Why Is It Illegal To Take A Tarpon Out Of The Water?

Why Is It Illegal To Take A Tarpon Out Of The Water?

Too much handling is too much handling.  Even if it is with the best intentions, too much is too much.  Too much time out of the water is not good for a fish.  After a long fight, a tarpon needs oxygen and rest to be able to recover and swim away without predation.  If we fight the fish quickly and release it quickly, the fish will swim away with 100% chance of survival.  Fight it for an hour then pick it up out of the water, drop it in the boat 4 times and then try to release it...not so much.

Why Do You Bow To A Tarpon?

Why Do You Bow To A Tarpon?

The idea behind the bow is that the fish will accelerate as it leaves the dense water and hits the less dense air. Combined with the drag of the line in the water, especially fly lines, the hook can pull out easily. Anglers learned long ago that a bow at the right time would throw enough slack in the line to keep the hook set in the tarpon through the jumps.