Permit
About the Fish
The Permit is considered to be the” phantom of the flats” and is by far the hardest fish to catch on fly. It also is known as Trachinotus falcatus. The Permit is extremely spooky, wide bodied, and an amazing catch. It has a sickle like tail which is jet black on the tip of the dorsal fin and both tips of the forked tail. The color is grey to silver and some have blotches of yellow near the belly. The average size permit is about 15 pounds, but 30 pound fish are abundant and difficult to feed sometimes.
Seasons
The best fishing is mid February through March for the monsters. The permit fishing this time is usually breezy which helps get closer to them without spooking. Permit around the first full moon in April move off the flats to wrecks and reefs to spawn and return in late May. June through October is peak. Fishing can be stellar between fronts and a warm up will light up the flats.
Where to Catch Them- The lower keys and Marquesas offer world class angling for the permit. The bigger fish have been proven to be West of Key West and Marquesas. The flats from Key Biscayne to the Marquesas Keys are the hunting grounds for this elusive fish. Permit like moving water and hug the edges of the flats.
How/ Techniques to Catch Them
Permit fishing on the flats offers the sight fishermen the ultimate challenge. The guide poles the skiff and the angler is on the bow with a 10 pound spinning outfit with a small live blue crab. Once the angler spots the fish and then makes the cast, the crab will dart to the bottom and the permit will root out the crab and the fireworks explode as the fish rips off the flat. The fish can be cruising, tailing, or pushing water.
Equipment Used to catch them
The standard rod should be a fast action 8-17 pound outfit. The reel should hold 200 yards of 10 pound test line, super smooth drag, with a short piece of 15# fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 hook. The fly rod is a 9 or 10 wt. with a 12-14 foot leader. A 12# fluorocarbon shock tippet is tied to a fly represents a small crab.
