Tackle
9wt fast action fly rod
Reel with 150yds backing
WF Permit taper fly line
10ft GR permit leader
Key West Permit
Permit on fly: The crowning jewel of everybody's wish list. Perusing the IGFA record book, you will find that 99% of all line class records for the venerable permit were landed in Key West and the Lower Florida Key's. It's no wonder that luminaries such as Ted Williams spent their formative fishing years cursing permit, while Del Brown spent his, cursing and catching permit, one at a time.
Stalking a fish that just keeps giving...........grief and gratitude comes to mind.
Esoteric saltwater fly fishing masoquistas is a smart phrase to describe permit aficionados. We like flying under the radar and working hard to earn a gift that would make Santa Claus blush.
After more than one-hundred permit landed on fly over the last twenty odd years. I remember the finite details, only on the fish I lost. Permit affect and change your brain's chemistry.
As the late, great, Joel Westby, of Placentia and Belizean lore, always stated to me with impunity, regardless of the size of the fish, "It's a permit on fly Mon, It's a permit."
And I concur, every permit is a present.
The best permit fishing in Key West and the Lower Florida Keys has two distinct seasons.
The first starts in late January and peaks in early April, whilst the permit scour the flats, looking to fatten up for their spring offshore spawn.
The second stage starts strong in mid- June and lasts well into late November. Returning fish who have a big appetite.
New Hot Spot
Want to visit the destination that Lefty Kreh says is the best place to catch a permit on fly?
Ascension Bay, Mexico offers the hands down best Permit and Grand Slam opportunity in the world. Join us in Punta Allen, Mexico at Capt. Greg's Fisherman Lodge.
