Magazine Confluenze | fly fishing experience Number 8 Year 2 | Page 73

Rods and co.
Rods: I am rather tired of seeing people arriving
for tarpon fishing with # 12 or # 13 weight rods,
which cause them to be dead tired after half an
hour of fishing.
Hence, unless you go to very particolar spots and
in specific period where you can catch giant tarpon of 50 kilo and more, and where you can cast
only and exclusively ‘on the fish’, forget about
such rods.
A nine feet rod for ten weight line will be more
than adequate. Most times, for 10 to 25 kilo tarpon, a nine feed rod for nine weight line is more
than enough. A good quality rod will certainly
help. Typically, when you go saltwater fishing for
tarpon, bonefish and permit, you can take along
with you three nine feet rods: one for 7 weight,
one for 8 weight and one for 10 weight.
The reel must be a good quality reel, possibly

saltwater proof, better if large arbor with wide
spool and efficient drag, capable of storing at
least 200 mts of 25 to 30 lbs backing, besides
the fly line, obviously. If you are experienced
fishers, a 20 lbs backing will also be enough.
An important point will be to have the drag well
set, with a tensile strength of no more than a
couple of kilos.
In case of a big fish taking away all the fly line
and part of the backing, the drag will have to be
set lighter, since the friction of the water on the
fly line determinates high pressures, especially
when the fish turns. A drag too close will often
result in leader breakage.

Where to fish
There are a lot of places in the world wher you
can fish for tarpon. All the Caribbean are well
populated by this species, with fish ranging from
5 to 30 kilos. There are some areas of passage
for the migratory fish. Indeed there are sedentary fish (but practically all the Caribbean are a
nursery for one to thirty kilo fish), those who live
for a given period in a certain spot, and then
there are migratory tarpon that go up and down
the Atlantic coast, from Florida to the north of
Brazil. There are also tarpon that cross the At-

lantic ocean following an equatorial route (from
the French Guyana to Gabon).
Migratory tarpon are the biggest specimen from
80 kilo and more. 200 lbs tarpon have been
caught in Gabon, whereas I believe the record
should be in Maracaibo (Venezuela) with a fish
topping 288 lbs (approx 140 kilos).
To fish migratory fish, precise timings and locations must be observed. Knowing the routes and
the timings of passage of such fish is crucial for
fishing success.

Salt Confluenze 73