Summer Permit Fishing – July 2019

—The dog days of summer are upon us here on sunny Anna Maria Island.
It’s smoking hot by mid-day, which somewhat limits fishing options later in the day. One great option is permit fishing on many of our near shore wrecks and reefs off of the Anna Maria Island coast. Many of these structures are located less than 9 miles off of our gorgeous beaches.
—I love fishing out here in the Gulf of Mexico in the summer because there is usually at least a slight breeze to keep cool. Along with plenty of shade on my 24′ Carolina Skiff, it’s one of the coolest spots to be outside around Tampa Bay!
—Permit are incredibly hard fighters, and can be famously picky eaters. They prefer crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, over baitfish.
—I like to use my Minn Kota trolling motor to hold my position up tide of the target wreck or structure, and fan out 3 or 4 baited rods around the fish until we hook up. Double and triple hookups are not unheard of as the school of permit zips through our presented baits.
—Permit are legal to possess, but I usually practice catch and release this time of year because these are generally mature fish that end up producing a ton of eggs. There are months in early spring when I keep permit, but they are much smaller, immature fish on the beaches.
—If you’re looking for a catch of a lifetime, or a super fun way to “beat the heat”, then let’s go catch a permit!