The Permit

The Permit

No words spoke about a “Permit” were more spot on then the words of Will Benson of World Angling Media “You seem to never be happy until the next time you catch one”. Since my solo do it yourself trek to the Carribean last July I have been haunted by permit. Months I have traditionally set aside for tying steelhead, bass, carp and trout flies have been neglected and my time at the vise has been consumed with patterns for permit. To make matters worse I live in the state of Idaho far inland thousand and thousands of miles from the holy waters where permit dwell. My shots at casting a fly to these fish for most of the year are regulated to dreaming about it as I tie each permit fly. I have stalked, hooked and landed hundreds of Permit day dreaming at my fly tying vise.

Expectations for this year’s trip were high. Feeling confident after last year’s successful do it yourself solo trek I was past the anxiety of part one of the learning curve. I was comfortable with foreign airports, crossing borders, driving a rental car in a foreign land, staying in a countries most remote regions.I had learned enough of the language to order a beer, find fine cuban cigars, order a meal, purchase supplies, get a room, find a bathroom, ask directions and even mingle a bit the with locals. Most important I can now ask local anglers where palometa, macubi, sabalo and rabalo may dwell ? I felt more safe and comfortable in these countries  compared to the few times I have been in large U.S cities such as Detroit and Washington DC. I felt as my demeanor this trek  was now more confident but not arrogant.

Do it yourself fly fishing trips to a foreign land can be daunting. Learning where, what and how will encompass so many elements it is imperative you make it simple. What you anticipate will happen likely wont happen so being able to adapt is a must. For the most part my friend and I kept it simple and yes we adapted. Elements like incoming and outgoing tides and when the fish are during those tides became the main focal point of the trip.With a goal to catch permit, bonefish,tarpon, snook and cuda on a fly the worst possible scenario of the four we could have had on the onset was the permit. Within an hour of exploring a flat I encountered a rather very large permit. I had no shot at the fish as we both made eye contact at the same time. The encounter for me meant the trip just may change from a multiple species trek to an obsessive quest for permit.Detecting a tailing, feeding fish like a permit while wading can be a tricky proposition. These fish are easily startled and for a wading angler in new waters at close quarters the advantage sways to the permit. To sway a bit of the advantage back our way my friend and I purchased step ladders to use. We would wade less but stand high in the water searching for fish. In theory when we would detect permit or bonefish from a high vantage point and be able to see permit or bonefish in ample time to plan a perfect intercept point. The few locals who saw us standing on ladders in a flat thought we were crazy but this unorthodox tool proved to be very effective during much of our do it yourself trek.

Bonefish galore. On our first full day Roger sighted and landed a beautiful 20 inch bonefish. This was indeed the largest bonefish of the trip as we compared it to dozens and dozens of other bonefish we would land. On top (below) is Rogers great Yucatan bone.The lower bonefish photo is indicative of the average 14 inch bonefish we landed during our adventures.

Bonus fish of the week. On any trip one makes to a saltwater destination there always seems to be a species or two that are big surprises or what I call a bonus. This trip was no different. Roger landed a “Trunk Fish” and yours truly was floored with a surreal experience of hooking and landing a Black Grouper after an epic fly rod battle with fish and reef. I hooked the beast while casting a cuda fly off a rocky point. This catch would even excite a local angler that has since emailed me and said in the past 14 years he had landed only two and both were not on a fly rod . We took great pride in claiming and naming this beautiful point of rocks  separating two classic permit and bonefish  flats "Grouper Point"

 Permit encounters were common during the week but  getting a fly in front of one was not. One afternoon with an outgoing tide Roger and I witnessed a fair number of permit feeding on a flat.The fish disappeared almost as fast as they appeared leaving both of us with only one good opportunity each. Both our shots at permit ended with no fish to hand. We were encouraged.

Returning to this flat the next day Roger took a deeper wading approach with his ladder in hand. He stopped in the flat and stood on his four foot step foot ladder and scanned the flat for fish. I took a more aggressive shallow calf deep wading approach near the shoreline. I was looking for tailing feeding fish. Within a few minutes I detected a tail near the shore At first glance I believed the three fish feeding in the shallows may have been bonefish. The wind was blowing hard inland so I positioned myself so my back was to the wind and facing the feeding fish. This would help with casting distance as well as accuracy when the time came. I also waded further away from the fish to stay stealthy. Now I was about 30 yards from shore. I used the small breaking waves as a shield to help me stay undetected. Two of the fish  continued tailing down the edge of the shoreline but one remained tailing as it fed erratically. The moment  I was waiting for came with the tail heading directly at me a 30 to 40 feet. I cast the shrimp fly four feet in front of the fish and a couple inches off its path. In an instant the fish adjusted its path and was heading straight at the fly. I started stripping the fly . Strip, strip, STRIP,STRIP,a permit appeared! The closer the fish came I crouched lower in the water. Just  inches from my 16 foot leader reaching the rod tip the permit eats the fly. I recall thinking if I never catch another fish again in my life this moment in time will stand still for all my days.It was a true magical moment in time, Back home I find myself thousand of miles away far from this special place not satisfied only yearning for the next Permit.

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