Why Captain David Cohen Fishes 7 Rods for Tarpon—Maybe You Should Too?
For most anglers, fishing three rods is a lot. For Captain David Cohen, it’s just the warm-up. Operating out of a 21-foot bay boat, Cohen regularly runs 6 to 8 rods—systematically—and the results speak for themselves.
“Once I got to 5 rods, things changed. At 7, I started calling shots.”
Cohen isn’t guessing. He’s built a method around maximizing bait presentation when the tarpon schools move through. And instead of pulling lines in after a hookup, he now waits 30–60 seconds.
“When one eats, another will eat. Every time.”
Why It Works:
Increased Coverage: More baits = more shots when the school passes.
Timing is Everything: Leaving baits in during the initial hookup increases double chances dramatically.
Rodney Does the Work: The rods are left in holders with tuned drag until a fish eats.
Cohen credits this spread for his first consistent run of doubles and even a few triples.
“I used to pull lines too early. Now I let it play out. That changed everything.”
How to Set It Up:
21-foot bay boat or similar deck space
Heavy-duty rod holders (bow and stern)
Baits positioned based on wind and tide (Cohen rotates and refreshes constantly)
6/0 Trokar TK4 hooks with 24-ft fluorocarbon leaders
Leave bail closed with proper drag tuning
Advanced Tactics:
Don’t rush. Give it 60 seconds after hookup.
Use trolling motor to manage drift and current direction.
Clear lines after a second rod bends.
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Comment: Ever fished a 6-rod spread? Drop your tactics or questions below.
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