Ever since the arctic weather front has hit the Chicago area I’ve been thinking more and more about visiting my dad in southwest Florida.  While dreaming of Florida tarpon always come to mind.  The spring of 2013 I made a post about the controversy of the Boca Grande tarpon jig that was being used in many profitable tarpon tournaments.  The “jig” was outlawed the next year by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with majority vote saying it is indeed a snagging device.  With tarpon on my mind I decided to check out what’s been happening down in Boca Grande with the jiggers, because everybody knew they were gonna try to find a loop hole in the new regulations.  Sure enough they made a slight adjustment to the old jig that almost worked, but they failed again, and charter captains are getting charged for using them with innocent clients that don’t know the rules.  Nothing bothers me more than a guide who’s sole purpose is to put their client on fish.  Yes, that’s there job, but more so there job should be to teach people proper technique.  The best guides are usually the best teachers.  If they are good at teaching you how to be successful than you will be.  Guides who can’t teach will do whatever it takes to get their customers on fish.  Even if it bends the rules.  I see this in the midwest with salmon and steelhead guides that give there clients “chuck and duck” rigs and make them believe they are fly fishing.  If you’re not fly casting you’re not fly fishing.  More good info on this topic can be found at Save The Tarpon.

Here’s a video of how the new jig easily becomes the old jig.