Rod, Reel, and Line 50-pound test braided line is the standard for tarpon, and you’ll want to have plenty on the spool—250 to 300 yards.
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What weight fly rod is best for tarpon?
A 10-weight is not only a great tarpon rod, but works well for permit, roosterfish, milkfish, and most larger tropical species as well as a host of coldwater gamefish like pike and stripers.
What size leader should I use for tarpon?
When you’re setting up your leader for fishing for tarpon, it should be five feet of 50-pound fluorocarbon leader. You should attach this to 15-20-pound main line that is doubled. If you’re fishing off of a bridge, try 6-10 feet of 60-80-pound leader tied right onto 50-pound braided main line.
Do you need a wire leader for tarpon?
Wire leader is a staple in my tarpon fishing,” says Smith. “With dead baits on the bottom and with live mullet, I use a couple of feet of No. 8 (93-pound-test) single-strand wire. Tarpon have no teeth, but when they clamp down hard on a mono leader, their mouths are rough enough to keep the leader from sliding.
How much drag do you need for tarpon?
Many anglers set the drag to tight for tarpon fishing. 20% to 25% of the line weight is a good rule. Remember knots weaken your line up to 25%. If you are tarpon fishing with 20 pound test line set the drag at 4 to 5 pounds.
What is a 12 weight fly rod used for?
11- and 12-weight Fly Rods These are good choices when fishing heavy Saltwater applications and are specifically built for large saltwater species such as adult tarpon.
How much backing does a tarpon need?
The more backing the better, but being that you’ll most likely be fighting the fish from a boat in relatively shallow water you don’t need to go crazy with backing. 200 yards of #30 is usually sufficient.
What is a 12wt fly rod good for?
If you’re tarpon fishing somewhere you’ll be making a lot of casts, ie you fish rolling tarpon, or laid up fish, think about going with an 11 weight. If you spend a lot of time waiting with your rod in hand and letting the fish come to you, go with a 12 weight.
How do you attach a tarpon to a fly rod?
How do you beat a tarpon on a fly rod?
What is a 9 weight fly rod for?
A 9wt fly rod is designed for fast-action performance with powerful swing rates. This means you can easily launch big flies over considerable distances in bustling winds and yet remain precise. You could say that a 9 wt fly rod is somewhere in the middle of being a lightweight and heavy duty fly rod.
Do you have to use circle hooks for tarpon?
Use proper tackle: Use barbless, single, non-offset circle hooks for natural bait. Use single hooks rather than treble hooks. Use tackle heavy enough to land the tarpon quickly, minimizing exhaustion, and helping the fish avoid predators after release.
How do you rig a tarpon line?
Are tarpon leaders shy?
Hook and Leader Size Variety. While tarpon are generally not thought to be leader shy, in some cases it can benefit you to drop down in leader size or try fluorocarbon leader.
What’s the best bait for tarpon?
Best Live Bait for Tarpon Some of tarpon fishing bait are shrimp, pinfish, mullet and crabs. Stake out above areas that hold tarpon and drift your live bait down to the fish. Hook crabs in the corner of the shell and baitfish through the mouth.
How do you make a tarpon fly leader?
Can fish See wire leaders?
Do Wire Leaders Scare Fish? As many leaders are coated or come in dark, low visibility colors, they do not seem to scare the fish you target. I have run many experiments where I fished for predators with both thick fluorocarbon leaders and wire leaders, and the results were exactly the same on both materials.
How long is a tarpon leader?
For tarpon fishing I recommend a leader that’s 10- or 11-feet in length from the fly line to the fly.
Are tarpon bottom feeders?
Most anglers have a bit less familiarity with tarpon as bottom feeders of dead bait. In south Florida, it’s not uncommon for tarpon to congregate around charter boat docks from Miami to Key West to regularly feed on dressed-out fish carcasses.
Do heavier fly rods cast further?
A fly-angler should also consider the length of the casts to be made on a typical day of fishing because the optimum grain weight will change based on how much line is outside or beyond the rod tip. Any rod will cast better when the grain weight of the line matches the optimum requirements of the rod.
Do heavier weight fly rods cast further?
What is this? Going up a weight in fly line will load the rod more to help you cast further and punch into the wind. Going down a fly line loads fly rods a bit less, giving you less energy to control for accuracy and delicate presentations of your flies.
What is the best all around fly rod weight?
In short, 5-weight fly rods are widely considered to be the best all-around choice for anglers; and for good reason. From making delicate casts on small mountain streams, to fighting 20-inch trout on larger rivers and lakes, 5-weight fly rods are versatile enough to handle a wide range of fly fishing scenarios.
How often should you change fly line backing?
How often should I change my fly line? Most fly lines need to be replaced after 100 to 250 uses. This is the point at which enough wear and tear has developed to significantly decrease their performance.
What can I use for fly line backing?
The most typically used backing is braided nylon in either 20lb or 30lb test strength. For light duty saltwater and most freshwater fly fishing, 20 lb is fine. The heavier gauge 30 lb is generally reserved for tarpon and other larger saltwater fish.
Can I use monofilament as fly line backing?
“The fly line is used like backing, it never comes off the reel. The thick monofilament butt section is so stiff and heavy you can cast it. It essentially substitutes for fly line but it weighs a lot less. And that’s the key to why this works.”