Turn, Turn, Turn...
Saltwater flats fishing can be boiled down to specific moments of memory involving heartbreaking defeats, confusing punches in the gut, and adrenaline filled dopamine enriched triumphs. For the traveling DIY angler that only finds themselves on the flats once every few years, those moments carry you until the next chance you have at sealing the deal on some of the most popular gamefish in the world: bonefish, tarpon, and permit. Whether in victory or defeat, there is something about the permit that weighs heavier than bonefish or tarpon. It could very well be the mystique and hype generated amongst fly anglers, but for me it is from my own personal interactions. I can honestly remember every interaction I've had with the permit I've casted to. I can't say the same for every bonefish or tarpon because those moments have been far more numerous and successful. If I can get a good angle at a bone or a cruising tarpon, I'm fairly confident that they will eat, or at least entertain, the fly. The opposite is true when I'm stalking a permit. I simply have no idea what is going to happen on that presentation and how they will react. Sometimes textbook perfect presentation results in the perm darting off the flats. Other times, it is as if they don't even see the fly until they brush up against your tippet/leader. Their body language and behavior is too hard for my novice eyes to ascertain and I've had too few reps. Regardless of ops and experience, tarpon and bonefish are still no cake walk and the same can be said for giant barracuda, sharks, and other species one can encounter while walking the flats. Simply put, you win some battles and you lose some too...
Shufflin'
Victory...
