Are You Ready to Bow to the King?

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If you want your tarpon fishing trip in Clearwater to be a success, you need to be willing to bow to the king.

If you read our previous blog on tarpon, then you already know that these prehistoric fish can get big and they won’t be caught without a fight. Tarpon fishing isn’t like fishing for trout or bass; it takes a whole different set of skills. One of the skills that all tarpon fishermen and women need to learn is called bowing to the king.

What is bowing to the king?

Once you’ve hooked a tarpon, you need to be prepared for a fight. In almost every case, the tarpon will leap into the air and violently thrash around. That’s why, as soon as you hook a tarpon, you need to drop the tip of the rod in order to make the line slack. This is called bowing to the king, and it is an essential skill for tarpon fishing.

Why should you bow to the king?

In most cases, you wouldn’t want to ever make your line slack, but when tarpon fishing, it is a must. Tarpon are such big fish and they thrash around so much that they can easily snap a line that is too tight. Additionally, if there isn’t enough slack in the line, you may also pull out the hook.

Bowing to the king is just one technique you need to master in order to be a successful tarpon fisherman or woman. Book your tarpon fishing charter in Clearwater today for expert tips and guidance on tarpon fishing.

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About the Author...
Picture of Matt Douglas

Matt Douglas

Captain Matt Douglas is the founder of YACHTFISH and is a licensed United States Coast Guard 100 ton Master Captain. Captain Matt grew up on the waters of Tampa Bay and lived and worked in Costa Rica for over 11 years. He has extensive experience in Central America, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and Florida. Captain Matt is a tournament-winning captain who has an intense passion for boating, fishing and creating life time memories for his Clients. These passions, combined with his experience, were the catalysts for YACHTFISH. Captain Matt is laser-focused on what he enjoys the most, and knows the best, in Tampa Bay and Costa Rica.
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I honestly can't say enough about our trip with Johnny. He put us on a load of fish. I highly recommend YatchFish!
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Justin Long Avatar
Highly recommend these guys! We had a great time out on the water and the guides were really fun. We caught a lot of fish, enough to feed 11 people afterwards! Thanks Matt!
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I cannot recommend Yatchfish St. Petersburg enough! Captain Sam was fantastic - he made sure we had a memorable fishing experience by guaranteeing us fish, and he did not disappoint on a crisp February morning. The boat was clean and well-maintained, and Captain Sam's knowledge of the local waters was impressive. We had an incredible time hooking hogfish, grouper and snapper. We absolutely had a blast out on the water. If you're looking for a top-notch fishing charter in St. Petersburg, look no further than Yatchfish. Five stars all the way!
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Nice guides. But for the money we spent for 4 hrs it was a bust. $650 for 2 small sharks. What a waste of money.
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This was a trip of a lifetime!! Captain Scott and first Mate Austin made this trip so much fun. They are very knowledgeable and will put you on the fish!!! Everything ran just like clockwork. Boats are immaculate and you can tell they take pride with their equipment and GREAT work ethic. Hit them up, you won't be disappointed.
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Matt was great when trying to set up my fishing trip, I had 12 guys total and we took 2 boats out both boat crews were awesome to fish with and they were very knowledgeable! I would highly recommend using Yatchfish to guide your fishing trip!
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My family and I went out with Yachtfish this past weekend with Capt. Nick, and I can honestly say the trip was perfect from start to finish. Great boat, equipment, and weather. We caught red drum, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, jacks, and a ton of snook. Capt. Nick was very patient with my young son (fascinated by all of the greenbacks and pinfish in the livewell), and made sure this first trip was special for him. We will be going again!
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My son and I had a great time. Captain Matt and captain Scott are great. Took us out, put us on the bait and then right to the fish! Guy keeps his equipment up, nice boat, immaculately clean, everything went just as expected. Thanks guys for a great experience and will see ya next time we are in town.
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We had such a good time and we caught so many fish!! The captain was super cool and the mate was really helpful. 10/10 day!!
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Our family recently had a fantastic 6-hour inshore charter in St Petersburg with Captain Johnny and First Mate Cooper! They were very professional and knowledgeable of the area, and put on us fish almost the entire time. After a slow start in the mangroves we moved out to a number of grass flats and channel structure where we did well on bonnethead sharks (4), trout, and a few pin fish. In the early afternoon, we had an exciting flurry of Spanish mackerel and caught one after the other! I highly recommend Yahchtfish for your next charter. We will definitely be back for more!
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