July Permit Tournament Yields Few Fish

Early July can produce good permit fishing in Key West, but as the month drags on toward August, calm winds and high temperatures can make it maddeningly hard to find fish, and especially ones that will eat. Apparently that’s what happened during this year’s annual Del Brown Tournament. Only three fish were caught in three days, and that’s out of eighteen skiffs fishing.
One notable story coming out of the tournament is that the winning team was guided by Scott Collins — the same guide who partnered with David Dalu to win the first ever one-season hat trick of tarpon tournaments this year. Collins and angler Greg Smith won by only 3/4″ of an inch (that’s what separated their one fish from the second-place catch), but it does suggest Collins is doing something right.
Below are the final results of the tournament:
1st Place: Angler — Greg Smith, with Capt. Scott Collins (1 fish on day 2)
2nd Place: Angler — Jack Knoll, with Capt. Jeffery Cardenas (1 fish on day 3)
3rd Place: Angler — Chase Wise, with Capt. Bryan Holeman (1 fish on day 2)