Hunting Permit

Whenever the subject of writing a book on fly fishing for permit comes up — and it comes up fairly often in my conversations with friends who know about that fish’s magic — my mind races. There are so many ways to look at the challenges permit present as a fly fishing quarry. And then there are those great unutterables: the experience it takes to learn the fish’s timing when it takes a fly, the skill of knowing which fish will eat and which won’t, and the willingness — even desire — to take on the challenges of strong wind and current. It’s not beyond imagination to guess that writing such a book would take a very, very long time.
But as with most types of fly fishing, becoming reasonably good at permit fishing — at least good enough to build a passion for it — is not nearly as hard as advertised. This week I share ten tips that might help you rid yourself of the notion that permit are extremely hard to catch. The reality is that in many cases they are easier to fool than bonefish, and oftentimes simply being prepared for what happens makes all the difference. Even if you’ve never saltwater fly fished before, “Hunting Permit” should give you a good introduction to the fish that beckons so many fly fishers to make them a lifelong goal. New on MidCurrent.