Permit Fishing 101: Spinning Tackle And Techniques (Part 2 of 3) - HOW 2 TUESDAY #76

There are many ways and methods that we can use to catch permit. In order to be successful in catching permit under all conditions anglers need to have mastered many skills with different types of tackle. I find that a fly rod and a spinning rod will cover most conditions but anglers who enjoy baitcasters can also have success.

Spinning Tackle

If an angler wants to maximize his chances at permit, the spinning rod is unquestionably the most useful tool available. The spinning rod allows anglers to cast small and large crabs, light artificial lures and jigs and live shrimp in every condition. In the Florida Keys, we experience seasonal changes that require me to alter my spinning tackle to optimize the conditions. For example, winter and spring conditions are often windy; a condition that allows guides to get very close to the fish before they become alarmed. The rough conditions camouflage anglers and boats contrary to the extreme calm. 

Spinning Rods

It is in the windy conditions that I use a 7 foot medium action spinning rod designed for 8-17 pound line or 12-20 pound line to throw crabs that measure 2-3 inches across the carapace. The rod needs to have enough backbone to fight and land a fish over 30 pounds yet have a tip sensitive enough and light enough to be able to present these baits accurately and precisely in the windy conditions.  Casting distance is not the most important aspect of the setup at this time of year so I choose a rod that I am comfortable casting and that can whip a large fish easily. 

As the season wears on into the early summer, I find that the conditions often become calmer or at least we experience more calm days. As a general rule of thumb, the calmer the conditions, the spookier the fish will be, therefore the longer the cast will have to be to have success. In order to cast farther, anglers can simply change a few things in their tackle to easily add 10-50 feet in their cast. A rod that measure 7 1/2 feet and that employs a lighter and more responsive tip will out cast a 7 foot rod with the same line and lure. As the season becomes calmer and the fish become more wary, I go to a 7 1/2 foot medium action rod designed for 6-12 pound line. The extra length and whippy tip will also throw lighter crabs successfully which is often necessary to present the bait to the fish without alarming it. Crabs choice this time of year is often a crab measuring 2-2 1/2 inches across the carapace.

The Florida Keys weather in the summer is often dead calm. The ocean can be as calm as a mill pond making sneaking up on permit tough, however summer is also the time when permit are the most available. In order to take advantage of the calm conditions, I go even farther in changing my tackle and move to 8 foot medium light action for 4-8 pound line. These rods will cast an even smaller crab a country mile. I routinely use the smallest crabs I can throw which might measure from 1-2 inches across the carapace. On the smallest crabs, a split shot is often necessary. Fighting a fish on a noodle rod like the one mentioned is much like fighting a fish on a fly rod. If you have never fought a fish on a fly rod, it is very important to keep the bend in the rod at a minimum by avoiding a situation known as “high sticking”. Keeping the tip of the rod pointed directly at the fish creates a slight bend in the rod, resulting in more power and better control over the fish. Pointing the butt of the rod towards the fish results in way too much bend in the rod, lack of control over the fish, very little pressure on the fish and often a broken rod.

This podcast is brought to you by Waypoint. Produced by Tom Rowland and Brock Rustand. Audio editing by Brock Rustand. If you have any questions, email podcast@saltwaterexperienece.com

See you on the water,Tom Rowland