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Casting
To Permit
As
in all types of sight fishing on the flats, casting
to Permit is a learned skill that evolves into an instinct
reaction to changing conditions, not a given standard
formula.
An
accurate presentation of the fly is the most crucial
ingredient to a rewarding permit experience. The angler
must be on the bow and ready to cast at a moment's notice.
You should be prepared to cast by having fifty feet
of line stripped and properly coiled on the deck. Use
a permanent felt-tip pen to mark your fly line at fifty
feet for an accurate point of line reference . This
length of line will adequately cover the most common
range of permit casting.
The
crab flies that work best for Permit are also extremely
difficult to cast. Once again, regular casting practice
prior to your fishing trips can not be stressed
enough. Just in case you were wondering, practice casting
is not done five minutes before you go out on the flats.
It is a simple 20 minute session you should get in the
habit of doing at least once a week all year. Delivering
the fly accurately and consistently is more than half
the battle for flats fishing and is a guaranteed to
increase your success!
The
best casting technique for Permit is to present the
fly between one to four feet from his head. In order
to imitate the natural action of a crab, it is of the
utmost importance that once your fly hits the water
you let it sink naturally. Do Not strip the fly! You
should keep the line under control so that you may feel
a take, but do not strip. Stripping the fly creates
an unnatural appearance and usually scares the permit
away.
If
the permit passes over your fly or changes direction,
you must wait until he has moved an adequate distance
for you to lift your line and recast without spooking
the fish. When casting to a group of permit, always
cast to the lead fish. Should the first fish not see
your fly or refuse it, you still have a chance of hooking
one of the following fish.
A
short strip strike is all that is necessary once the
permit takes your fly. A strip strike is performed by
a firm, short pull of the line with your stripping hand.
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