5 minute read
Q&A with Conservation Captain Aaron Snell
Key West, Florida
How long have you guided in the Florida Keys?
I started guiding full-time in 2001.
Who taught you how to fish the flats?
I wasn’t taught by one person but a combination of people, like other guides, friends, and family. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to fish with some well-known folks like Steve Huff and Nathaniel Linville, and I have always looked up to guys like Simon Becker, John O’Hearn, Joe Rod, Doug Kilpatrick, and Will Benson, just to name a few. But my love for and understanding of fishing comes from fishing with family, like my mom and dad, uncles, and cousins.
What is it about permit fishing that’s kept you so engaged for over two decades?
I think it’s the hunt and stalk, and the deeper feeling of reward when a single fish is caught. More than bonefish and tarpon, permit often require a little more chase and boat maneuvering to get a good shot. It’s common to stalk a fish and get three or four shots—sometimes more—before the angler makes a wonderful presentation right over the back of the fish.
What changes have you noticed in the permit fishery since you first started guiding?
Besides fewer big fish, there are more guides and anglers fishing for permit, including myself.
What do you see as the biggest threat to the fishery, and what can be done about it?
I think the major threat to the fishery is boat traffic. Of course, there are a multitude of issues—like oil spills, hurricanes, Lake O, climate change—that will most likely have a greater effect long-term. But boat traffic, in general, has steadily increased over the years, from fishing guides to jet ski tours, to rental boats, to sandbar charters. The amount of traffic on the water has increased dramatically since the Keys opened after COVID, probably several hundred times what it was prior. Unfortunately, this increase spawns a myriad of problems, some of the worst being prop-dredging, noise, and the constant presence and pressure of people being in one area for prolonged periods of time.
As for fixing the problem, there’s a lot of things that can be done but change may be difficult to come by since many of these folks earn a living this way. I think imposing horsepower limits in certain areas and limiting the number of users in sensitive areas would be a good start. Also, strict licensing for recreational boaters will help, which I hope would mean new and veteran boaters would be better educated about the environment and how to operate their vessel in it. The Keys are one of Florida’s most valuable resources, and we need to take big steps towards protecting them now.
If you had the power to immediately change one thing about the Keys that you think would improve the fishery, what would it be?
If I had the power to instantly change one thing about the Keys, I’d get rid of half the users, to reduce the number of people on the water. That would include people like me, i.e., guides.
Why is it important for anglers to support research and conservation?
It’s important not just for anglers but for everyone that uses the resource to support research and conservation. Research helps us to better understand the flora and fauna, but more importantly, how we can protect and conserve it. It’s what will allow us to enjoy the resource for years to come.
What can anglers and guides do to help conserve the fishery and habitat in South Florida?
The easiest thing we can do is just be mindful and aware of the heavy presence we have in the environment and try to minimize it. Of course, donating to operations like BTT to fund research is equally important.
What makes the Keys permit fishery unique?
First of all, the Keys offer the only spot to stalk permit in the United States. And I bet the Keys boast a greater collective knowledge of permit fishing among guides than anywhere else. After all, the Keys is where sight-fishing for permit took off.
What makes a good permit angler?
Eyes. The angler needs to be able to spot fish as well as the guide can. The farther away from the boat a fish is picked up, the greater the chance of success. Casting is also essential. Being able to make an accurate cast forehand and backhand, and the wind is going to be on your shoulder half the time. Also, you need a mad and relentless drive to continue on after several fish-less days.
Can you share three tips for catching permit on fly in the Keys?
1) Practice casting in windy conditions.
2) Focus on accuracy. The fly often needs to land within three feet of the fish.
3) Get out and do it. It’s one of those things where only experience will make you better.
