AS SEEN IN THE JULY / AUGUST 2007 ISSUE

Permit, like their miniature cousins the pompano, are actually members of the jack family. And just like their jack relatives, permit are extremely powerful fighters. This characteristic alone is one of the many reasons that I have recently added permit to my “top three” wish list of favorite fish to catch.

Once thought of as primarily a flats target stalked exclusively by skilled fly-fishermen just as they do bonefish and tarpon, today, anglers of all sorts have discovered big numbers of permit spawning on the offshore reefs and wrecks where they make easy targets for fishermen of all ages and all skill levels. This includes women new to the sport.

A good example would be a recent trip onboard Captain Van Hubbard’s Let’s Go Fishin’, a 23 ft. Dorado. Esther Horton of Englewood, Florida booked a birthday trip for her husband, Mac, who is the Supervisor of Elections here in Charlotte County. Esther made it clear that she wanted Mac to catch BIG fish. After all, this was to be his “special day.”

After a pleasant ride out to one of the many productive wrecks decaying on the bottom of the pristine Gulf off the State’s southwest coast, Mac did, in fact, hook and land the first big permit of the day. But soon after he released his trophy, it was Esther’s line that went screaming! She, too, had connected with a monster permit. It was easy to tell from her enthusiasm that Esther was thrilled, as was Mac. At this very moment, life for the two of them was very good.

Though Esther had never landed a permit, she had been fishing before and hooked several in the past, but all took her to the wreck before she could turn their heads. At one point, I thought this particular fish was going to do the same. Until that is, Esther decided she was going to take control of the situation. She refused to back down. And I must say, once she got the rhythm down, she settled-in and did a fantastic job. She went on to land more than her fair share of trophy size fish that day.

Ladies, just like Esther, you, too, can land big fish! It’s simply a matter of technique. It’s knowing when to gain line and lean the fight in your favor versus applying all of your might when the fish is screaming drag in the opposite direction. I can tell you from personal experiences that winning battles with determined fish this size is quite an accomplishment and a very satisfying experience. This must explain why more and more women are setting world records with their outstanding catches.

With a little know-how, finding permit is not too difficult either. The difficult part is sometimes coaxing them into eating. Here are a few pointers to remember when heading offshore;