Baby Tarpon info by Chico Fernandez

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I just found this little article on baby Tarpon on the Scott Rod web site:

http://www.scottflyrod.com/pros_chicostory.php?&recKey=10

[Rick J]

Interesting article - using size 6 flies is something on those fish!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Rick,

Over in Florida on the central east coast where my grandkids live I met some interesting guys at the Backcountry fly shop in Vero Beach.

They have Tarpon all around where they are fishing daily like we have black bass. They are on the 100 plus mile long Indian River Lagoon which is a shallow brackish waterway along the coast.

They have a category of baby Tarpon they fish for there that are back in the shallow hidden waters that are under 5 pounds so they use very light tackle and small flies for them. Trout size tackle and flies.

About 20 years ago I took a large group to Rio Chico in Venezuela which is a large shallow dark water lagoon system that was and probably still is loaded with baby Tarpon. They ran 2 to 4 pounds and the big ones were 6 pounds. There were some really big ones too but the small ones were small.

We used 8 weight rods there but if I ever go back I would use a 6 weight outfit with small, light flies with #2-4 hooks.