[BDD]

A few years ago saltwater fishing didn't appeal to me but the more I talk to those who have done it and read about it, I am now greatly intrigued by it. The appeal of bones is a no brainer...but permit and GT don't live together. So it sounds like you need to pick bones as a main quarry with either permit or GT as an incidental catch (yeah, that phrase sounds weird to me too).

So how do the two compare for chasing with fly rods?

 

[DiejehHehdudhhe8373737]

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[Craig Schulz]

I would agree with Alpinetrout about permit over bones any day, as he said they are very spokey and difficult to get to take a fly, but the fight is better than a bone any day. Incidentals in the Keys, were my parents have a house include Jack's, fight like hell but sharks love them as well.

My personal favorite in the keys is Barrcuda in the flats, you have to be able to strip like a mad man but you see the strike and they fight quite well, within two casts you know you have a player or to keep moving. These fish are over looked by so may people it is amazing to me but that is just MHO!

If you find a good guide or someone with some experience saltwater fly fishing in the tropics is a blast it is well worth a try!

 

[13418]

Nothing to see here

 

[DiejehHehdudhhe8373737]

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[13418]

Nothing to see here

 

[DiejehHehdudhhe8373737]

.

 

[gt]

GT >100#s, big permit ~30-40#s

i was with a guy who was fishing with 10" pencil poppers, 30# mono, HUGE penn saltwater spinning reel, 6' ugly stick, he got spooled with the drag screwed shut, pop. GT are very tough on a fly rod, very tough. hooking one is little consequence as most often you can't control their running. couple that with their habitat of reefs full of coral and more than likely you will end up with cut offs.

a big eye travally i managed to land weighted in at not quite 17#s and took me down to, literally, 4 wraps of backing left on my reel. that is 105' of fly line + 250yds of backing under 3#s of drag, non stop run, exciting.

 

[BDD]

The responses reflect what I have heard from others. Permit are more difficult to hook because of their great vision and wariness. GT are easier to hook (once you find them) because of their aggressiveness but more difficult to land because of their tenacity.

As far as planning a trip though, it seems the people I talk to put together trips to target bones because they are much more numerous. While fishing with 8 weights, they keep a 10 or 12 readily available when they see larger quarry, which occurs much less frequently. I guess you could say they are fishing bones waiting to see something better...like a GT or permit or tarpon.