Three Overlooked Keys to Catching (and Landing) More Permit

When people talk about permit fishing, most of the conversation revolves around flies, rods, leaders, and destinations.

And don’t get me wrong… those things matter.

But after spending a lot of time chasing permit and watching countless anglers pursue these elusive fish, I’ve noticed there are a few other factors that can make or break your trip.

In fact, these three things are often more important than having the perfect fly.

 

 

1. When Your Guide Says “Set”… SET!

This may sound obvious, but it is probably one of the biggest mistakes permit anglers make.

When stripping a fly, most anglers (myself included) are conditioned to wait until we feel the fish before setting the hook. The problem is that permit fishing often isn’t a feel game… it’s a visual game.

 

Many times a permit will “tail” on your fly, which means it has tipped down and eaten it. The guide can often see this happen long before you ever feel anything. The challenge is that newer permit anglers are usually focused on making the cast, managing the strip, and trying to locate the fish. In many cases, they can’t even see the permit, let alone tell whether it has actually eaten the fly.

 

Your guide can. He’s watching the fish the entire time. He can see when a permit goes from following your fly to committing to it.

When your guide says “SET!” don’t hesitate. Don’t wait to feel a tug. Strip set immediately. And that’s another important point… strip set, don’t trout set. Nothing breaks a guide’s heart faster than watching a permit finally eat and seeing an angler lift the rod tip like they’re fishing a dry fly on their home river.

Trust your guide. If he says set… set.

 

 

2. Your Backing Matters More Than You Think

Most anglers spend a lot of time thinking about flies and leaders, but very little time thinking about what’s underneath their fly line. That’s a mistake.

 

When a permit realizes it’s hooked, it often takes off like a freight train leaving town. A fish can put you deep into your backing in a matter of seconds. If you don’t have enough backing, the fight can be over before it really begins. Even worse, poor-quality backing or backing that was improperly loaded onto the reel can create a disaster. I’ve seen backing bury into itself. I’ve seen knots catch. I’ve seen tangles stop a reel dead in its tracks. And when that happens… bye-bye permit.

 

A few years ago, my son lost a permit because the backing had been loaded incorrectly. We assumed it had been done properly, but assumptions don’t land fish. The lesson? Have your backing installed by a reputable fly shop that does it every day. Make sure you have enough of it. And don’t wait until you’re standing on the bow of a panga to discover there’s a problem. How much backing should you have? I would say a minimum of 200 yards. 

Permit are hard enough to catch without equipment failures helping them out.

 

 

3. A Positive Attitude is a Piece of Tackle

This may be the most important one of all.

Permit fishing can be frustrating. Sometimes downright ridiculous. You’ll stand on the bow for hours scanning the water. Then suddenly,  your guide spots a permit, and yells out palometa, palometa, and your heart and mind immediately starts to race!

 

You make the cast.

Maybe it’s too short.

Maybe it’s too long.

Maybe you step on your fly line.

Maybe the fish follows and never eats.

Maybe it eats and you miss the set.

Maybe you do everything perfectly and the permit still decides it isn’t interested.

Welcome to permit fishing.

 

The anglers who consistently find success aren’t always the best casters. They aren’t always the most experienced. They’re often the anglers who stay mentally tough. They shake off the missed opportunity, stay focused, and remain ready for the next shot. Because there will be another shot. And when it comes, you need to be mentally prepared to make it count.

 

The anglers who get frustrated, quit listening, or let one blown opportunity snowball into five usually struggle. The anglers who stay positive and keep believing are the ones who eventually hear their guide yell, “SET!” And that’s when the magic happens.

 

Final Thoughts

Permit don’t care how much you paid for your rod, what lodge you’re staying at, or how badly you want to catch one. They’re challenging, unpredictable, and humbling.

That’s exactly why we love them.

Listen to your guide. Prepare your equipment. Stay positive. Do those three things, and you’ll give yourself a much better chance of turning an opportunity into a fish of a lifetime.

 

If you’re looking for permit trips, we’d love to help you find the right one. Contact our team directly at (208) 271-9653.