Incorporating old stand-by's and recently developed knots, this system is the simplest, strongest and straightest I have seen.

A flawless tarpon system begins at the reel. Attach the backing to the reel with a Duncan loop knot and pull it down tight. Have the backing wound on by a flyshop or someone with a line-winding machine so that it goes on very tightly and evenly. Thirty to Fifty pound backing should always be used when fishing for large tarpon. Dacron, Micron and Gel spun backings are all good choices for backing material. Make sure that the strength of your backing and the knots connecting it to your fly line are stronger than the fly line itself and any other knots in the entire system. Paying attention to this detail will prevent a tarpon from taking your fly line away from you.

Whip a loop in the end of the fly line that attaches to the reel using 12-pound mono nail knots. I use three knots and clip them closely. Tie a Bimini Twist in your backing leaving a loop just bigger than the reel you are using. Take the Bimini loop through the fly line loop and then pass it over your reel. This creates a small, very strong backing to fly line loop to loop connection. This connection will test out stronger than your fly line and your backing. It also enables you to change your fly line quickly and easily if you whip loops in your spare lines the same way.

At the terminal end of the fly line, whip another small loop in the end of the fly line by using nail knots just as described above. Try to keep the loops as small as possible to decrease the drag through the water. This "loop to loop" connection enables quick changes of chaffed butt sections and provides a very strong and secure connection.

The butt section should be made of material that is similar in stiffness and diameter to the terminal end of the fly line. For an 11-weight line, 60 pound Sufix Seige monofilament works very well. I also like to use Sufix fluorocarbon in a 60 pound size to help the fly sink faster. Either one you choose is fine.   I stretch the 60 pound mono to straighten it and cut a piece about 6 feet long. I tie a double surgeons loop knot in both ends trying to keep the loops as small as possible. Pull the knot down by holding both the terminal and tag ends at the same time. A heavy-duty cup hook will help to make smaller loops and to draw the knots down correctly. When this knot is properly tightened, the barrels of mono should meld together and look oval in shape. Leather gloves will allow you to put adequate pressure on the knot without cutting your hands. Make sure that both loops are securely drawn down and then attach it to your line loop to loop. I do not taper my butt section. I feel that another taper is unnecessary and only weakens the whole system. This butt section turns over the fly well and keeps the leader simple. I keep a lot of these pre-tied, pre-stretched sections stored loosely rolled in a zip-lock bag so that I can change the butt section if it becomes chaffed or cloudy in appearance.

I leave the class tippet two feet long or more to keep the leader more discrete. After using this system for 4 years, I have decided that there is no disadvantage to a long class tippet. Leaving it long also allows me to quickly tie a new shock tippet and fly to the leader after it has been chaffed by a tarpon.

For durability and abrasion resistance, I choose Mason Hard mono for my class tippet and I use 16 or 20 pound. I feel as though Mason’s stiffness also gives great turn over for the fly and I trust its strength. To attach the class tippet to the butt section, I use a knot that Capt. Simon Becker and I created. The knot is known as the "Slim Beauty" and is a simple but very strong knot that tests out consistently at 100%. There are several advantages to this knot. First, it eliminates the need for a Bimini twist in your class tippet reducing the time it takes to tie a leader. Secondly, the knot is compact and straight as an arrow when completed. To tie the "Slim Beauty", start by tying a double overhand in one end of the shock tippet. Draw the double overhand down until it forms a figure 8. As you look at the figure 8 that you have created you will notice that it has a curve to it. We want the figure 8 to be curved so that the dish shaped curve slopes away from the sky or an easy way to remember might be so that the curve would hold water, like a bowl. Take your class tippet and double about 7 inches of it. Weave the doubled line first up through the figure 8 and then back down through it. Pull about 5 inches through the 8. Draw the figure 8 hand tight only. Similar to a blood knot, pinch the line just behind the figure 8 and wrap the doubled class tippet 5 times around the shock tippet. Like a Bimini Twist, wrap back towards the figure 8 four times. Leave a space between the figure 8 and your first wrap of the doubled class tippet. Pass the doubled line through the space, similar to how a blood knot is finished. With gloves on, grasp the shock tippet in your left hand and the terminal and tag end of the doubled class tippet with your right. Wet the knot with saliva or chap stick. With a firm and steady pull, cinch the knot tight by pulling your hands away from one another. The figure 8 should cinch down at this point and the wraps of class tippet should come together without overlapping and look similar to a blood knot. The knot should be about 1 inch long. Trim away the tag ends.

Repeat the same knot to tie the class tippet to the prestraightened shock tippet. Using this knot will cut leader construction time significantly. When properly tied, the leader will test out at 100% or more of the class tippet's strength.

To attach the fly, I like to use a loop knot to increase the action of the fly and allow it to sink a little faster. A loop knot with 100% strength is advantageous so that the guide can grab the shock tippet when a fish is close to the boat without loosing the fly. Getting the fly back from a tarpon is rewarding and a 100% knot at the fly allows the person landing the fish to have more control over the fish at the boat without breaking the shock tippet. Other loop knots have been tried with mixed success. The Duncan loop is a good loop knot but after a fish was caught, the knot cinches down. The Duncan Loop is also a 70% knot and often breaks while trying to control a big tarpon at the boat. The "non-slip mono loop" is a great knot for smaller diameter monofilament but it does not pull very straight. I finally settled on "Steve Huff's Double Figure 8 Loop Knot" that I saw in Trey Combs book, Blue Water Flyfishing. This knot tests 100% and pulls straight as an arrow.

Knots in tarpon fishing are the measure of success or failure. Tarpon are demanding on all tackle and improper knots or knots that are tied improperly will result in a lost fish. This tarpon leader is simple, strong and is superior to other systems because it pulls straight and can be tied quickly. It eliminates the need for bulky tarpon stretcher cases that can end up in a snarled rusty mess. These knots can be used for any fish that requires a heavy mono shock tippet. Practice tying your knots just as you practice your casting and you will maximize your enjoyment of your precious time on the water.