{"id":9252,"date":"2025-05-03T12:16:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T16:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tailflyfishing.com\/?p=9252"},"modified":"2025-05-03T12:16:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T16:16:18","slug":"one-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tailflyfishing.com\/one-more\/","title":{"rendered":"One More!"},"content":{"rendered":"

One More<\/span><\/h1>\n

Washington angler Mike Ward surpasses Del Brown\u2019s legendary permit mark, and his compulsion for the next one won\u2019t let him stop. <\/span><\/h2>\n

By Trey Reid<\/span><\/p>\n

Nothing was going right for Mike Ward. He\u2019d had more than two dozen shots at permit but couldn\u2019t put a fly anywhere close to one. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I had a different fly line or what,\u201d Ward says, \u201cbut something was majorly off.\u201d Time was slipping away on the third day of the 2016 March Merkin permit tournament in the Florida Keys. A few minutes before lines-out, Ward and guide Don Gable spotted a large permit tailing away from them.<\/span><\/p>\n

His first cast fell wide. The next wasn\u2019t much better. The third shot also missed. \u201cI was not in a good head space,\u201d Ward recalls. But on the next attempt, he dropped the fly in front of the fish. It ate it and sped away\u2014around a buoy on a crab pot. The water was too shallow for the motor, so Gable had to pole the skiff over to the buoy for Ward to clear the line. Their timer buzzed to signal lines-out as the permit raced off the flat toward a channel, but tournament rules allowed fish hooked before the cutoff to be landed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then this fish just starts circling,\u201d Ward says. \u201cBig circles.\u201d The permit came to the surface with a big hammerhead shark in pursuit. \u201cSo we start the motor and take two big circles around him,\u201d Ward says. \u201cThe shark leaves. The fish gets to the other side of the channel and takes this blistering run, and it\u2019s just kicking up water. This big hammerhead goes right behind him, up onto the flat.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

They ran toward the shark again to get between it and the permit. \u201cWe basically, like, bump the shark with the boat,\u201d Ward says. Almost all of his backing was out, under the boat, and Ward frantically stripped yards and yards of it into a pile at his feet. When the line went tight, the fish was still on. Ward cleared the backing, but as soon as the fish was on the reel, the backing wrapped around his reel handle.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WashingtonIt had happened before, so Ward knew just what to do. \u201cMy move is just to run off the boat toward the fish, and while I\u2019m in the air, I take my left hand and push the line over the reel handle to get it off. It worked, and I\u2019m super stoked. But when I saw Don, his eyes looked like dinner plates. He was screaming, What are you doing? Get in the boat!<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve totally lost track that we just had a hammerhead all over us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward escaped violent death, landed the fish, and made it to check-in on time. But his hands were still shaking when he turned in his scorecard and photo for the 30-inch permit, which turned out to be the tournament\u2019s biggest fish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward\u2019s obsession with permit is legendary. He has caught more than 500 with a fly rod and, in February, surpassed the 513 permit amassed by the late fly-fishing legend Del Brown. Although there\u2019s no actual \u201crecord\u201d for permit caught in the way that tippet, line-class, and length records are kept, Brown\u2019s feat of 513 permit on fly is held in the highest regard among saltwater fly anglers. It\u2019s generally recognized that only one other angler, Alejandro \u201cSandflea\u201d Vega of Holbox, Mexico, who Ward calls a friend, has caught more permit on fly. Vega lays claim to more than 600.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward isn<\/span>\u2019<\/span>t in a permit-catching contest with Del Brown, Sandflea, or anybody else, but he aims to catch many more. Years ago, he made up his mind that he wanted to catch 1,000. He\u2019s done the math. It\u2019s possible. But it will require no small amount of time, energy, money, luck, good tides and moons, family support, and more\u2014all for a fish that\u2019s famously uncooperative.<\/span><\/p>\n

LONG SHOTS<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The essence of fishing lies in the pursuit of the possible. Using hook and line to connect to a creature from a different realm is sometimes probable, rarely certain, but always possible<\/i>. \u201cElusive but attainable,\u201d as John Buchan put it. There\u2019s probably no greater proof of this concept than fly fishing for permit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Permit lack the size and strength of tarpon and pelagic species and don\u2019t make the electrifying runs of bonefish. Yet, saltwater fly anglers consider them one of the sport\u2019s greatest challenges. Most anglers passionate about permit can tell you precisely how many they\u2019ve brought to hand\u2014and can recite the memorable and more common defeats with even greater fervor. Reverence comes from their elusiveness.<\/span><\/p>\n

They are circumspect, equivocal, and mostly ignore artificial flies\u2014 \u201clike trying to bait a tiger with watermelons,\u201d wrote Thomas McGuane. But when one of the fickle bastards finally sucks in the fake, it\u2019s a king-hell rush of fantastic energy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s trying to pick up a girl that<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s out of your league,\u201d says Captain Brandon Cyr, a Key West guide who\u2019s been fishing permit tournaments with Ward since 2022. \u201cNine times out of ten, you<\/span>\u2019<\/span>re going to strike out. But that one time is one of the greatest nights of your life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Encounters with permit are so uncommon that they touch something intangible, transcendent, and otherworldly. They are the Holy Ghost of the Grand Slam trilogy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the constant challenge that keeps you wanting more,\u201d Ward says. \u201cFor somebody who loves the creative process of problem-solving, there are so many rabbit holes you can go down with permit to try and figure it out that it\u2019s a never-ending quest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward, 43, grew up in Mount Vernon, Washington, near Seattle, and now lives in Spokane. His first permit came on his first saltwater fly-fishing trip less than 20 years ago. A Montana fly-fishing guide at the time, he traveled to Mexico and caught a permit on his second day at Ascension Bay. \u201cI could see the tail out there,\u201d he recalls. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>It was probably 90 feet, and at the time, I did not have a 90-foot cast in my arsenal. Somehow, I get all the momentum going, and the line shoots and keeps going, and the fly lands two feet in front of the fish. And I<\/span>\u2019<\/span>m like, <\/span>\u2018<\/span>Oh, shit!\u2019 I was amazed, just shocked.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The guide called for pulsing strips, and the permit coursed towards the boat just below the surface. When the guide called \u201cstop,\u201d Ward stopped the fly. It sank, and Ward watched the permit inhale the fly. \u201cAt that moment,\u201d he says, \u201cI was hooked for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ascension Bay\u2019s permit weren\u2019t as cooperative the rest of the trip. \u201cI probably had 150 shots, and I couldn\u2019t make it happen,\u201d Ward says. \u201cI was like, \u2018Oh, okay, now I get it.\u2019 I think that\u2019s what made me want it more. It was like getting high and then realizing you don\u2019t have any more weed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward\u2019s permit quests had a relatively slow start. He took a trip a year for the first few years, catching one here or there. He estimates catching a permit every 12 to 15 days on the water. The only thing holding him back was the cost of his pursuit. Over the years, he\u2019s had success with his business, Adipose Boatworks, and other investments. Ultimately, he admits, catching permit \u201cjust fully consumed me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward calls his pursuit a \u201cjourney,\u201d with the spiritual connotation carrying more weight than the act of travel. Not that Ward hasn\u2019t piled up the frequent-flier miles. He\u2019s caught multiple permit species in 11 countries, including Australia, Seychelles, Mauritius, Oman, and the usual permit spots around the Caribbean. \u201cI<\/span>\u2019<\/span>ve gone to a lot of other places and not been successful,\u201d he adds.\u00a0 <\/span>But Ward\u2019s definition of the journey centers on a different kind of quest: understanding an enigma.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt took Jon Olch seven years to write A Passion for Permit<\/i>,\u201d Ward says. \u201cThe amount of information is just ridiculous. It<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s never-ending.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His permit fascination traces back to a general passion for fish that started in early childhood. When he tied Del Brown\u2019s mark, his mother sent him a text message reminding him that, at three years old, the first thing he said upon waking up most mornings was, \u201cCan we go fishing today?\u201d And his final words before sleep most nights were, \u201cCan we go fishing tomorrow?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know I<\/span>\u2019<\/span>ve always had a huge passion for fishing in all forms,\u201d Ward says. \u201cIt\u2019s a little surprising that it was this fish. I did a lot of bass fishing growing up, so I\u2019d have thought it would\u2019ve been tarpon or snook. And I had no idea about the permit, but there\u2019s no other fish like them. They\u2019re so their own thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward\u2019s fixation extends to the Florida Keys permit tournaments, where he has dominated the big events over the past three years. After teaming up with Cyr in 2022, Ward started an incredible run of seven wins in nine tournaments they fished together.<\/span><\/p>\n

For Cyr, it all comes down to focus. \u201cA lot of it is staying in the right mindset,\u201d Cyr says. \u201cMike has a very positive mindset. I think that\u2019s a key thing for him. He\u2019s happy, and he truly loves it. You pretty much know that you will be accepting defeat almost every day. It takes a special kind of person to drive past that and dissect it and figure it out.\u201d Cyr has heard it all when it comes to describing hardcore permit anglers. \u201cBut the first thing that comes to mind for Mike,\u201d he says, \u201cis \u2018open-minded.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cyr says guides frequently see two types of anglers: those who want or need to be entirely directed by the guide and those who know everything and don\u2019t listen. While execution and delivery are essential, so is listening to the guide. Ward can drop a fly within a foot or two of a spot, without looking or knowing the fish\u2019s location, simply from Cyr\u2019s commands on direction and distance. \u201cHe knows exactly my three o\u2019clock, 30 feet,\u201d Cyr says.<\/span><\/p>\n

He illustrates the point with a story about his favorite permit that Ward has caught in their tournaments together. Pushing across the first flat one morning, Cyr spotted a fish directly behind the boat, swimming into the sun\u2014a worst-case scenario. He instructed Ward to cast 20 feet past the stern at three o\u2019clock. Unable to see the fish, Ward flung the line above Cyr, who ducked down on the poling platform and then translated and directed the action. After a couple of strips and a pause, the fish went down on the fly. Ward stripped and came tight, forcing Cyr into wild contortions to avoid contact with the fly line\u2014a disqualifying action in the tournaments\u2014that was dancing alongside the platform. They landed the fish and went on to win the tournament.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t listen,\u201d says Cyr, who guides 280 days a year. \u201cPeople never listen when I tell them what to do. That\u2019s just part of my occupation, and I\u2019ve accepted that. And it\u2019s so cool to have somebody who puts blind faith in me 100 percent, trusts me, and listens. That\u2019s a rare thing for an angler to do with a guide.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the only thing uncommon about Ward. He may be one of the most wildly successful permit anglers in fly-fishing history, but if you met him at a fly shop or fishing show, you\u2019d never know it unless someone else told you. If you\u2019re expecting an insufferable prick, you\u2019re reading the wrong story because it\u2019s hard not to like Mike Ward.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLIVING OFF THE VIBES\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no shortage of anglers crowing about their success on social media, but Ward\u2019s Instagram profile isn\u2019t a place to find shameless self-promotion. He posts as much about his wife, kids, and pets as he does his permit trips. His announcement about tying Brown\u2019s record was humble and gracious. He called it \u201ca special day\u201d and thanked God, his family, the guides, the many people he\u2019d met, and the friends he\u2019d made along the way. He took special care to call out Brown and his pioneering contributions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward also paid tribute to Brown by using a Seamaster Mark III reel for the record-tying permit. It\u2019s the same model Brown used for his International Game Fish Association world-record 41-pound, 8-ounce permit on 8-pound tippet, still the largest permit in the IGFA\u2019s tippet-class fly tackle records. \u201cI give him a lot of credit,\u201d Ward says. \u201cThe arbor on that thing is so tiny. That fish was half of what Del<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s was, and my hand was cramped so bad at the end.\u201d Ward also honored tradition and leveled the playing field by using a custom bamboo rod for the historic catch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward speaks at a measured, introspective pace, easy to follow, like the long, steady strip of a fly line. He seems almost uncomfortable talking about himself, although he becomes more animated and energetic when the conversation turns to the fish. He\u2019s a fan of Barry Sanders, the NFL Hall of Fame running back known for his humility.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe is such a down-to-earth person,\u201d Cyr says. \u201cHis entire motto in life is living off of good vibes and getting the bad out. I\u2019ve been around a lot of people, and Mike is one of the most genuine, loving, good dudes that I\u2019ve ever spent some time with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Ward had fished tournaments such as the Del Brown, March Merkin, and IGFA Invitational for a decade, it wasn\u2019t until he connected with Cyr that he started to have consistent success. They had met years earlier at Cyr\u2019s first tournament. The young guide was in his early 20s at the time and was nervous and anxious. Other guides had cautioned him to keep his head down and stay quiet. Cyr was sitting alone at a pre-tournament meeting and dinner when Ward walked over and introduced himself. \u201cHe was the only person who talked to me,\u201d Cyr recalls. \u201cAnd it wasn\u2019t just small talk. He wanted to know about me, about my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They crossed paths over the years but didn\u2019t get to know each other until Ward reached out to Cyr about teaming up for tournaments in 2022. Cyr wasn\u2019t sold on the idea. The relationship between guides and anglers is a complicated alchemy. Cyr wasn\u2019t interested in spending time with an angler he didn\u2019t mesh with. \u201cI was honest,\u201d Cyr says. \u201cI said we need to have a tryout because we might not vibe in the boat.\u201d Cyr\u2019s concerns were soon quelled. \u201cWe got on the boat, and the first time out, we got a permit, and we laughed the whole day,\u201d Cyr says. They have the same taste in music\u2014whenever Ward hooks up with a permit, Cyr turns on reggae for a relaxing vibe during the fight. \u201cI really respect Mike a lot in that he views it as a team,\u201d Cyr says. \u201cIt<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s not just him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

FAMILY MATTERS<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s another kind of teamwork critical to Ward\u2019s success. He and his wife, Kelsey, have been married for almost 22 years. With three children, his fishing trips mean Kelsey often carries a heavier load. \u201cMy wife is an absolute rock star,\u201d Ward says. \u201cShe picks up the slack from the things I can<\/span>\u2019<\/span>t do when I<\/span>\u2019<\/span>m gone. And she doesn<\/span>\u2019<\/span>t complain, doesn<\/span>\u2019<\/span>t hold a grudge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ward says fishing is in his DNA, and Kelsey knew she was marrying a fisherman. \u201cI didn\u2019t have much money,\u201d Ward says, \u201cbut I told her my prenup is the fact that I fish.\u201d But it\u2019s a big leap from avid fisherman to the extreme commitment of time and resources needed to catch hundreds of the planet\u2019s most elusive fish. When Ward\u2019s pursuit of permit became \u201ca thing,\u201d he says, he sat down with Kelsey and explained the situation. Fly fishing for permit is physically taxing. Boat rides aren\u2019t easy. As anglers age, balance and eyesight erode. If Ward was going to catch an unfathomable number of permit, he needed to get busy while he could. \u201cI had to convey how passionate I am about this,\u201d he says. \u201cThankfully, she<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s been super supportive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His brother, Andy, helped him find perspective and balance. \u201cHe told me that he didn\u2019t want my kids to think I love fishing more than I love them,\u201d Mike says. \u201cI heard that. I totally agree that I need to make it apparent to my kids, not just through words but through actions, that they mean more to me than anything else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cyr says that perspective is abundantly apparent in the Ward household. With a solid management team in place at Adipose, Ward can devote himself to the family when he\u2019s at home. He coaches the teams and goes to the plays. Even when he\u2019s traveling, he stays connected. He and Cyr will call Kelsey and the kids during fishing tournaments. \u201cShe\u2019s our good luck charm,\u201d Cyr says. \u201cAnd his kids. We\u2019ll call his kids on the way to school and say, \u2018Hey, we<\/span>\u2019<\/span>re on a flat. We haven<\/span>\u2019<\/span>t seen much. We could really use some luck right now.\u2019 And they have a little saying that they<\/span>\u2019<\/span>ll say. Or he<\/span>\u2019<\/span>ll catch one, and the first thing he does is like, \u2018I gotta call Kelsey.\u2019 He is such a family dude.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Grounded by his family and their support, and with a positive outlook on both fishing and life, Ward hasn\u2019t allowed the rarified air to fuel the fires of ego. If he needs more humility, the permit provide it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe fish constantly humbles you,\u201d he says. \u201cAs soon as you think you\u2019re amazing, they will show you you\u2019re not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Permit fishing is a constantly changing puzzle. When you think you\u2019ve figured it out, the pieces shape-shift in your hands. You find a tide and moon that produces on a certain flat\u2014until it doesn\u2019t anymore. The magic fly never works again. And then you start over.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s awesome, right?\u201d Cyr says. \u201cIt keeps it exciting. The hunt never stops. It\u2019s something we\u2019ll never be able to master in our lives because the fishery is changing and the fish are changing. And it\u2019s just spectacular. I don\u2019t know what more you could possibly ask for in a gamefish than that.\u201d The pieces so rarely fit together that, when they do, the resulting sensation is deep and primal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a certain feeling you get when you catch a permit, and once it passes, all I want to do is catch another one,\u201d Ward says. \u201cI<\/span>\u2019<\/span>m not caught up in catching a thousand. But every time, I want the next one. I just want one. I just want it all the time. It never goes away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Permit guilt, creeping conflict, and fly fishing ecstasy in Belize<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n