How to Properly fight a big Tarpon with Andy Mill

[@cachi-7878]

Where were you when I needed this information? 😊

[@whatknot8947]

Just in case anyone has rods from 20 years ago that had "Fighting Grips" ahead of the casting grip, or you feel like pulling on the rod blank. Remember that when you do that, you are transferring the load to a weaker part of the rod, that will break more easily, or simply apply less force to the fish. If you are getting tired, don't reach out ahead, keep your hands tucked near the grip and just apply less pressure. However, getting it over as fast as you can is better for you and the fish.

[@adamyoung2307]

Learning from a LEGEND!!!!

[@peterverchick5188]

When do you start applying maximum pressure? Immediately after the take? After the initial run?

[@coreytohme9861]

My theory for fighting fish is that the line is always moving, either coming in or going out. Going out, the fish is fighting the drag. As soon as the fish stops pulling and fighting the drag, I start pulling him in. Doing that, the fish is never getting a break. So going back to your question, as long as the fish is pulling let him pull - you don't want to grab the line while the fish is pulling. However, as soon as it stops that's when you grab the line. Notice the angle of the rod while Andy is "fighting the fish" that's the same angle whether you are pulling on the fish, or the fish is pulling off drag. Like Andy mentioned, a rod at a high angle cannot put much pressure on the fish. This video of Andy fighting spinner sharks can give you a good example of letting the fish run and fighting it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2fQgYZtdpKSjbc

[@whatknot8947]

I use these techniques on all fish, pretty much. Sure there are some breakable tippets out there, but before you guess on it, try and lift a pound of dead weight with your trout, or bass rod. Get a scale and work out what the max pressure really is. A lot of people are casting bass bugs, or trout streamers with tippets that are needed to turn over these flies, but that are not breakable with the fly rods most of us use. And the flip side is you can work those light tippets, like say 4 pound, max pressure, and beat the heck out of 2 pound fish, and release them before the are hurt (remember not to hurt them with too much pressure). So maybe one could catch more fish, fishing lighter tippets if on knew how to work them. As far as needing heavy tippets to cast chunky flies, sometimes... But a lot of flies like Clousers will zing out to the end of the line anyway.