9 minute read
Permit: The Longest Drought
TARGETING PERMIT:
The Longest Drought
In the world of fly fishing, where patience and skill intertwine, anglers occasionally encounter enigmatic phenomena that defy explanation. Christiaan Pretorius, an avid and experienced fly fisherman, found himself in the throes of one such perplexing period known amongst fellow insiders as “The Drought.” During this mystifying stretch, even the most expertly tied flies and meticulously executed casts seemed futile. As if cloaked in a veil of ill fortune, Christiaan wrestled with the inexplicable as permit after permit slipped away. “The Drought” became a crucible of patience and a test of unwavering dedication, casting its shadow over the normally exhilarating pursuit and leaving Christiaan to unravel the mysteries of luck, karma, and the relentless pursuit of the elusive permit.
By: CHRISTIAAN PRETORIUS
The permit obsession is something that is just not possible to explain. My obsession with permit started very early in my guiding career. It was my first day on the flats when I saw my first permit, casted at my first permit, hooked and landed my first permit. This is just not the way it is supposed to happen.
More often you will have pursued this fish for years with no success. That same week I managed to land another permit, that is two permit in a week - a very rare occurrence. It couldn’t have been skill as it was my first day shadow guiding on the flats, right? It’s been many years since I got my first permit and the first question I always ask the permit when we finally get one to hand is “Why?”
Unlike bonefish, GT’s, trout, you name it, you will always remember every single permit story as if it had happened yesterday. You appreciate every single one that you encounter. Most cases you hate them, but then you find a way to convince yourself you actually love them. It’s a strange game. Since that day I had the privilege of landing my first permit, I was hooked, I knew this was a truly special fish.
An ”unhealthy” obsession
Permit addiction is a real thing and most fly fishermen who have casted at a permit suffer from it. It has been known to ruin relationships, empty out wallets, and pushed some people to even consider selling all their fly-fishing equipment.
Who would have ever thought that you could actually get nervous while fishing? Well, some of my most stressful experiences involved permit. It usually doesn’t happen quickly and takes many years before really appreciating this fish.
I had a pretty successful (relative term) couple of years guiding for these stubborn fish in the Seychelles where you find the beautiful Indo-pacific permit.
They are (almost) the same as the Atlantic permit only slightly smaller in size and more golden, but just as full of shit, ignorant, and stubborn as its cousin.
“The drought”
Anyway, I had been warned over the years speaking to many permit fishermen about “the drought”. I never thought this was a real thing until it happened to me. It was in 2014 when I had one exceptional day landing a double permit on Astove Atoll.
I must have used up all my luck, or Karma was mad at me, but something was off. Since that day in 2014, a long period followed where I casted at many permit, using many different flies, in many different areas. I had them turn on their sides to investigate my fly; I had them follow my fly to the boat, you name it! -it happened!
They ignored me full stop. Even through all this punishment there was nothing I enjoyed more than to go hunt them. It reminds me a lot about stalking with a bow and arrow, the hunt and stalk is where the real fun is at, getting to finally draw on an animal is a massive bonus. Well, permit fishing is exactly that to me!
Getting the hook-up
Travis stopped the boat a good distance away to not spook the fish and I fired a long cast in that direction. First cast landing about 5 feet short. Knees shaking, I stripped back and launched another one, this time the leader did what it was supposed to and launched the fly about 5 feet from the two permit. First strip, the fish was on the fly. He followed, and followed, and then finally, FINALLY it happened! I got a hook-up!
After a 20-minute fight, Travis managed to get a hand on the tail and we just went on like monkeys, screaming, slapping the water just enjoying that moment.
My girlfriend was there to experience everything, and it was very funny to hear her side of the story when she tells it. How the atmosphere suddenly changed from joking around to a very intense scenario. How Travis made his way down the poling platform as I stripped, while stopping Lindi’s blood circulation in her arm.
How she tried to keep us calm with very little success. It felt like forever, but in reality was not that long of a stripping session at all!
Releasing the fish, I knew it might take another 1000 casts before I’d eventually hook-up with another permit. However, in all reality, I knew I would have fun making each and every one of them!
Fact File – Permit
Permit, the highly prized saltwater fly fishing trophies belonging to the pompano (or Carangidae) family, come not only in one but four distinct species that challenge and captivate anglers around the globe. They may all be caught on small, realistic crab and shrimp patterns – but a couple of them display feeding behavior that will be foreign to many permit fishermen.
In the western Atlantic Ocean, spanning from the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean, the Atlantic Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) emerges as a formidable adversary. Adorned with a signature black “permit patch” on its silver-and-blue canvas, this species reigns over seagrass beds, shallow flats, and mangrove niches. The Atlantic permit’s discerning palate and selective feeding habits amplify the challenge, compelling fly fishermen to master the art of realism in both presentation and cast. Atlantic permit grow to more than 70lbs and are the largest of the “big four” permit species.
Countries such as the Bahamas, Belize, and Mexico are among the most visited among hard-core Atlantic permit fly fishermen.
The Indo-Pacific Permit (Trachinotus blochii) – also known as “snubnose dart” and “golden pompano”are found over the reefs and shallows spanning from the Red Sea across the Indian Ocean and all the way to the Central Pacific Ocean with Japan and New South Wales as the northern- and southernmost distribution lineages.
The Seychelles are considered the main hot spot by many Indo-pacific permit enthusiasts, but Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Australia also have great potential.
With its alluring golden sheen, the Indo-Pacific permit boasts a small mouth and an unmistakable oval body, navigating shallow flats and edges with unmatched finesse. Yet, its discerning eyesight and skittish tendencies test even the most skilled anglers, requiring perfect presentations to tempt it into a strike.
While they don’t grow to nearly the same sizes as Atlantic permit (usually weighing between 6 and 10lbs with a maximum of 20-25lbs), the Indo-pacific is highly sought-after for its beauty and scarcity.
On the southeastern African coastline, the Africanus Permit (Trachinotus africanus) takes center stage.
Pink-lipped, gleaming in silver and gold against the rough coastal backdrop, this permit is perhaps the least known of the “big four”. Its haunt is the estuaries and flats, where it thrives on a diverse diet of crustaceans, shrimp, and tiny fish -and in the surf zone along steep cliffs where it feeds (in schools of varying sizes) on mollusks, mussels and small crabs. They grow to around 30 - 35lbs, but most species caught on a fly rod (and not a lot have been caught) weigh between 8 and 15lbs).
The Africanus permit’s unpredictable behavior and elusive nature certainly give rise to the challenge, beckoning fly fishermen to decode its patterns and navigate its mercurial moods.
And if you’re up for the challenge, Oman is the place to visit.
Venturing into the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Anak Permit (Trachinotus anak) displays an unmistakable visage with its prominent, steeply sloped snout and dark bars along its flanks.
It is perhaps the most elusive of all permit species.
Locally known as “oyster pompano” or “giant oyster cracker”, Australia is the main site for targeting these fish -and fly fishermen in the area between Geraldton in WA and south to Brisbane have championed the saltwater fishery for these elusive fish.
Estuary mouths are prime territory in far North Queensland, but the species also resides along open surf beaches, headlands, sheltered offshore reefs, ocean reefs, coral cays, and lagoons like in Exmouth in the West, often seeking its sustenance from crustaceans and hard-shelled benthic invertebrates such as mollusks and oysters.
Anak permit can grow to more than 50lbs.
Their preference for deeper water during feeding sprees tests anglers’ ability to present their flies precisely, while the Anak’s cautious disposition demands the utmost finesse and stealth.
Across the “big four” permit species, the thread of challenge weaves a tapestry that demands mastery over fly fishing’s subtle nuances.
Patience, precision, and an intimate understanding of each species’ behavior intertwine, allowing anglers to unlock the secrets of these elusive game fish and emerge victorious from the relentless pursuit.
But be aware of the drought!
Here are a few tried and tested outfitters for permit across the globe:
www.aussieflyfisher.com/product/the-cape/
