates the great anglers from the average. There are times when you need to move, but knowing when and where is a skill that is developed buy never mastered.

Once set up, the angler must be able to make a 40- to 50-foot cast to a location the size of a dinner plate. Placement of the fly cannot be overemphasized because tarpon will seldom vary a foot or two from their path to eat a fly. Although there is always the rare exception, a fly must never travel in a path towards the intended target. A tarpon's prey species wouldn't survive long if it moves towards them, and the tarpon know it. Besides moving away from the fish, the fly must travel at the proper pace, be at the proper depth and never slow down when a tarpon is tracking it. Conversely, you can't move the fly too fast, taking it out of a tarpon's range.

If all this wasn't demanding enough, once a tarpon decides to eat the fly the real test of an angler's mettle is tested. Tarpon are not trout, and attempting to raise the rod to set the hook is a fatal mistake. Fortunately, once a tarpon decides to eat the fly there's no need to make a lighting fast hook set. The right set is called a strip strike, which involves letting the line come tight and immediately setting the hook with a combination of the line hand and the rod.

After the initial hook set, attention must directed immediately to clearing the loose line from the deck. In most cases, the angler has been stripping in line when the fish eats the fly. That line can easily foul on the angler, the rod or the reel. The drill is to take your attention from the fish to the line at your feet. Hold the rod away from your body and let the excess line pass through your stripping hand in a circle made with the thumb and the forefinger. Once the line is on the reel, set the hook with several more strip strikes.

It's critical to apply maximum pressure to the tarpon during the fight, yielding only on jumps when the angler thrusts the rod forward to relieve pressure on the line. This prevents the tarpon from breaking off if it lands on a tight line. This maneuver is known as "bowing to the king."

It's customary to start the engine and get as close to the tarpon as possible after the initial and subsequent long runs. This allows the angler to apply maximum pressure. If a tarpon is 100 yards from the boat, the stretch of the line makes it impossible to apply any real pressure.

If you're looking for a good jump shot here's a great tip. When a tarpon makes any long run, motor to it, applying only enough pressure to make sure the hook doesn't dislodge. As soon as you are in place, frame the shot you want and then have the angler apply maximum pressure. Most times, the tarpon will make a jump that's close enough to the boat to get the angler and the fish in the shot. It's not a sure thing, but when it works, it can present an awesome photographic opportunity.

Finally don't try and rush the tarpon when it gets near the end of the fight. Keep the pressure on, but don't clamp down and try to force the fish to the boat. Tarpon on the fly is a challenging endeavor, but it's well worth the effort when you finally get that first fish boat side for a photograph.