Best American Adventures: Fly Fish For the Florida Keys Slam

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By Doug Schnitzspahn; Photograph by Ronald C. Modra, Sports Imagery/Getty Images

Ever since legends like Stu Apte and baseball Hall
of Famer Ted Williams started catching big game fish in Florida’s
waters on fly rods, the biggest prize here has been the Florida Keys
slam—bonefish, permit, tarpon. Each species presents its own challenges
and rewards, which makes going for the slam such a rush for veteran
saltwater fly anglers. To tick off all three species you will need to
exercise a wide range of skills.

Haunting the
flats, bonefish require precise casting and perfect presentation. A
guide poles you through mangrove flats and you have one shot at the
fish—sight fishing at its finest. Permit can be in deeper water and put
up a tremendous pound-for-pound fight—some anglers consider the permit
the most challenging of the slam species. Finally, the prehistoric
tarpon is a test of finesse versus brawn. Keep it on the line and you
will have reeled in a 100-pound (45-kilogram) fish on a fly rod. Well
done. Now head to Sloppy Joe’s famed bar on Key West, where Hemingway
used to hang out, and tell tall tales.

Need to Know: Spend a day on a flat skiff with Florida Keys Fly Fish (www.floridakeysflyfish.com), starting at $550 per person.