If
I had to pick a favorite species to target on fly, it would
have to be the baby tarpon. These little fish have all the
fight, spirit, acrobatics, and fickleness of the big tarpon
and many of the same problems face a fly angler when pursuing
them - only on a diminutive scale. Most people consider
a baby tarpon anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds, but with a
willingness to go where man was not meant to go, you can
actually find fish much smaller. These are the micro poons.
Even
the tiniest of tarpon put up a valiant fight on lightweight
fly tackle
Now
your asking, why would you want to find micro sized versions
of one of the premier saltwater game fish? Well, for starters,
conditions are not always accommodating to hooking big tarpon
on the fly. The micro tarpon are usually deep in the backcountry
out of the wind. They also share all the same characteristics
of their larger brethren: they roll, have a penchant for
flies, and take to the air when hooked. They even look exactly
like the bigger tarpon. There is, however, one thing different
about fly fishing for the micro poons and that is where
you fish for them.
Tiny tarpon inhabit deep backcountry lagoons and creeks
in areas that are very difficult, if not impossible, to
access by boat. These are the "tarpon nurseries" that protect
them from predators such as sharks and birds of prey and
they only possible way man can get there is by hiking or
by kayak. For the fly fishing kayaker, it can be a challenging
quest, but highly worthwhile if you're up for a little adventure.
And adventure is the key word here. Don't be surprised if
a snake drops in your kayak or you come across a hornet's
nest.
This
is deep woods yakking and anything can happen, so if you
go in search of a secret backwoods fishing hole, let somebody
on dry land know exactly where your going and pack a full
range of emergency supplies including a GPS, compass, whistle,
mirror, first aid kit, emergency blanket, and snake bite
kit. Remember, if something goes wrong it will be very difficult
for help to reach you so take it very seriously and never
go alone.
The
best way I have found to negotiate the winding, mangrove
backcountry creeks is stash the kayak paddle and pole. I
have a 51/2' push pole made for me by Stiffy that is the
perfect length for poling along while seated. Basically,
I hold the push pole like you would a canoe paddle using
the mud foot as a handle. Most of the steering is accomplished
by the kayak's rudder, but if major corrections are in order
or I need to stop quickly, the tiny push pole really does
the job. Another advantages of this way of conveying the
kayak is the fact that you always
have a stout stick in your hands for pushing branches, vines,
and threatening animals out of your path.
Once you have made it to your destination, which will usually
be a sizeable clearing like a lake, you may not always find
a frenzy of rolling, feeding tarpon. More often than not
you will see nothing, but sometimes you may
see some bubbles on the surface close to the trees. This
could be an indication of a strike or a tarpon roll that
happened moments before your arrival. Either way it is time
to wait. Tarpon are very strange creatures; they spend a
great deal of time lying around doing nothing. When they
become active, or when oxygen levels drop they may begin
to roll, but this still does not mean that they will be
readily willing to eat a fly. I have found that if I can
get a fly into a tarpons face quietly without spooking him
yet twitching it just enough . . . it will often provoke
a strike even when they were not actively feeding. Remember
that in order for you to get a fly in his face you have
to know where his face is and in shady tannic water, this
is no easy feat. This is where the waiting comes in. If
you wait long enough, eventually one will roll and give
itself away.
Often
when a tarpon rolls in the backcountry, he will be facing
into some current. When he completes his roll, he will then
drift backwards to his starting point. This means that a
fly dropped
right where he rolled may very well end up landing right
back in his face. The natural reaction in this scenario
is to cast slightly ahead of the fish, but in reality you
may be casting far ahead of a fish that is drifting backwards
and well out of the strike zone. My philosophy on backcountry
tarpon is to always try to hit the fish. Obviously this
philosophy can be a bit dangerous for the tarpon if you
are fishing with a well- weighted Clouser Minnow, so I always
try to pick flies that have the same mass as a small shrimp
or fish like Seaducers and deer hair bugs. Blind casting
is usually counter- productive unless the water is particularly
deep and the most patient angler is usually the most successful.
Boga Grips are useful for taking photos, but use caution
as a feisty tarpon can injure itself as it shakes it's body
weight with its jaw so immobile
Micro
poons in the backcountry can be a great thrill on light
fly tackle and more often than not, the kayak is the only
way to reach them. Even when you don't find fish, exploring
a back county, mangrove creek by kayak is an incredible
experience in it's own right. One last thing to keep in
mind, however, is that you are entering one of the most
sensitive ecosystems in the world. You will see a level
of nature seldom seen and invading a sanctum easily destroyed.
Limit your time in any area you travel and refrain from
disturbing anything. The mangrove backcountry is not a very
accommodating place for humans and you will usually want
to leave not long after you've entered - tarpon or no tarpon.
