CAMP STORIES:

Stories about people, place, and, of course, fish!

Saltwater fly fishing has a reputation for being brutally hard, and no fish embodies that challenge quite like the permit. I recently sat down with Mike Ward, one of the most accomplished permit anglers in the world, to talk about his first experiences, his obsession with the species, and what makes them so notoriously difficult.

Mike’s introduction to saltwater fly fishing came about 18 years ago on a trip to Punta Allen. “My oldest daughter had just turned one,” he remembers. “It was kind of our first getaway without her, and I said, Let’s go on a saltwater fly trip.” Their destination was a lodge called Pescami, and on the first day, they caught plenty of bonefish. But Mike had his sights set on a permit. “The guide pointed one out 110 feet away, laid up. He pushed me twenty feet closer and said, ‘Cast.’ And I thought, I can’t even reach that far.”

Against the odds, Mike’s cast landed perfectly, the fly hovering just in front of the permit. “The fish’s tail wiggled, I started stripping, and boom, it took it. My first cast at a permit, first one I ever saw, I got it.” That single moment left a mark. “I’ve seen great anglers struggle for far longer. That first success is huge—it sets your confidence, shows you that, yes, these fish eat, and you can figure it out.”

But the permit quickly reminded him why they’re considered a humbling species, and the rest of the week brought dozens of shots but few hookups. “Permit always keeps you humble,” Mike says. “They’re tricky, and they make you work for it. That’s what makes the success that much sweeter.”

Mike’s approach to learning was largely self-taught, with guidance when needed. “I appreciate discovering things on my own. I want to figure it out myself. That’s part of the journey,” he says. Each new trip sharpened his skill and his obsession. After his first permit, his mind was on the next one, and he pursued that drive across trips to Belize and beyond. “I guess I’m a complete addict,” he admits. “Once I get one, I’m thinking about the next.”

Over the years, Mike’s travels have taken him across the globe, from Mexico to Australia to the Middle East, chasing permits and learning each fishery’s nuances. “Every location is different. You can’t just throw the same fly everywhere. Last week in Mexico, we had huge schools and only one fly worked. Change anything else, and they weren’t interested. It’s exact.”

He describes the species’ challenges in detail: their enormous eyesight, exacting feeding habits, and subtle requirements for presentation. “It’s all the little things—cast accuracy, fly movement, timing. One mistake and you’re out.”

For Mike, the most memorable experiences aren’t always about the numbers or record; they’re about exploration. “The perfect day is finding a flat that hasn’t been fly fished before. Australia was amazing for that. Nineteen days, two fish fed, but the exploration, the unknown, that’s what sticks with you.”

Even after breaking records, including surpassing Del Brown’s Florida Keys record with 538 permits, Mike says it’s the following catch that drives him. “All I want is the next one. The thrill never ends.”

For anyone looking to chase a permit, Mike’s story is a masterclass in patience, observation, and humility. It’s a reminder that the magic of fly fishing isn’t just in the catch, it’s in the pursuit, the learning, and the moments that keep you coming back, cast after cast.

Links: Mike Ward