124 THE TARPON 



final rally but that will be short-lived and only result in a 

 short run. Permit it to run against a moderate strain and then 

 pump it in. The boat is at rest and the fish is now on its side. 

 If you can pull its mouth open and skid it along the surface, 

 the tarpon will soon weaken and give up the fight. The guide 

 is waiting at the rail with the barbless release hook cord 

 wrapped around one of his wrists and a glove on his other 

 hand. Some guides use a gaff with a short wooden handle. 

 When the fish is brought within reach, the guide grasps the 

 leader with his gloved hand and raising the fish's head inserts 

 the release hook in its mouth, (usually the lower jaw), giving 

 it a short strong jerk so it will engage. The fish is then held 

 by both hooks. The guide releases the line hook, disengages 

 his release hook and the fish swims free. 



While all this is occurring the angler must be alert for if 

 the fish darts away before the release hook is firmly inserted, 

 the line must render freely and the angler must apply pres- 

 sure to the thumb pad so the line will not over-run for the 

 drag should be released when the guide grasps the leader. 

 There is an element of danger incident to releasing a fish 

 for if the hook should come out when the fish is held on too 

 tight a line, it might find lodgment in the guide. So release 

 your drag and use the thumb pad to brake the line. It will 

 assist the guide if the angler stands up and moves a short dis- 

 tance toward the bow. This keeps the rod away from the 

 guide's back for if the latter stands between the angler and 

 the fish, the rod may whip over his back and be shattered. I 

 have lost two tips in this way. Then, too, the angler should 

 be in a position to see what is occurring and be ready for 

 emergencies. The fish frequently breaks away from the best 

 of guides. 



When a tarpon is hooked in shallow water it leaps more fre- 

 quently and is altogether livelier on the hook than when the 

 water is deep. The males, while smaller as a rule, are more 

 active. A female heavy with roe or a very large fish is more 



