Tom Rowland | Permit Fishing With Live Crab - Circle Hooks & Hook Placement | Ep. 341

Tom Rowland, professional fishing guide and host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, demonstrates permit fishing techniques with live crab alongside Captain Scott Brown in the Florida Keys. In this How 2 Tuesday episode, Tom reveals the circle hook technique that increased his permit hookup rate from 50% to 95%, the exact method for hooking a crab to keep it alive longer, and the specific gear setup he relies on for targeting one of saltwater's most challenging species. Whether you're fishing the Keys or anywhere permit are found, this breakdown of rigging, hook placement, and tackle selection will change how you approach these fish with live bait.

Why Circle Hooks Changed Everything for Permit

Tom opens this tutorial with the single most important piece of permit fishing advice: switch to circle hooks. He's direct about the impact this one change made on his success rate. Before circle hooks, permit would grab the crab and he'd only hook about half of them. The other half would come unbuttoned. After switching to circle hooks, his hookup percentage jumped to around 95%. Tom emphasizes this improvement so strongly that he calls it the most important takeaway from the entire episode. He's using a 3-ought circle hook, either the Worldwide Sportsman short shank or the Gamakatsu octopus hook. The key is matching hook size to crab size—4-ought for larger crabs, 3-ought for smaller ones. By the end of the episode, when Tom lands a permit, the hook is positioned exactly where he predicted: right in the corner of the mouth. The circle hook explanation and hookup rate comparison starts at 2:01.

Selecting the Right Crab Size and Condition

Not all crabs are created equal for permit fishing. Tom walks through his selection process with several different sized crabs in the livewell. He shows a tiny crab that he considers too small—permit will eat it, but it doesn't have enough weight to cast effectively. Then he demonstrates two slightly larger crabs that are closer to his preferred size. One has an egg sack hanging off the back, which Tom avoids based on advice from his friend Rich. According to Rich, crabs with egg sacks die much faster, and Tom has noticed this pattern holds true. He chooses a crab without the egg sack that has just enough weight for casting distance. The selection process isn't random—it's based on availability throughout the year, casting weight requirements, and crab longevity in the water. Tom stresses that keeping the crab alive is critical because permit respond to movement, not just smell. The full crab selection breakdown starts at 2:56.

The Precise Hook Placement Method That Keeps Crabs Alive

This is where Tom's tutorial gets technical in the best way. He holds up the crab and points out the coloration along the edge of the shell—there's a colored portion and then it turns white. If you push the hook too far into the white part, the crab dies quickly. Tom wants the hook positioned right on the edge, barely into that white section. He pushes just the tip of the hook in, then rolls it through. Instead of forcing the hook through and breaking the shell, he uses a drilling motion—twisting the hook back and forth like a drill bit until just the barb pops through. This technique prevents the hook from backing out and positions it upward so that when the crab falls through the water and a permit bites, the hook slides right into the corner of the fish's mouth. Tom demonstrates this on camera, and later when he catches a permit, he shows exactly where the hook set: right in the corner of the mouth, just as he predicted. The detailed hook placement demonstration starts at 4:47.

The Complete Tackle Setup for Live Crab Permit Fishing

Tom keeps his permit setup straightforward. He's fishing a seven-foot Saint Croix 8'17" Avid rod with 10 to 15 pound Daiwa J-Braid line. The leader is 20 to 25 pound fluorocarbon tied directly to the braid. No complicated rigging, no heavy weight, just the crab and the circle hook. Tom emphasizes that when permit fishing with live bait, you want as little hardware as possible between the crab and the fish. The movement of a live crab is the attraction—legs kicking, swimming motion—and that's what triggers the eat. Tom contrasts this with fly fishing or jig fishing for permit, where nothing is moving. With a live crab, the permit wants to eat it because it's alive and active. The tackle setup supports that natural presentation without interfering with it. Tom walks through the complete rod, reel, and line setup at 5:49.

Final Thoughts from Tom

I wanted to put this How 2 Tuesday together because permit fishing intimidates a lot of anglers, but it doesn't have to. The circle hook change alone will transform your success rate if you're still using J-hooks. I've seen it happen over and over with clients—that simple switch makes a massive difference.

The hook placement technique takes a little practice, but once you get the feel for it, you'll keep those crabs alive much longer. And when you're permit fishing, every extra minute that crab stays lively in the water increases your odds. Captain Scott Brown and I had a great day filming this one in the Keys, and getting to show that hookup right in the corner of the mouth at the end was the perfect way to prove the method works.

If you're planning a permit trip or just want to add this technique to your arsenal, watch the full demonstration. Seeing the hook placement and crab selection process on video makes it much easier to replicate when you're on the water.