This year's tarpon are bigger and smarter than past years. Tarpon in the 70- to 100-pound range are young and dumb. These fish will jump, run wild and use energy in a short period. This is not so when it comes to tarpon that weigh more than 125. Big tarpon are like big snook. When hooked, they will run to structure for a quick cut-off or take you deep for a long fight that might wear out the leader. Most big tarpon won't jump; they conserve energy and make an already difficult task that much harder.

The best way to land these fish is to have heavy tackle. Big rods and reels rigged with 100-pound test or stronger are useful when trying to pull big tarpon from under a bridge. Don't let the fish burn your arms out. Keep changing arms when pumping the rod. If your back starts to hurt, sit for a while. A two-hour fight is not uncommon so pace yourself.

It takes a lot of heart to land a tarpon that weighs more than 180 pounds and for tarpon tournaments you'll probably need a fish slightly larger than that to have a chance at winning. Make sure your tackle is strong enough to handle a tarpon big enough to win the tournament.

- Doug Hemmer charters out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 347-1389.

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