Tag: permit fishing

  • Permit Time! Pesca Maya, Ascension Bay, Mexico

    Permit Time! Pesca Maya, Ascension Bay, Mexico

    Over the past 25 years, more of our anglers have landed permit on the fly in Mexico’s beautiful Bahia de la Ascension than all our other permit destinations combined! We have our theories, but the fact remains, Ascension Bay permit will eat a fly more readily than Trachinotus falcatus in any other fishery we’ve experienced. The peak months for this fishery are just around the corner!

    As a bonus, April sees the arrival of the large migratory tarpon swelling the ranks of resident juvenile fish right through the summer and fall months. Add to this a prolific bonefishery, abundant (often very big) snook, and a myriad of other species on the flats including mutton snappers, cudas, ladyfish, even the occasional triple tail – you’ll understand why Ascension Bay is not only considered one of the premier flats destinations, it is most likely the Grand Slam Capital of the World!

    We’ve booked the venerable Pesca Maya for their entire 21 years of operation, and it remains one of our favorite lodge operations on the Yucatan Peninsula. The lodge features a seasoned staff of guides (who’ve grown up on the Bay and know it better than anyone), great food, spacious / comfortable air conditioned rooms with queen beds and ensuite baths with walk-in showers, and an attentive staff steeped in Mayan hospitality who are committed to your utmost enjoyment.

    There are still openings in the Prime Time April & May months, and if you can stand to wait, Pesca Maya’s 20% summer discount kicks in June 15th! Fabulous fishing can be had during the lightly fished summer months! Call today to make your reservation!

  • 56 Permit in ONE WEEK in the Punta Pajaros Cay, Mexico

    56 Permit in ONE WEEK in the Punta Pajaros Cay, Mexico

    Casa Blanca and sister lodge, Playa Blanca are both located on the cay of Punta Pajaros, 100 miles south of Cancun in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Casa Blanca fishes the legendary Ascension Bay, just north of the cay, while Playa Blanca, 12 miles to the south, fishes Laguna Santa Rosa and Espiritu Santo Bay.

    Both bays, located within the 1.3 million acres Sian Ka’an Biosphere reserve, are considered among the world’s top flats fishing destinations for bonefish, tarpon, permit and snook.

    The lodges typically open the 1st or 2nd week in October, and excepting 2-week periods over Christmas and Easter, are open until the middle of June.  The common perception is the best time to fish these areas is March, April & May, and this is when high season rates apply.

    While the spring months are excellent, I think many anglers are missing what may be an even more productive season to fish AB & ES.   For years I’ve encouraged anglers to fish Ascension Bay or Espiritu Santo the normally lightly booked October/December season.  I’ve had the pleasure of fishing Ascension Bay a number of times, and five of these trips have been during the months of October or November.  I’ve had good to outstanding fishing during each of these fall trips.

    Doc Foster
    There are a number of reasons I like the fall fishery.  First, most of the lodges close or are very lightly booked through the rainy season, early June through early October, and this lack of pressure promotes “happier” and less spooky fish on the flats.  The migratory tarpon start showing up in late April and can be found in good numbers through November.  The snook fishing seems to be at it’s best during the fall, as soon as the water clears.  Water temperatures during the fall are usually at a consistent optimum, particularly for permit, which take flies better in warmer temperatures.  And lastly, the rates for the fall season are considerably lower than during high season.  Why wouldn’t anyone go in the fall?

    Angler Adventures – Doug Schlink
    To illustrate just how good the fishing can be during the fall, witness “The Week” of November 6th at Casa Blanca and Playa Blanca Lodges.  I was privileged to accompany a group of clients and participate in the all time record-breaking week for both permit on fly and grand slams!

    While a group from a Colorado Fly Shop headed 12 miles south to fish to Playa Blanca, I joined the Streams of Dreams Fly Shop group at Casa Blanca. Casa Blanca normally accommodates 20-22, but as mentioned, the fall is frequently lightly booked, and our party of 8 had the entire camp to ourselves.

    The week got off to a good start, with everyone getting numerous shots and 3 permit landed that first Sunday.  Among the anglers to score on day 1 was “Doc” Ralph Cifaldi, using his own variant crab pattern with a long tail of dyed polar bear.  Day 2 was the banner day when the group tallied 10 permit landed.  But Ralph was the top rod scoring a “Hat Trick” – three permit on the fly, on his crab pattern!

    Day 3 was nearly as good with 8 permit landed by the group.  And it was the good Doctor’s good fortune padding the count again, as he landed another 3 permit including one over 20 pounds, on his same crab pattern!!    Ralph now had 7 permit on fly in 3 days!  We began to think there might be something to this fly and Ralph stayed up late that night at the vice and generously gave each of us one the next morning!   Ralph’s fly proved to be a charm for me when on day 4 when I used it to hook and land a beast that tipped the scales at 32 pounds.

    By weeks end, 8 anglers tallied 35 permit landed, 5 of which bested the 20 pound mark.  Numerous tarpon, bones and a few snook were landed by the group.  Dr. Ralph’s magic crab fly accounted for 17 of the 35 permit!    I’ll be happy to provide the pattern recipe on request.

    On our last morning, the truck arrived with the group from Playa Blanca who’d had similar luck down south in Espiritu Santo scoring numerous grand slams and adding another 21 fly caught permit, to bring the total to 56 permit and 10 Grand Slams landed in 6 days on Punta Pajaros, a new all time record for the island.

  • Remembering The Gyno Crab

    

    NOV 6 – 13, 2004, I was one of a party of 8 very talented flyfishers and great guys who descended on Casa Blanca on Mexico’s Ascension Bay

    in quest of permit. The first day out, just a couple were taken, one by first time permit fisher Dr. Ralph Cifaldi. Ralph was using a crab pattern of his own concoction; a variation on the Dorsey Kwan, distinguished by a long tail of amber dyed polar bear barred with a brown marking pen.
      
    Taken with a Gyno Crab
    "Tara" with a nice Ascension Bay Permit

    The second day, there was better success in the group, with Ralph coming in as top rod with a “hat trick” – 3 more permit on this just his second day chasing permit! This piqued our interest a bit more in Ralphy’s unorthodox pattern.

     

    The third day, more permit were released by the group, but again the top rod was Doc Ralph, with another hat trick! 3 days into the trip and Ralphy had 7 permit under his belt. The excitement over Ralphy’s fly grew, and being the generous soul that he is, he stayed up late cranking out more of his crab patterns so as to present each one of us with one at breakfast.
     
    There was no doubt in my mind what fly to tie on that morning! We ran back into the bay, inside of the tip of Vigia Grande. The wind had slightly clouded the water along the south side of the bay, and my superb guide Manuel (Tarantula) worked the edge between the cloudy and the clear water. Suddenly I spotted a huge permit working up tide toward us. I called to Manuel and he kicked the boat right, and with a couple of strong pushes on the pole put me in position to intercept the fish. I launched Ralph’s fly, it landed perfectly, I made a one-foot long strip and the big fish quivered, lunged forward and ate it. It immediately took off on a searing and what I expected to be a “reel-emptying” run. But about 70 yards out, it just stopped, and slowly pulled. I looked at the bottom and it was moving. Yes, now he was just leisurely towing the boat across the bay! This went on for 42 minutes until finally we got the fish close enough to tail it. But Manuel couldn’t get it over the gunnel! Finally, he went over the side in chest deep water to “wrassle” the beast into submission. We didn’t have a boga grip, but Manuel said his largest “bogaed” fish was 38 pounds, and allowed as how this guy was just about as big! We settled on 35 as an estimate.
      

    By the end of the week, our party of 8 had tallied an amazing 35 permit on fly, and quite a few over 20 pounds. And Ralph’s pattern accounted for 17 of these, and the fly didn’t even a name. The last evening, our group sat around the palapa having beers and trying to come up with an appropriate name for Dr. Ralph’s (a gynecologist by the way) remarkable fly. Finally John Canavari burst out, “I’ve got it! The Gyno Crab”. And the name stuck. Google it!
    I can’t swear there’s something special about the pattern – maybe it was just a case of a lot of happy permit eating well. But if any fly catches any permit, I want to have it in my arsenal! Hope this works as well for you.

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     Angler Adventures

    800-628-1447 – 860-434-9624
    Fax 860-434-8605
    E-Mail:Info@angleradventures.com
    PO Box 872, Old Lyme, CT 06371
    web site: www.www.angleradventures.com

  • What is a Gyno Crab

    Dr. Ralph Cifaldi’s Gyno Crab – Tied by Doug Schlink

    The Gyno Crab as tied by Doug Schlink
    Mid-Morning Permit Snack

    Hook: Daiichi X452 or similar in #2 or #4
    Thread: Danvilles Flat Wax, Fl. Green
    Weight: Lead Eyes – sized to water depth and hook size
    Tail: Appx 2 – 2 ½ inches, Polar bear, dyed golden orange (Rit golden yellow dye does it) and barred with a dark brown (*) marking pen
    Body: 8 pieces of Tan Aunt Lydia’s Rug Yarn (Antron) figure-eighted in (Merkin fashion) on top of hook shank, and trimmed to appx dime shape.
    Legs: 2 (**) Amber/flecked black Sili-Legs, square knotted in (Merkin style), trimmed slightly long (about 1 inch) and set with Krazy Glue (***)

     * I didn’t have a dark brown pen, just dark umber. The barring should be darker – more contrasting.
    ** While conventional wisdom would dictate 3 legs (per side), Ralph contends permit can’t count, so this is tied true to his original pattern (which worked, so apparently they can’t count).
    *** I didn’t have any Krazy Glue handy – just used some head cement. Ralph put drops of Krazy Glue on the legs near the edges of the yarn body (and worked into the yarn slightly) to keep these sticking out at the appropriate angles.
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     Angler Adventures 800-628-1447 – 860-434-9624
    Fax 860-434-8605
    E-Mail:Info@angleradventures.com
    PO Box 872, Old Lyme, CT 06371
    web site: www.www.angleradventures.com
  • Belize Special Rates

    We’ve put up a couple of report type posts on the fishing around Turneffe Atoll this week.  Since Belize is a great summer fishing destination and there are some great special fishing rates at 5 of the best fishing operations in Belize, we thought we’d get those special rates all posted in one place. Click on the links below to visit each destinations web page or call (800-628-1447) / email (info@angleradventures.com) for more information or to confirm your reservation.

    Permit Belize Style - Photo Credit: Turneffe Flats
    You can do this and get a discount!
     Turneffe Flats Resort – June 25 – December 24, 2011
     
    The cost for 7-nights/6-days fishing is $2,859.72 per person based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide.  The regular rate is $3,384 per person.

    Turneffe Island Resort – May 28 – December 16, 2011

    The cost for 7-nights/6-days fishing is $2,587.50 per person based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide.  The regular rate is $2,868.75 per person.

    Belize River Lodge – July 24 – December 18, 2011 (limited space available)

    The cost for 7-nights/6-days fishing is $2,412 per person based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide.  The regular rate is $3,668 per person.

    El Pescador – June 1 – December 15, 2011

    The cost for 7-nights/6-days fishing is $2,595 per person based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide.  The regular rate is $3,474 per person.

    Tarpon Caye Lodge – March 1 – July 31, 2011

    The cost for 7-nights/6-days fishing is $1,999 per person based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide.  The regular rate is $2,890 per person.

  • Tarpon Caye Lodge

    Belize is a great destination for anglers traveling during the summer months due to its neo to sub-tropical climate, whose daytime temperatures only vary between 10 – 15 degrees over the course of a year.  This consistency makes the fishing in Belize fairly predictable, as well as productive, each month of the year.  The following write up by Doug Schink  (doug@angleradventues.com) on Tarpon Caye Lodge recently appeared in The Angling Report.

    Tarpon Caye is a 10-acre private island situated 15 miles east of Placencia, Belize in the area referred to as “Permit Alley”.   The Caye takes its name from its tarpon lagoon that reliably holds a resident population of mid size (30 – 60 lbs.) tarpon.  There are also some fair to good bonefish flats in the area, but permit is the main attraction at Tarpon Caye.  On the top half of the tide, permit predictably flood the dozens of flats found within a 5 – 20 minute run of the Caye.  These are skinny, gin-clear ocean water flats and dorsal as well as caudal fins are frequently out of the water.  While you can skiff fish, it’s often more productive to wade these firm, shallow flats.  It’s not unusual to have 20 or more legitimate shots over a tide. 

    Typical Permit from Tarpon Caye Lodge
    Love at First Sight

     Tarpon Caye Lodge is owned by “Permit Guru”, Charlie Leslie who has spent over 35 years guiding permit anglers on these flats.   What distinguishes the fishing program from more conventional “8 to 4” lodge programs is that they will fish the tides.   ‘We do fishing here’, is Charlie’s motto, and he means it.  If you are there over a full or new moon, your highest tides occur during the middle of the day and thus the best permit fishing will be during the midday hours.  However if your stay coincides with a quarter moon when low tide typically occurs around midday, Charlie will schedule “split day” fishing.  For example, during these tides, you might fish from first light until the permit leave the flats with the falling tide, say from 5:30 to 8:30 am.  You’ll then return to the lodge for a breakfast/brunch, and a siesta.  Around 2:00 pm, you’ll head back out to meet the permit returning to the flats on the incoming tide, and fish until dark.

    Accommodations are in basic but comfortable double occupancy cabañas on stilts, each with full tiled bath with hot and cold water and generated electricity. The clubhouse features the bar and dining room where guests enjoy libations and excellent meals featuring the freshest local seafood.

    Tarpon Caye Lodge is competitively priced and is currently offering a special for 7 nights/6-days fishing for $1,999 per person double occupancy.

    Permit Alley is a challenging fishery to be sure, but if stalking tailing permit on foot on gin-clear flats appeals to you, you owe it to yourself to take the challenge!

    Reservations: Angler Adventures, 800-628-1447; info@angleradventures.com, Additional information on Tarpon Caye Lodge: https://www.angleradventures.com/tarponcaye/

  • Summertime: Light Winds, Less Pressure, Great Fishing for Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon

    Summertime: Light Winds, Less Pressure, Great Fishing for Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon

    Some of the best Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon fishing occurs in the summertime. Due to cool ocean currents / breezes, the Bahamas temperatures typically never get over 85o F in the summer and don’t heat up like the large land masses in the U.S. Rain showers are short lived and there’s little or no wind to deal with. Some lodges close down, but the ones that remain open know it’s the best chance for a Grand Slam all year. Permit prefer warm water, Migratory Tarpon begin to show. Glistening Bonefish tails are a common sight, early and late in the day.

    Abaco Island

    Rickmon Bonefish Lodge in Sandy Point, Abaco is open in June and July, because it’s the best time for Permit and Mutton Snapper (Yes on the fly rod!), according to Ricardo Burrows.

    Abaco Lodge, The light summer winds allow you to do “More Cool Stuff”, like trailering up north, fishing out of the Upper Cays and Oceanside flats in pursuit of Big Bones, and Mutton Snapper.

    Available Dates:
    June 14 – 20, 10 rods
    June 22 – 26, 8 rods
    June 26 – July 3, 8 rods

    Blackfly Lodge In addition to flats fishing for Bonefish, Permit, Mutton Snapper, and occasionally Tarpon, Blackfly has an offshore option with its 31′ Yellow Fin docked on the East Side just minutes from Reefs and Blue Water.
    The last openings are June 24 – July 7 and Aug 1 – 13

    Andros Island

    Prescott Smith of Stafford Creek Lodge says emphatically that summertime is your best chance at a Grand Slam (Tarpon, Permit & Bonefish). Mutton Snapper fishing in June and July is exceptional. If you prefer Reef and Offshore fishing, go for Tuna in the morning, (catch your dinner) and hit the flats in the afternoon.

    Pleasant Bay and Bair’s Lodge are open in June and still have some great space available. Some of the best fishing in South Andros takes place in June with plenty of fish and no pressure!

    Bair’s Lodge is a luxury lodge with good management and great bonefishing.

    Available Dates:
    June 4 – 8, 4 rods
    June 4 – 11, 4 rods
    June 8 – 12, 10 rods

    Click or Tap here to for more on Summer Fishing on Grand Bahama and in Belize.

  • New Upgrades at an Old Favorite: Pesca Maya, Ascension Bay, Mexico

    New Upgrades at an Old Favorite: Pesca Maya, Ascension Bay, Mexico

    Angler Adventure’s Doug Schlink visited Pesca Maya Fishing Lodge 18 years ago when the lodge first opened. While the accommodations were basic (okay “rustic”), the food was wonderful, the hospitality cordial, the guides excellent, the fishing terrific, all at a modest price. It became one of our favorites. Over the years, accommodations were upgraded, but the major renovations and new construction of recent months have elevated Pesca Maya to one of the nicest lodges in the Yucatan.

    Click Here to read more about what’s new at Pesca Maya.

    New Palapa at Pesca Maya Fishing Lodge, Mexico

    New 5,000 sq. ft. “Palapa”, dining room, bar/lounge, fly shop and more
    Upgraded Accommodations, 8 spacious ocean view guest rooms with queen beds, private balconies in the beautiful Casa Seaclusion and Casa Robinson.
    New Pesca Maya Spa with hot tub, sauna, massages and more
    New top of the line tackle & upgrades to boats and motors

    World’s Greatest “Grand Slam” Fishery!

    Pesca Maya is situated on the Yucatan’s Ascension Bay, one of the world’s greatest flat’s fisheries and certainly one of the best for those seeking a “Grand Slam” – a Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit on the fly in one day. Hundreds of Slams have been achieved in Ascension Bay. Bones, permit and juvenile tarpon are available year round as are snook, jack creavlle, barracuda, ladyfish and more. The larger migratory tarpon are present from April to November, with late spring and summer offering the best opportunities for big “poons”.

    Pesca Maya continues to be one of the best values in Caribbean lodges, and is even better during the summer and fall months. From June 15th – October, lodge rates are discounted by 20%, and from November 1st – February (excepting Christmas) there is a 10% discount. As summer and fall offer some of the best fishing of the year, this is a great time to go at a bargain price! Click here for Pesca Maya Rates.

    Angler Advenures’ Flats Fishing What to Bring List

  • Hosted Trip to Turneffe Island Resort, Belize

    Hosted Trip to Turneffe Island Resort, Belize

    Join Fin Chasers Magazine as they head to what is probably the best permit fishery on the planet, Turneffe Island Resort, Belize. On top of that save $2,245 per person! This trip is ideal for anglers of all skill levels and is sure to create memories that will last a lifetime.

    When: August 22-29, 2015 – This exact week in August 2014, the two members of Fin Chasers hooked up with 30 permit, landing 21 of them, caught numerous of bonefish, barracudas and jacks, topped with a Double Grand Slam.

    For more information on this Turneffe Island Resort Hosted Trip, click or tap here.

    The normal rate for 7-nights & 6-days fishing is $5,727. Your rate as part of the Fin Chasers Hosted Week at Turneffe Island Resort is $3,482 per person, based on double occupancy accommodations and a shared boat / guide daily.

    Included: Daily guided fishing, round trip, land and sea transfers between Belize City and Turneffe Island Resort, hotel/sales tax, 3 meals per day, double occupancy accommodations.

    Not Included: International flight to Belize, Beverages & Bar Tab, gratuities for guides/staff, terminal tackle, flies (can be purchased at their tackle shop).

  • Cuba Flats Fishing: 2015 Will Be Remembered in Angling History!

    Cuba Flats Fishing: 2015 Will Be Remembered in Angling History!

    2015 will be remembered in Angling history as the year it became legal for US Citizens, in possession of a “people to people” travel letter from the non-profit fisheries research and conservation organization Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT), to sport fish in Cuba.

    2015 is also the year travel restrictions were lifted, making it legal for US airlines to fly to Cuba, US travel agents to book travelers to Cuba and US insurance companies to offer travel insurance to US Citizens traveling to Cuba.

    Angler Adventures has been assisting a limited number of US anglers traveling legally to Cuba for several years. But, the easing of restrictions in general and the travel license from BTT in particular, opens the door for any US angler wanting to fish Cuba.

    What hasn’t changed (and will take years to catch up) is the tourist infrastructure within Cuba and the transportation network to Cuba. Traveling to Cuba is still complex. We recommend using a knowledgeable, qualified travel agent, whether it’s your first trip or your twelfth.

    Jardines de la Reina
    (Gardens of the Queen)

    Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon! Grand Slam!

    Isla de la Juventud
    (Island of Youth)

    Big Tarpon and Snook!

    Cayo Largo

    Over 500 Fly Caught Permit!

    Cayo Cruz

    Big Bones and Tailing Pemit

    In addition to having a staff of fishing experts, Angler Adventures is a full service travel agency, licensed to sell travel insurance. Angler Adventures can assist you in selecting a fishing location in Cuba, prepare you for what to fish for and what to bring, assist you in obtaining the travel letter from the BTT, assist with your Cuban Visa, create the most efficient travel itinerary for you and your group and offer you the protection of travel insurance for trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical evacuation, and more.

    Call us today at 1-800-628-1447. There is so much more we’d like to share with you about this fascinating country and phenomenal saltwater fishery.

  • Angler Adventures Client Lands Grand Daddy: 60 Pound Permit Caught

    Angler Adventures Client Lands Grand Daddy: 60 Pound Permit Caught

    Angler Adventures client Bob Cosgriff landed this massive permit while fishing at Grey’s Point Inn on Acklins Island with head guide, Garon Williamson. Bob sent us the story of how he caught and landed this fish of a life time. Click or Tap here to read Bob’s account.

    Related Links


    Photo Credit: Barry Kanavy – www.naturalanglers.com

  • 60 Pound Permit Landed on Fly in the Bahamas

    60 Pound Permit Landed on Fly in the Bahamas

    We haven’t stopped talking about Bob Cosgriff’s HUGE PERMIT since he sent us the first photo February 25, 2015 on his way home from the Bahamas.  You can read Bob’s write up and see a photo below.  More photos from Bob’s trip can be found on our Facebook Page.

    60 lb Permit
    Photo Credit to Capt. Barry Kanavy

    “PERMIT – IT’S HUGE!”

    by Bob Cosgriff

    These are the words we all long to hear. But let’s start at the beginning.

    After several months of miserable winter weather my friend Capt. Barry Kanavy and I were looking forward to six days of fishing on Acklins Island at Grey’s Point Bonefishing Lodge.  Acklins is known for its bonefishing so we loaded up on equipment for the grey ghost.  Evan Peterson at Angler Adventures had suggested we hook up with the head guide at Greys,  Garon Williamson to show us around.

    My motto is be ready for “anything”.  So that means 5 rods: Three eight weights for Bones, a nine weight for Permit and a ten weight for Barracuda .  Every thing was packed, lines cleaned, leaders checked and five boxes of flies; just the basics!

    The week started with three days of fly tying as a cold front shut everything down. On day four & five the clouds parted and we got to experience what Grey’s Point is noted for, stalking bones on expansive wading flats. On our last day, I made a casual comment to Garon that we’d like fish from the boat and try our luck with the Cudas we had seen prowling the deeper flats.  That request would change our fishing lives forever.

    5 Foot Barracuda on the Fly
    Photo Credit: Barry Kanavy

    Two hours later Barry and I surveyed our frayed leaders, mangled wire, shredded Barracuda flies and some great photos to remember our time stalking these torpedoes.  Garon mentioned he had one more place to show us for barracuda and the occasional permit.

    We motored over on the ocean side and cruised around for five minutes when I heard Garon call from the back of the boat “PERMIT – IT’S HUGE” …tailing behind a ray.

    I jumped off the poling platform where I had been sitting and walked forward as Barry pulled out my permit rig of choice: Helios2 9wt, Nautilus NV reel , Rio 9 weight permit line connected to a  Rio 20lb leader, ending with a tan Kung fu crab size 4.  I was ready. I was confident.  After all I had recently tamed some bad ass cudas! I stripped out my line, saw the ray, and on my third attempt cast 65 feet landing the leader 2 feet over the ray.  I let the fly sink in the 5 foot water and then felt a small tug. I set the hook and the permit was on.  Things stayed pretty calm, the line cleared the deck and everything was under control.  I had caught small permit before, so how bad could this be? I would soon find out.

    The fish then began a slow turn on my right side. Not a full run but a slow drive by so he could give me a once over. It was then that I realized Garon had been trying to keep me calm when he said, “huge Permit”.  It wasn’t huge, it was a monster! I felt my confidence drain as if I’d sprung a leak. I clicked down the drag three times . . . I was going to need all of it.  I looked at the nine weight in my hands and realized that I had brought a knife to a gun fight. Seconds later my reel started to scream and I said goodbye to my fly line for the next 35 minutes as the permit began his run to open water and large swells. Barry grabbed the back of my belt to stabilize me in the rolling water and to relay commands to Garon. Twice the fish surged out to deeper water and I was still hanging on. Then I looked down at my reel to see the backing getting very thin.  I estimated I had 50 feet left and yelled to Barry and Garon to fire up the engine and we slowly regained some backing only to have the fish take off again.  We kept this game up for 20 minutes until he made a run to some rocks on a point.  Now I had my moment of truth. I had to stop him from reaching the rocks, even if I broke him off. I swung the rod to the left, put as much pressure as I could and hoped he would turn before the rod exploded.  Ten feet from the rocks the fish turned and for the first time in the battle I felt I really had a chance to land this beast.

    Slowly I gained backing and started to control his head.  Finally I saw my fly line coming back through the guides. 35 minutes had gone by and my arms and legs were on fire. Slowly he came to the boat moving back and forth using his body as a brake against me. He was three feet off the bow when I had a new panic attack that I had lost my leverage and the big fish was taking advantage of that.  Finally he came around the side, Garon touched the leader and grabbed the tail like his life depended on it.

    Barry and I waited for Garon to stand up with our trophy, but nothing happened.  Then we heard him yell that the fish was too heavy. Barry grabbed Garon’s belt and back pack and pulled our guide back into the boat – holding the biggest permit we had ever seen.  The fish sat on the floor – We were stunned! No one did anything or spoke for 15 seconds, we just looked at a truly colossal permit.  We regained our composure and with both Garon and I holding the fish Barry took some quick pictures.

    Check out that mouth!
    Photo Credit: Capt. Barry Kanavy

    Now our efforts reversed as we scrambled to get the fish back into the water to live another day.  He was tired but slowly he got stronger and Garon let go of the tail as he headed off to deeper water.

    How big was the permit? We estimated sixty pounds. Other veteran guides, after seeing the pictures say, 60-70 pounds – others less.  Is it a record? We will leave that to others to decide.  We quickly measured the length against the rod – 45 inches! The girth not measured but look at the photos – you guess.

    All we know is that on February 24, 2015 something special took place out there.  Garon summed it up best when he said “We will fish the rest of our lives and never catch a fish like that again”.  Barry and I quietly nodded our heads as we slowly motored back to the lodge.  We were done for the day.

    Ultimately, it wasn’t about breaking or claiming records.  The best part was watching the fish swim away.

    Angler Adventures

    Phone (800) 628-1447 * (860) 434-9624 * Fax (860) 434-8605

    Email info@angleradventures.com

    Website www.www.angleradventures.com

  • Fishing in Cuba Now Legal!

    US Citizens can now legally sport fish in Cuba

    2015 will be remembered in Angling history as the year it became legal for US Citizens, in possession of a “people to people” travel letter from the non-profit fisheries research and conservation organization Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT), to sport fish in Cuba.

    2015 is also the year travel restrictions were lifted, making it legal for US airlines to fly to Cuba, US travel agents to book travelers to Cuba and US insurance companies to offer travel insurance to US Citizens traveling to Cuba.

    Angler Adventures has been assisting a limited number of US anglers traveling legally to Cuba for several years. But, the easing of restrictions in general and the travel license from BTT in particular, opens the door for any US angler wanting to fish Cuba.

    What hasn’t changed (and will take years to catch up) is the tourist infrastructure within Cuba and the transportation network to Cuba. Traveling to Cuba is still complex. We recommend using a knowledgeable, qualified travel agent, whether it’s your first trip or your twelfth.

    In addition to having a staff of fishing experts, Angler Adventures is a full service travel agency, licensed to sell travel insurance. Angler Adventures can assist you in selecting a fishing location in Cuba, prepare you for what to fish for and what to bring, assist you in obtaining the travel letter from the BTT, assist with your Cuban Visa, create the most efficient travel itinerary for you and your group and offer you the protection of travel insurance for trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical evacuation, and more.

    Call us today at 1-800-628-1447. There is so much more we’d like to share with you about this fascinating country and phenomenal saltwater fishery.

    Want to know more about traveling to Cuba and its amazing Fisheries:  Click or Tap below.

    Cuba: Now AvailableBonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook & More

    Jardines de la Reina: Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon! Grand Slam!

    Cayo Largo: Over 500 Fly Caught Permit!

    Cayo Cruz: Big Bones and Tailing Permit

    Isla de la JuventudBig Tarpon and Snook