162 THETARPON 



double line 6 feet up from its attachment to the wire leader. 

 The leader should not be more than 6 feet long. Some method 

 of fastening the end of the double line should be used that 

 will avoid a knot in the line at this point, for a knot will reduce 

 its breaking strength from 30% to 40%. This can very readily 

 be done, and your guide or some angler will gladly show how 

 it is accomplished. The line may have markers set at variable 

 distances from the hook, depending upon your idea of the 

 depth to fish. 



The Hook 



This is, to my mind, a very important part of the tackle. My 

 preference is for a hook of rather large size 10/0 or 11/0. The 

 larger is ordinarily my preference, for the following reasons: 

 The mouth of the tarpon is large and can take this size of hook 

 readily. It is also about nine-tenths composed of bony forma- 

 tion and the remainder is very hard and tough. By actual 

 trial with a freshly caught tarpon, strong men have been un- 

 able to stand off thirty or forty feet and with heavy rod and 

 line jerk with sufficient force to drive the hook so the barb will 

 pass through the jaw. I do not believe the hook can be set 

 even by repeated jerks, but it is driven in by the fish closing 

 its jaws, probably in an attempt to crush and dislodge the 

 offending and painful object. I like the large hook because 

 its size allows the jaw to strike it in the most favorable posi- 

 tion to drive it through the bones of the upper jaw. This is 

 favored by the method of fishing done at this season at Boca 

 Grande. A lead of V2 to 1 lb. is fastened to the wire leader at 

 the swivel. The weight of the sinker depends upon wind and 

 tide. The sinker should hold the line almost straight under 

 the boat, and when the tarpon takes the bait a quick jerk pulls 

 the line and leader in a direct line from the tip of the rod to 

 the fish's mouth, thereby pulling the shank of the hook straight 

 up. This brings the point of the hook against the roof of the 

 fish's mouth, with the bend of the hook in position to be struck 



