Permit

Permit are tall, disc-shaped, bright silver fish with a deeply forked tail, a blunt sloping face, and often a dark to orange smudge low on the belly. Deep-bodied and immensely strong, they rank among the wariest and most coveted of all flats fish.

They inhabit the tropical western Atlantic across flats, channels, and nearshore wrecks from Florida through the Caribbean, with larger fish holding on deeper structure and smaller ones tailing on the flats.

Permit feed heavily on crabs and shrimp, rooting along the bottom and tipping up to tail as they feed. They are notoriously selective, which makes them the ultimate fly-rod challenge; a well-placed crab fly or a live crab drifted naturally to a tailing fish is the standard play. Patience, an accurate cast, and a drag-free drift are everything. On wrecks they take crabs and jigs. A hooked permit turns its broad body sideways and pulls relentlessly.