Diana Rudolph; Tarpon Insights

In 2004 Diana Rudolph became the first woman to win the Don Hawley Tarpon Tournament. She is a masthead instructor of the Florida Keys Fly Fishing School and currently holds seven International Game Fish Association fly rod world records including the largest tarpon ever caught on flyrod by a woman. She is a contributing writer for Fly Fishing in Saltwater magazine and is on the advisory staff for Sage rods and Rio Products.

With another tarpon season in full swing, she was kind enough to share some of her favorite tarpon tips.

FKO: Do big tarpon still make you nervous?

DR: Nervous may not be the right word. Exhilarated, excited, twitchy may be better choices. Seeing a big tarpon within casting range delivers an immediate surge or rush that is really hard to describe. It’s somewhat euphoric.

FKO: How important do you think it is to be confident in what you’re doing?

DR: I believe confidence is extremely important, especially when referring to tackle. Understanding and feeling comfortable with the capabilities and limitations of your tackle will lead to success. Having confidence in your ability to cast a particular rod or having faith in a specific fly often dictates how you perform on the water. There is no way that you can feel poised and in control if you are constantly wondering if your knot will hold or if you bought a worthy enough reel. Also, be familiar with your skill level and work on your casting. When a big tarpon is laid up 50 feet from the boat, you should be thinking about how to place the fly and feed the fish, not how to or if you can make the cast.

There is, however, a big difference between being confident and being cocky. Being cocky will ultimately land you a deflated ego or a 2/0 hook in your back. There are far too many mishaps that can arise when tarpon fishing. This is what makes it so exciting and every situation unique. A tarpon can leave you with your jaw resting on the bottom of the boat wondering what in the world just happened.

FKO: What is your favorite method of fishing tarpon?

DR: I truly love it all, but if I had a choice, I would spend my days looking for laid up fish in the backcountry. Nothing compares to seeing the tip of a tarpon’s tail poking through a mat of sea grass or the faint outline of a big fish parked in murky water. These are situations when the presentation must be precise. If the fish doesn’t see the fly, they are not going to eat it. Also, if you think the fly is close and the fish slowly sinks and disappears, hold on. You are about to get BIT!

FKO: Do you use intermediate lines or strictly floating?

DR: I use floating lines about 80 percent of the time. I like to have a short clear sink tip (less than 10 feet) rigged for situations when the fish are a bit deeper. These intermediate tips sink slowly, allowing the angler to fish the fly lower in the water column but at a more uniform depth than a simple long leader/heavy fly combination. Because of the short tip length, they are also easy to recast, which enables the angler to make the second shot count. I also like to have a full intermediate line on hand in case the weather turns and the only option is dredging. When fished in areas with heavy current, casting the fly perpendicular to the current and letting it sink, drift and swing can often result in a bite that will stop your heart.

FKO: Are you a fan of the newer “clear” lines?

DR: The clear lines are wonderful, if they work for you and your guide. I believe these lines work extremely well in clear water situations where you and your guide can see and fish the fly or in situations where you are fishing in a more aggressive manner, meaning you are almost force-feeding the fish and looking for the immediate, instinctive bite.

FKO: If you could only fish tarpon with 1 fly pattern, which one would it be?

DR: Wow, one pattern, that’s a tough question because different conditions and situations call for different flies. I would probably choose a fly with a spun deer hair or yarn toad head, which provides some buoyancy and also pushes water. I would couple this with a fluid rabbit collar and artic fox fur tail. These materials look sleek and graceful in clear water conditions, but are substantial enough for dirty water situations.

FKO: What kind of gear do you use?

DR: An 11 weight Xi3 with a Sage 6012 or a Tibor Riptide or Gulfstream is my “go to” combination. In the backcountry a Riptide will work fine, but on the ocean a Gulfstream might be a better choice. I do not like using anything larger. These jumbo reels are simply too heavy and don’t compliment the performance and weight of today’s rods. I prefer to lighten up my tackle, making the casting much more enjoyable. A 10 weight is also a good choice, especially when fishing for smaller fish or in situations when presentation is critical.

Most people will immediately want to go out and buy a 12 weight for their first tarpon trip, which I don’t recommend. A 12 weight is a really powerful rod and can be very challenging to cast for someone who has not fished anything heavier than an 8 weight.

FKO: What kind of drag setting do you begin with and do you let the fish set the hook?

DR: I set the drag relatively loose for the initial run and then I may tighten it a click or so after the fish settles down. Never tighten the drag when the fish is running. This will result in an unhappy angler and guide.

The hooks today are so sharp that I do not feel like it is necessary to really drive them into a tarpon’s bony mouth. Trying to force a hook into a place it does not want to go can result in rolled tips and lost fish. Instead, “persuade” the hook to find it’s place with a steady strip strike, keep everything tight and then reinforce the connection with a few solid pulls.

FKO: Is there a particular aspect of your tarpon angling that you obsess over, a particular knot, a fly you won’t leave the dock without, a particular wind direction or stage of tide, etc.

DR: I obsess over the occasion, waking up to a warm, muggy, windless morning. Gathering my tackle and heading to the dock, smelling the salty air. In the distance, thunder clouds hovering and swelling. And rolling tarpon…lots of them. These are the days that consume me, the days that I dream about in the middle of winter when the air is cold and the wind is relentlessly blowing from the NW.

FKO: What is your most reliable“tip” – it could be anything, from casting to fighting, flies, etc.

DR: Know your fly (how it swims and moves, its sink rate) and watch the fish. This will determine how you fish the fly. Sometimes small twitches entice the fish into eating, while other times; a steady, long strip is the preferred method. Anticipate what the fish’s next move will be and experiment. Every situation is different and not all fish are going to play, but turning and persuading a big girl to eat your fly is one of the most rewarding aspects.