The Florida Keys is the best place in the world to sight-fish to large tarpon in clear shallow water. Captain Bruce Chard (above) holds a medium-sized 90-pound tarpon caught near Marathon, Florida.

Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus),also known as the silver king or poon, can be caught in the Florida Keys year-round, but they are only there in great numbers from March through July. Where these migrating schools arrive from, and where they go when they leave the Keys is the subject of much deliberation among guides, anglers, and scientists. But what is known, is that the first schools usually arrive first in Miami in January, in Key West in February, and over the next three months slowly spread throughout the entire length of the Florida Keys.

Windy weather during the months of January, February, and March in the Florida Keys often presents an opportunity to test an anglers fly fishing skills. But if you're lucky enough to draw a sunny day with light breezes, you'll soon learn that wherever these early fish came from, they're very hungry.

Once April 15 passes, most of Florida's winter tourists have headed back north, the business pace slows, and many Florida fly rodders turn their thoughts from tax preparation to tackle preparation, as tarpon season peaks over the next 60 days.

Preparation is the key word when pursuing any large, hard-to-catch fish. With proper preparation, and good weather, your chances of landing a tarpon are excellent. Without preparation, your chances are poor at the best of times. I often see anglers coming to the Florida Keys to fly fish for tarpon for the first time, toting their own rod, reel, line, and leader, full of enthusiasm and ready to fish, only to find that the tarpon outfit they were so proud of, is set up all wrong. Usually a guide can make up for these shortcomings, but it's better to start off on the right foot and come prepared.

The only similarity between how a trout fly rod is rigged and set up, and how a tarpon rod is rigged and set up, is the fact that they both have fly lines. I've seen guides refuse to let anglers use their own rods and reels when the guide felt the outfit was not capable of landing a tarpon. Problems such as bad or wrong knots between the leader and line or line and backing, too small or not enough backing, can all lead to the tarpon breaking off with the leader or line still attached to the hook, a potentially deadly situation for the tarpon. In defense of a guide who may refuse to let you use your own rod or reel, anglers have to realize that chasing and enabling you to catch a silver king is how they earn their income, and understandably they are very protective of these fish.

The absolute best advice I could give a first time Florida Keys tarpon angler is to not bring any rods or reels with you. Hire a guide and use his equipment. From your guide you'll learn about what rods are best suited for tarpon fishing, why you should use one reel and not another, what lines you need for actual fishing situations, what type and amount of backing you should have, and how to properly construct a tarpon leader. You're paying him for the day, you may as well use the opportunity to pick his brain.

If you must fish with your own rod, wait until you get to Florida to rig your rod. Stop in one of the friendly fly shops in the keys and ask them for advice on what line and backing to use and how to install it. Purchase your line and backing there, and they'll probably even rig your rod for you.

If you have a few tarpon under your belt, and you are very good at tying knots and following instructions, you may be ready to set up your own rod and reel. Follow the instructions in the Rods and Reels and Building a Leader sections of this article and you won't go wrong. The recommendations there have accounted for thousands of tarpon, including most of the current world fly rod records.