Andy Mill weights his bucke of sand with a certified spring scale.

“At that stage I like to keep the rodtip about 30 degrees off the fish at the most. The trick is to keep your knees and elbows loose and bent. You let your body become as much of a shock absorber as the rod and the tippet,” said Mill. When he’s gaining line on tiring fish, Mill uses his index finger and pinkie to keep the fly line trapped against the cork. The fly line is under the first fingers to keep the line trapped against the cork and the other hand on the reel when gaining line or lifting a tiring fish. Lift the rod six inches to a foot at a time. You can lift the fish and just keep lifting and that’s where you can break its spirit.

“If the fish surges so much that I can’t cushion it with my knees and the extension of my elbows, I can instantly release the line without taking my hand off the rod,” adds Mill.

Fighting a big fish on light tippet requires the angler to have both the nerve and the feel to apply pressure on the fish at or around breaking strength. The pulley system will quickly show a beginner how to use a fly rod to best a big fish as quickly as possible. This setup gives Mill the confidence to put maximum pressure on tarpon to beat them quickly and release them in good shape.

FS