The Fishing Club Journal - Issue #33
A reader-supported community and publication.
Intro — Welcome to Issue #33 of the Fishing Club Journal: The Permit Issue.
In this issue we dive deep into the fish that, for the crazed anglers who chase them on the fly, epitomizes the definition of a love-hate relationship. To properly define the blurred line between infatuation and infuriation that this creature resides in is nearly impossible unless you are sickened by the obsession. The permit, rough back, fancy jack, scythe back or black-tailed devil are probably more commonly called a few unprintable monikers by the fly fisherman who have fallen ill and pursue them. They have been the career pinnacle of many accomplished anglers, and the underlying cause of mental breakdowns in others. A “dishonest fish” by most accounts, whereas a person can do everything perfect — from fly section to casting to stripping cadence — only to get heartbroken as the fish makes the swift transition from a nose up on your fly to middle fin up in your direction as it vanishes from the flat. That’s how the permit rewards you for your efforts. From the waters they haunt to the masochists consumed by them, I’m honored to bring you this issue all about the black-tailed devil, the permit.
— JD Miller, Guest Curator
A Species — There are two primary species of this wonderfully frustrating fish, the more publicized Atlantic Permit (Trachinotus Falcatus), and the somewhat under-the-radar, arguably more attractive, Indo-Pacific Permit (Trachinotus Blochii). Going even more granular for all the permit nerds (myself included), the Indo-Pacific Permit technically has three subspecies that are recognized as Indo-Pacific: Blochii, Africanus, and Anuk. Although all permit inhabit similar enviroments and ecosystems around the globe, The Atlantic swims in the waters of the western hemisphere — Florida, the Bahamas, Mexico, Belize, etc. — while the Indo-Pacific makes it’s home in the eastern hemisphere — i.e. The Seychelles, Oman, Dubai, and Australia. Check out this article from Yellow Dog Fly Fishing to learn more about the different types of permit, including all the incredibly places around the world to target them.
A Follow — With beginnings as a trout guide on the mountain streams of the southern Rockies, Howler Brothers and Bajio ambassdor Jesse Colten’s life changed on a flats fishing trip to Xcalak — a remote village on the southern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula — where he saw “more permit than he’d ever seen in his life.” Fast forward a few years and some Spanish lessons later, Jesse is the owner/operator of one of the “hottest” saltwater lodges in the fly fishing world, XFlats Lodge — home of the dry fly eating permit. His love for the fishery and the community is palpable and his passion for sharing them is only rivaled by his fixation on feeding flies to those flats enigmas. Give Jesse a follow on Instagram and enjoy a little music, a little travel, alot of fly fishing, and a peek behind the scenes of life in permit paradise.
A Photo — There’s no doubt that you’re familiar with the photography and videography of Fly Fishing Nation, a media company out of Europe that’s been producing A+ content and scouring the world on the hunt for epic fly fishing opportunities since 2007. If by the off-chance you’re unfamiliar…Merry early Christmas to you. Lovers of all piscatorial fly consumers, the team at Fly Fishing Nation also shares the permit affliction, having chased, filmed, and photographed the black-tailed devil all around the globe.
Check out some of their permit-focused imagery below and the rest of their amazing photography on their Instagram.
A Video — Further solidifying the mystery that is the permit, is a phenonmenon that occurs on the Yucatan Peninsula that has altered the normal feeding behavior of the resident permit. At certain times of the year, trade winds and currents will bring massive patches of a floating seaweed called Sargassum to the Mexican coast near Xcalak and with it, Sargassum Crabs. The local permit, a species generally known as downward feeding fish, have developed an appetite for these floating crabs and have begun — to the delight of their pursuers — to “look up.” Simon Kay of Fishing Fishing Nation Media captured this incredible occurence and the dry fly fishing opportunity around it in the film “What Lies Above,” an official selection in the 2024 Fly Fishing Film Tour as well as in the 2024 Rise Fly Fishing Film Festival. Watch the incredible film below:
A Project — In 2011, after recognizing a decline in permit numbers within the Special Permit Zone (SPZ) — an area that encompasses Biscayne Bay and the Florida Keys — Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) launched Project Permit to determine if the SPZ was large enough to protect the Keys permit fishery. The project was a huge success, collecting vital spawning information which has led to better management practices and regulations in the Lower Keys. In 2022, the film “Project Permit: A Pathway For Permit” was released, detailing the project and collaborative research and conservation efforts of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) and the Florida Wildlife Commission, among others. Narrated by the legendary Flip Pallot, the film highlights the critical work being done to protect permit, their habitat and spawning grounds, and the future of the iconic permit fishery that is the Florida Keys.
Watch “A Pathway For Permit” below:
Call for Curators and Writers
We’re looking to expand our editorial staff and what better place to start than with the community we’ve built. If you have a passion for fly fishing and storytelling, and are interested in curating future issues of the Fishing Club Journal, we’d love to hear from you.
An Artist —Known as the King of Color, David Danforth has been one of the hottest artists in fish art over the past several years. With an unique street art style and an outside the box vision, David takes the creature at end of the cast, and brings it to the canvas with vibrance and originality. One of his favorite subjects? The permit. Follow David on Instagram and check out his permit art below.
A Listen — If you’re looking for legit tips and tricks on feeding the fish that refuses to eat, look no further than the man with the permit neck tattoo, Wil Flack. In this podcast, an episode of WAYPOINTS hosted by Yellow Dog Fly Fishing founder Jim Klug, Wil gets into the nitty gritty details of fly fishing for permit — knowledge he has earned through blood, sweat, tears, and time spent guiding in Belizean waters over the past 25 years. Check out “Episode 8 - WIL FLACK: Feeding Permit - Tips and Techniques for Chasing the Black-Tailed Devil” below.
A Read — Author, photographer, accomplished outdoorsman, and friend of the program Mike Idell recently wrote an article about the Palometa (Spanish for permit) called “The Toughest Fish to Catch on a Fly” —which you can read here — in which he describes the fish, and the pursuit of them as well as anyone has: “They’re hard to find, elusive once you find them, and totally unpredictable if you’re lucky enough to even get a cast off at one. It’s a game that the permit control, not you — like a game of cat and mouse, but you’re the mouse, and the cat is smarter, faster, and a ghost…And this is what makes the permit so desirable to fly anglers: the challenge is so great that the reward is unmatched.” Well said, Mike.
An Outfitter — “Location, location, location” is a well-known saying in the world of real estate, but it’s an adage that applies to fly fishing lodges equally as well. Rocky Point Permit Camp may have hit the location lottery with their front yard consisting of one of the very few places in the entire world where a barrier reef meets land, and their backyard being. the UNESCO World Heritage Site – both directions providing seemingly endless fishing opportunities. Check out this film by Backwater Fly Fishing about all that Rocky Point Permit Camp has to offer and why it’s one of the greatest pieces of “walk out your front door and wade” permit real estate on Planet Earth.
A Fly — It’s no secret that permit eat crabs, as most flats fish do. The right crab to fish, however, depends where you are in the world and of course, who you ask. A perennial nominee on “Top 10 Permit Flies” articles all over the internet, the EP Crab, a part of the impressive and innovative Enrico Puglisi Flies catalog, is a tried and true pattern that will most likely get refused by a permit just as devastatingly as any other crab pattern out there.
Check out the tutorial from Trident Fly Fishing below:
A Skiff — If it hasn’t sunk in yet while reading this issue, permit are hard to catch — like really hard to catch. In order to give yourself the best shot at being successful, stealth is a premium advantage. Chittum Skiffs was co-founded in in 2002 by renowned captains and boat-builders Hal Chittum and George Sawley with the goal to create the best shallow water vessel in existence. The result, after years of R&D, was a revolutionized flats boat — a patented design, a proprietary sound deadening system, extremely shallow drafting capabilities — a permit hunter’s dream. You’ll find their boats sliding through the most technical permit waters, including the Florida Keys where captains Greg Dini and David Mangum took home the 2025 March Merkin Grand Champion honors out of their Islamorada 18. What we respect more than the tech, the specs, or the awards, is the company’s commitment to the future of our fisheries. With the existence of the Chittum Conservation Advisory Board and the backing of pivotal conservation organizations like Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT) and Captains For Clean Water (CFCW), Chittum ensures that the projects and organizations they support put the sustainability and health of aquatic ecosystems first and foremost for both community and company.
Give Chittum Skiffs a follow on Instagram.
A Cocktail — The Last Word
If there’s a fish in the world that will make you want to drink, it’s the permit. This cocktail’s fitting — tropical, bitter, sharp with lime — perfect whether you’re celebrating a rare victory or licking your wounds.
Either way, you’ll always get The Last Word.
Recipe from Liquor.com:
Ingredients
3/4 ounce gin
3/4 ounce green Chartreuse
3/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish: brandied cherry (optional)
Steps
Add the gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a brandied cherry (optional).
Image from Liquor.com / Tim Nusog
That’s a wrap! Thank you for reading and we hope to see you on the next issue or on Instagram. If you don’t already, you can follow the Fishing Club Journal on Instagram and feel free to reach out with tips, feedback or just to say hello.
Our Mission
To inspire stewards of our fisheries so they thrive for future generations.
The Fishing Club Journal (FCJ) is our vehicle for advancing this mission. We’re a reader-supported publication curating stories that illuminate the passion, and positivity inherent in the world of fly fishing. To unlock full member benefits, consider becoming a paid member.
