Tarpon hook question

[john]

I just got back from a most exciting tarpon trip to Belize. The third day out I jumped 5 fish on a large sand flat, all in the 40-60# range. I managed to stay connected to 3 of them each for about 20 minutes. The problem is that the hook just pulled on 2 of them, and the fly came back with the barb absolutely flattened-so flat you had to squint to even see a barb was originally there. The fly was a LeMay big-eye, which appears to be tied on a TMC 600SP, a hook I have great faith in. So, is this an issue, or should I just chalk it up to another way to lose a tarpon, or is it more likely the hook pulled and the flattened barb was a nonfactor?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We all have our ideas so here are mine.

That is a good hook but my favorite is an Owner 'Aki' for medium to large tarpon.

I do fish with the barb down too.

Actually I have heard that if you boat 1 out of 4 tarpon hooked that is pretty normal odds.

Today the Florida Keys guides fish a pretty heavy drag so the fish has to really put up a fight to get any line out on you. I think this keeps the hook buried well too. Years ago they fought tarpon with very light drags on fly reels.

Where were you fishing? That sounds like very nice fishing.

[john]

Thanx Bill. I was staying in San Pedro, but fished about an hour boatrun south, almost to St. Georges Caye, and pretty much due east of Belize City.

[FISHEYE]

My poon experience is limited to three trips to Placencia, Belize. I tied all kinds of flies on various hooks and I also managed to screw up plenty of shots, or jumps or hookups in numerous but fun ways, as did the guys I fished with. Anyway, based on my limited experience, I think the Owner Aki is my favorite hook. I also like the Tiemco 600SP but found that it sometimes dulled or the point bent if it hit the coral- however, its also a great hook. I can still visualize when I jumped a fish of about 70 pounds and I did not bow. The hook came back pretty straight but I was happy that my knots held. Note that we catch a lot of tarpon there on gummy minnows which are "tied" on the crappiest hooks possible and we had some of about 50 pounds on the small gummies, which I think is maybe a size 2 and thin wire.