Catching a permit on a spinning rod comes down to the right outfit, a circle hook, and a healthy, correctly sized live blue crab presented on the far side of the fish. For this How 2 Tuesday I cover a subject near and dear to me, one of the most fun things in all of saltwater fishing. I walk through my go-to rod, reel, line, and leader, why I am adamant about circle hooks for permit, how to pick and hook a two-to-two-and-a-half-inch crab, and the cast-beyond-and-bring-it-back presentation. Then I explain the reel-against-the-drag hook set that keeps you connected.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
You pair a seven-foot medium-heavy spinning rod with a 3000-size reel, fifteen-pound braid, and about a foot and a half of fluorocarbon leader, and tie on a 4/0 short-shank circle hook. Then you bait it with a healthy, two-to-two-and-a-half-inch live blue crab, cast beyond the fish, and bring the crab into its line of travel. When the permit eats, you raise the rod, close the bail, and reel against the drag to seat the circle hook.
My go-to is a seven-foot medium-heavy fast-action Saint Croix Avid spinning rod paired with a Daiwa 3000 Ballistic, which holds plenty of fifteen or twenty pound J Braid. I tie on only about eighteen inches of fluorocarbon leader so the braid-to-fluoro connection stays outside the rod tip for an accurate cast. In summer I switch to an eight-foot medium-light Avid with ten-pound line to throw small crabs farther on calm, spooky days.
Because the percentage with a J hook is so bad. For years I watched anglers get the bite and come back with a smashed, empty crab, never even feeling the fish, because a J hook does not find a home. I am an adamant believer in a 4/0 short-shank circle hook. The circle finds the corner of the mouth as you reel, so you hook and hold far more permit. My favorite is the Offshore Angler short-shank, then Gamakatsu and Owner.
The best bait is a live blue crab about two to two-and-a-half inches across the carapace. Smaller is better for the eat, but you have to be able to cast it, so that is the sweet spot. Hook it right at the point of the carapace, in the earlobe-like area at the edge, by drilling the hook point back and forth with your fingers so it goes through cleanly without breaking into the body. Avoid the white internal part or the crab will not last.
Cast about fifteen feet beyond the fish, then reel the crab into its line of travel and let it go slack. A healthy crab, one whose legs click as they move, will swim to the bottom almost as fast as a fish, and a permit will pounce on it. Keep the crab wet and avoid practice casting, because each cast gives it a concussion and it stops swimming. The clicking, lively crab is the one that gets eaten.
When the permit eats and tails, raise the rod tip without moving the line, close the bail, and start reeling. The circle hook finds the corner of the mouth. Then keep reeling against the drag for about five seconds after it starts going out, which Mark Krowka taught me, to make sure the hook is set. Sometimes a permit turns straight at you and you do not get a solid set, so reeling a little extra keeps you tight before the fish takes off.
I fish two rods, but ninety percent of the time it is a seven-foot medium-heavy Saint Croix Avid with a Daiwa 3000 Ballistic, fifteen-pound J Braid, and a short fluoro leader. The summer rod is an eight-footer with ten-pound line for calm, spooky fish. I give the exact rod codes and reel details in the episode, so press play in the player above.
For years I watched J hooks fail, anglers getting bit and coming back with a smashed, empty crab, never feeling the fish. The 4/0 short-shank circle hook changed that, finding the corner of the mouth as you reel. I name my favorite hooks and explain the why in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The bait is the most important thing, and there is no debate that a live blue crab is the bait. I want one about two to two-and-a-half inches, hooked at the point of the carapace by drilling the hook through, kept wet and clicking-lively. Then I cast beyond the fish and bring it back into its path. I walk through it all in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Catching a permit on a spinning rod is one of the greatest things in all of angling. Reel against the drag to set, like Mark Krowka taught me, and if you fly fish for permit, catch a few on a crab first. You will understand the fish far better.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
permit · blue crab · spinning rod · circle hook · Saint Croix Avid · Daiwa Ballistic · J Braid · fluorocarbon leader · Mark Krowka · Florida Keys · grand slam · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
Subscribe to get the latest episodes, show notes, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.