Bahamas 12/13/2016-Long Read

[spc7669]

So the wife wanted to take a family vacation this December with my daughter and her boyfriend, both of whom are in college. She talked me into a cruise based on the price. Now, I've sworn for my entire life you'd never get me on a cruise ship, but I love my wife. A lot.

We left on Monday and drove to Orlando. After a fairly easy boarding, I discovered I had underestimated my preconceived dislike of cruise ships.  The cabin was the size of a ballerina's shoe box, and I was bunking with Evan. Six foot four size 15 shoe Evan. Although he is my daughter's boyfriend, he is my friend as well and my most frequent fishing buddy. He owns the first Penn 4/0 I ever built. That's how much I like this kid.

Our first stop was the cruise line's private island in the Bahamas. All the literature said fishing was strictly prohibited, so I only packed two fly rods and one box of bonefish flies.

Evan and I were on the first tender to the island. We literally took off at a jog for the end of the island opposite the baccanalian stupidity at the main beach. We had it all planned. Get out of site, put the rods together, and smoke some unpressured bonefish.

Then we met Linda. From Jamaica. Who knew the two tubes sticking out of my backpack were not architectural drawings. But Linda advised us that her boss was taking a potty break, and if we made it around the next point we would be out of sight and probably safe to continue with the plot. God bless Linda.

We got the rods together and found a huge school of bait hanging right on the beach. Sharks and cudas were everywhere making strafing runs on the schools.

I hadn't packed a single baitfish fly. Only the normal tiny crab and shrimp patterns for bones. We almost had it figured out when the dipstick guiding the kayak excursion paddled his whole flotilla of intoxicated oar flailers right through the bait school.

He curtly advised "Mon, you can't fish here." I said "alright", waited until they paddled back toward the main beach, and moved to the furthest point on the island and proceeded to start casting. Gosh I love the English language. "Here" might've meant that spot, the whole island, or the Atlantic Ocean. Since kayak guide/funsucker supreme didn't specify, I took it to mean I couldn't fish in the spot I was standing during our brief conversation.

On the end of the island we found a deep blue hole channel. It was fish nirvana. I looked down at a daisy chain of sickle finned spade bodied fish I identified as permit. I've chased these stupid fish for 7 years, in three countries, and spent most of my kid's college fund. Permit are a fly fishing holy grail fish. I've had a dozen throw the hook and more refusals than Rosie O'Donnell at a Sadie Hawkins dance.

I started with a small crab. Four refusals over the course of about an hour. I changed to a Crazy Charlie. Two more refusals. I put on a white Christmas Island Special I had tied in 2010 for a trip to Belize. It was a little ragged, but was the most baitfishy pattern in my box. The fish were swinging past about 30 feet out. I made the cast of a lifetime and the fly hit and sank right in front of the leader's nose. I stripped. He turned. I stripped. I watched him open his mouth and suck that fly in like a spaghetti noodle. I set and felt the surge. I could tell he was small and I had 8 pound floro on so I put it to him. He hit the beach and I beat my chest like Tarzan. Evan had hooked up with a blue runner and couldn't come take my picture, so I took one next to my reel and let the little guy go unharmed.

I was ecstatic. Size didn't matter. I had invested less time and money into most cars I've owned, my wedding, and sending my kid to college. The relief was indescribable.

Evan caught that blue runner, which neither of had ever caught and turned out to be a blast on the fly. We got back to the girls after lunch and they were happy as could be because they knew how much I wanted a permit on fly.

We did Nassau the next day and got back on Friday. I hated the whole cruise thing. It felt like prison with an unlimited bar tab. But the permit had made it worth it.

As soon as we got back I was forwarding my permit picture to all my buddies. I was deliriously happy. Then, one of them replied it wasn't a permit but a palometa. Now since that is the common term in Central America for a permit, I thought I was golden. Then mister bringer of all misery sends me a pic from a biology site showing they are actually two different species.

Due to the 12 year old rule here, I cannot divulge what I said about that guy and fisheries biologists everywhere.

I still haven't caught a permit. But I beat the man and caught some fish going solo and blind in the Bahamas with my best fishing buddy. And for three whole days I got to feel what it's like to have the permit skunk washed off and look forward to chasing something new.

If anybody knows a good permit guide, I can be reached at spc7669@yahoo.com.

Merry Christmas to all of my friends here.

[RowdyW]

Patrick, if you want Permit head south of Miami. The FL. Keys would be a good spot.     Rudy

[Tightlines667]

Good story. 

We has those Palmetto haunting the beaches of Bermuda too.  I used to think they were Permit too, until I went to Marine Biology camp. 

Take it easy on us Fisheries Biologist though, we are here to help

Look at it this way, you added yet another species yo your 'life list'.

John

[David Hall]

Good story and way to stick it to the man!  There's no such thing as no fishing!

[Dominick]

He curtly advised "Mon, you can't fish here." I said "alright", waited until they paddled back toward the main beach, and moved to the furthest point on the island and proceeded to start casting. Gosh I love the English language. "Here" might've meant that spot, the whole island, or the Atlantic Ocean. Since kayak guide/funsucker supreme didn't specify, I took it to mean I couldn't fish in the spot I was standing during our brief conversation.

That is called a legal technicality.  You were able to fish everywhere but "here."  Smart thinking and a great report.  Dominick

[BryanC]

Great story!  It may not be a permit, but I think the palometa is a pretty awesome catch anyway!  I'm not a fly fisherman, but I've heard that catching a permit on fly is so difficult or rare that people can spend their whole life pursuing them and never get one.

[spc7669]

Thanks fellas!

I kinda hated to post the story because this isn't a fly fishing forum, but this is the only site I'm a member of anymore because it's clean and friendly.

I have caught one permit, but not on a fly. It was in Belize in 2010. The fish were big and in open water near Savannah Flat. Fly fishing was impossible because if you hooked on, the others would cut the tippet with their fins. We used live crabs and a big Penn Spinner. It took me over an hour to land him. When they turn sideways it's like pulling on a load of bricks. I've attached a pic below.

Rudy, I was chasing permit in the keys off Big Pine in 2012 when I caught my tarpon. It rained for 4 straight days due to Tropical Storm Debbie. We got one shot but they didn't eat. The tarpon was a bucket list fish too.

The best trip I ever had was in 2011 in Belize. We got on them near the Mexico border. There were three big schools working. My buddy caught one, we hooked up and lost 14, and had many, many follows. That day was so great, I dreamed about it for weeks after I got home.

Anyway, I hope you all have a holy grail fish. The kind that keeps you up late at your tying bench and makes you spend time and money you don't have.

Patrick

[Bill B]

Great report brother....my wife tried to con me into a cruise this summer....sorry ain't doing the cruise thing... but I bet your wife is happier with you than mine was with me  ....Bill

[sdlehr]

Great story, and great perseverance. You deserved that fish.


Sid

[David Hall]

Great report brother....my wife tried to con me into a cruise this summer....sorry ain't doing the cruise thing... but I bet your wife is happier with you than mine was with me  ....Bill

I feel your pain!  My wife has been wanting a cruise for 20 years.  I tell her, I'm not going anywhere on any boat I can't fish from.

[sdlehr]

I feel your pain!  My wife has been wanting a cruise for 20 years.  I tell her, I'm not going anywhere on any boat I can't fish from.

For pure, care-free relaxation you just can't beat a cruise to take you far, far away. You spend time getting from place to place, so the novelty of each stop is appreciated more than airplane travel.

Sid

[Gfish]

Great write up Patrick! The Bonefish(o'io) on Kaua'i island are too hard for me ona fly. Got one on Maui once. Like guys 'er sayin, the cruise thing's tough ona outdoors type a person. Wife n' I did the Honeymoon "Island Hopper"(Hawaii) cruise, n' I couldn't wait for shore excursions, and that's how I got the idea to move here while ona tour-bus trip. Got 3 good access points on the south shore, for kayak fishin, but man them tour guides, life guards and tourists, the looks and occasional comments I get... Can't really blame 'em though, when they'er diving, n' snorkeling, etc., it looks like I'm still trollin as I head in. It's all about the tourist money for them, though.
Gfish

[BonitaBch]

If you have to do a cruise, do the Alaska cruise from Vancouver north.  A terrific way to see a wild and unspoiled part of the world.

[Fishy247]

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but the San Diego long range fleet kinda seems like a cruise to me....staterooms, 5 star meals, tropical weather....10 days on a big boat...

Awesome report BTW! Sounds like a fun time finding a fishing hole

[spc7669]

Thank you all for reading the report and the kind responses!

Sid, as far as the cruise goes, as a non drinker, non gambler, non relaxer, it just was not my thing. Way too much idle time. Way too much food.

To Gfish and. TARFU, it sounds like you don't think you'll like a cruise for the same reasons as me. I expect you are right. I do think Alaskan cruises would be better. But if I ever get to see that place, it'll be a fishing trip.

Now the long range trips y'all do, that is a horse of a different color. I would feel like a fat kid that inherited an ice cream parlor.

This year we are splitting the difference by going to a small resort in the Bahamas where there is ample wade fishing available and my wife will have access to a deserted beach. Hopefully, it checks everybody's boxes.