10/15/2026
diy Permit on-foot shenanigans while fly fishing in the Caribbean this week
It had been overcast and poor vis all day and I knew better than to get tooo far from the raft with black wall of storm clouds building but you know how the flats glow a little when the sky gets real dark? Yup - I finally had some vis thru the water. And was riding the high of a few tailing permit shots and I wanted to just check the bonefish flat before the tide started to drop. It was great last year. Gotta confirm. For science.
And then I see all sorts of sand swirling. School of bones or big ray. Gotta confirm. Hurry up and wait and the bones emerge from the cloud. All Megas. A quick cast before they run me over. Hopefully the 11lber ate it. A few runs and it’s feeling more in the 8lb range. I keep checking back to make sure raft is still pinned. Likely a mile off. All good. Wind builds. Bonefish to hand. 8lbs. Wind is howdling. Look back. No raft. No vis either but I know it’s floating away.
Go go go! Legs are burning. Rain is pounding now. Luckily the rain and the wind are at my back. I Reach the beaches log near where anchor was stabbed. Not a sign. O lort. Only shot is to follow the wind. The wind whisks another mile to the surf break, sharp rocks and finally open ocean. I try to run. Not sure if it’s faster in thigh deep water. Ha. Mental inventory of what all could be lost. Phone. GoPro. Various gear and snacks. All that can be replaced. Big cash envelope changed hands on arrival and my passport should be double zip locked inside my tent. The only question left is who’s gonna be faster to close, the wind or me ? THE WIND or ME??
Note: when I’m guiding and hosting clients - safety is #1 and my absolute priority. So when I’m truly solo a few times a year, I do like to leave a little room for chaos, knowing that I can (and will enjoy) get myself out of a potential jam.
and if you’re still reading, HOW BOUT THEM DAWGS
