I’ve said it too many times on this blog over the years, “Sometimes you just need to laugh”. That quote pertains often to dreadful weather. It doesn’t matter what trip you’re on or how far from home or how much the trip costs. Weather is weather and there’s nothing you can do about it. “Monsoon Currier” has learned to embrace it. Have a good time no matter what. Just do the best you can.
Indeed, the weather sucked again today. But despite the rain, 25 mph wind and cold, me, Granny and our Turneffe Flats Lodge guide Erwin were upbeat and tackled the flats as if conditions were perfect.
Lo and behold there were fish! Tailing fish ranging from boxfish to ocean triggerfish. The wind was blowing so unreal hard you could wade to within 25 feet of these fish. Though I spooked a few first, eventually I pulled a tailing ocean triggerfish from the flats.
The highlight of the day involved permit. We found two tailers. I stuck Granny on them first and she made several decent casts but kept hanging the crab on bottom. Finally, she gave up and I jumped in. The fish were moving fast and I chased. Over the next 30 minutes I got about five excellent casts. It was cast number six where one of the permit made a beeline to my crab. My heart stopped as he tailed on it. I started one long slow strip and he had it!
The rodeo started there. The fish ate on the edge of the flat and only about ten feet from the ocean reef. There was razor sharp tippet severing coral everywhere so I raised my rod high and ran backwards pulling the fish away from danger. Now you’re thinking, how can you do that without the permit running. Its like this: when a permit eats you have like five seconds where he doesn’t realize its not a real crab. In those five seconds I got this fish well up on the flat and when he took off he headed across the flat and away from danger.
Granny and Erwin were hooting and hollering. It was tremendously exciting – especially because we were all on foot. My Bauer screamed and my fly line left.
This permit wasn’t as big as the one earlier this week and within five minutes I had the fly line back on the reel. That’s when the fish came unbuttoned. BUMMER!
That was our last shot of the day at tailing fish on the flats. We were lucky to find what we did. The weather is just horrendous. We returned to the Lodge around 4 and before dinner I broke down my rods. This is always a sad time for me. But we’ll be back!
Turneffe Lodge put on a show tonight feeding us scrumptious lobster tails along with an assortment of delicious sides. Then they followed it up with a chocolate cake with rich white frosting. I love this place!
A very special thanks goes to my longtime friends Craig and Karen Hayes for inviting Granny and I back to Turneffe. It was so great to see them in the field rather than at a fly fishing show and I enjoyed working with our guides and am happy to say they were excellent and a treat to be with.
If Turneffe Atoll, catching permit, or you just like to enjoy an incredible place to visit and fish – Turneffe Flats Lodge is the place! Feel free to contact us at Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures or if you have questions at all, you may always Contact Me.
Time for a few days at home – then Thursday its off to South Africa. STAY TUNED!
Christmas is around the corner. DON’T FORGET my Online Store has gifts for the angler that has everything! I have painted over 60 species of fish now available on my coffee mugs and frosted beer steins. There’re also my new Solar Flex shirts in both men’s and women’s. AND my growing collection of fish decals can be purchased on Amazon.
Be sure to keep track of my upcoming travels around the world!
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I am sad when your trips end too Jeff. Thank you for sharing your adventures.