Everglades Fishing – Captain Ned Small

We got one today, a sleeper in Lake of Islands. We used a number 8 fly rod, with a sixteen pound class tippet and a forty pound shock. The fly was a size two. The leader is long and tapered, no biminis, designed for a quiet and subtle presentation. Sleepers are wary and hard to approach; traditional tarpon rigs have their place in the game, but I’m finding these ultra-light rigs are the way to go when hunting laid up fish in the lagoons. You have a much better chance of presenting the fly without spooking the fish. She was ninety pounds and the battle was 48 minutes. Dan Newman on the foredeck, tarpon on fly, Everglades style.