You are exactly correct Posty, it is a Hammerhead. Good eye.
What I think you are hearing him say is to "drop" the rod. Whenever you are fighting a Tarpon they will leap 10 foot or better out of the water and shake their head. If you have a lot of pressure on the line when he jumps he will throw your hook back at 'cha. I have caught enough Tarpon that I know to bow to the fish when he jumps, but I guess it just habit for Frankie to tell folks to drop the rod (bow to the fish) as he is a guide and is use to taking folks out that have never fought such a fish.
Also when you fight a large Tarpon after he gets his jumps out and is just pulling the boat around you have to pull your rod sideways not up like you do on freshwater fish. The reason is you cannot wear him down lifting on him, especially if he is more than a hundred pounds. He can just use his weight to hold bottom and rest for another run. So you pull him sideways to make him turn his head. Think riding a horse and moving the reins to turn the horses head. This action actually turns the fish much in the same way you turn a horse and it is really the only way to stop him from having rest period. You try to keep his head turned all the time to wear him out.
We were using G Loomis medium heavy 7' saltwater/green water fast action. one piece rods with Shimano reels (3500's), 80 pound power pro braid with 60 pound & Seaguar Fluoro Premier Big Game leader. Fishing live bait.