Knowing that we had a storm a brewing off the coast meant the words I preach the most to all who fish the inshore to offshore, keep an eye on the sky because it can make the difference between a good day out on the water or a bad day at sea where it could cost you more than it was worth. Listening to the marine channels, eye to the sky and the bait well full of crabs, Tamara & Christopher Stevens from New Jersey were with me for a quick outing out for a morning ride in search of Permit. The turquoise colored chop across the bow was a wonderful feeling as we headed out of Islamorada, Florida, gilding out at a moderate speed along Shell Key, a bit or patch of rock bottom came up and a quick pull back onto the throttle, we began a circling of the wagon in search of a cast to offer. Armed with an Ohero rod & reel on Green Braid with an attached 20lb fluorocarbon leader, Christopher Stevens cast out his live crab for a slow back drift. I prefer spinners when I am slow trolling or drifting baits with clients looking for big Permits. As we were about to pass the rocky patch, sign of a big one was just to my starboard side, so that is what we tried first. First try, first cast and first hungry Permit on the first bite of the morning and not bad either considering that ominous frontal line way off in the distance, looming across the Gulf of Mexico with plenty of rain and blow!
The Permit swam right up under the bait and
