Fishing for Permit in the Florida Keys

Islamorada, Everglades National Park, Biscayne Bay & Keys Permit Fishing

Permit Florida Keys: Permit on the fly is well regarded as the “holy grail” of flats fishing not only here in the Florida Keys but also worldwide.  

Permit are forked-tailed Jacks are equipped with a massive pair of downward looking eyes, and will often inspect your fly intently before buzzing off with an almost snobbish arrogance.

Permit have a busy,  high strung demeanor,  sharp black sickle dorsal fin and spiked black tail. Fishing for Permit can be quite intimidating when they are spotted feeding on the flats.  

MORE ABOUT PERMIT FISHING FLORIDA KEYS

Permit use their oversized fork tail and laterally compressed body to out-maneuver their many predators.  A powerful fish, yet hyper sensitive when feeding in shallow clear water. Elusive and stealthy. To deceive Permit, the big time flats player, an angler must be on top of their game.  

Accomplished typically with some of the other sight fishing here in Islamorada, redfish, snook , juvenile tarpon, one tends to develop skill sets and desire to then pursue Permits.

Permit are often temperamental and constantly on the move, often swimming great distances when water temps are inconsistent.  Conditions in Islamorada must line up to find Permit in the skinny water feeding, they use the tide to move up on to the flats for a short window of opportunity seeking out mainly crabs and shrimp. 

Understanding ever changing conditions here in the Florida Keys, feeding patterns, and behavior of the fish.  As well as the flats, and edges they frequent is absolutely crucial when positioning for fly shots at Permit.

Florida Keys Permit come in all sizes, average here in the upper Keys being med/large 14-20lbs with much larger fish often sighted.

Capt Dan is partial to stalking Permit on the push pole in 2-6 ft of water, casting a crab imitation fly and teasing that fish into the ultimate persuasion in flats fishing.   Searching and scanning the flats under a high sun and light breeze, hoping to see a spike, tail thrash, push or wake - all signature signs of Permit.   

If a fly angler spots a Permit and the shot materializes, a fly dropped-in close range, if he’s in the mood and you retrieve enticingly, you will experience an exhilarating eat. An aggressive Permit pinning the fly to the bottom as they suck it up with giant rubber lips, has to be the sweetest sight a saltwater angler could imagine!

FLY EQUIPMENT FOR PERMIT FISHING

Fly Rod for Permit

9-10 wt Fly Rods with Floating Line (often clear slow sink tip attached)

11-13 ft 14-20 lb Fluorocarbon Leader

Flies for Florida Permit

A variety of crab patterns work well when fishing for Permit. Merkins, toads, Velcro Crabs and shrimp and baitfish patterns like Clouser minnows. Being able to present the fly at a variety of depths is important. Fly sizes in the Florida Keys range from #1 to #2, #1/0.

True with any of these tenacious, advanced saltwater gamefish species.  Practice and learning the proper techniques, then elevating our skills through repetition will ultimately place us in position to exploit short windows of opportunity to catch permit on the fly.