DEL BROWN 2025 TOURNAMENT
July 7-10, 2025

Stalking Permit Since 2001

The Del Brown Permit Tournament is the original permit fly fishing tournament in the Keys and the longest running tournament of it’s kind in the world. This invitation only tournament memorializes the late Del Brown who caught 513 permit on a fly rod in his lifetime. The first Del Brown Permit Tournament was in 2001 in Key West. The tournament has been held annually ever since.

ANGLER/GUIDE0-46cm46-76cm76cm +DAY 10-46cm46-76cm76cm +DAY 20-46cm46-76cm76cm +DAY 3GRAND TOTAL
BOLANDER / FRIEDMAN0000
BORTNER / VANNIEUWLAND0000
BRUNE / GABLE0000
CARRUTHERS / BENSON0150 / 68cm150150 / 54cm150300
CHRISTIAN / HUFF0100 / 43cm150 / 50 cm250150 / 72cm150400
CRUZ / MCKAY00150 / 75cm150150
DEL BOSQUE / IRVINE00150 / 69cm150150
DOUGHERTY / LABADIE150 / 65cm200 / 80cm35000350
DUDLAR / HAMLIN0000
HARKINS / THOMPSON0000
HENDERSON / SNELL150 / 63cm15000150
KATSKI / ODELL0000
KAUFMAN / RUST0000
LEE / STELLS0150 / 72com1500150
LICHSTEIN / HORN0000
LYNCH / PHINNEY0000
MARGO / DELASHMIT0000
MORRISSEY / SELLERS0000
PACKO / BECKER0000
SEXTON / DUGGER0000
STINNETT /  SHARPE0000
UCAN / REA00150 / 68cm150150
VALLILEE / KILPATRICK0000
WARD / CYR100 / 43cm100150 / 63cm150450 / 71cm, 65cm, 67cm450700
Instagram post 18145277224323872
120 1
Thank you to everyone who came out this year to fish the Del Brown! We had 24 boats this year and although conditions were difficult the last day Mike Ward and Capt Brandon Cyr pulled it off with a 3-fish day!
Grand Champions - 700 points - Mike Ward and Capt Brandon Cyr. First Runner Up went to Scott Christian and Capt Chad Huff with 400 points, Runner Up was awarded to Robert Dougherty and Capt. Nick LaBadie with 350 points. They also walked away with the largest fish award with a permit measuring 80cm to the fork. Our fun bonefish division was awarded to Ivar Bolander and Capt Steve Friedman. Thanks to everyone for fishing and for our wonderful sponsors who help make this tournament a success! #delbrownpermittournament #delbrown #flyfishingaddict #permitonfly

Thank you to everyone who came out this year to fish the Del Brown! We had 24 boats this year and although conditions were difficult the last day Mike Ward and Capt Brandon Cyr pulled it off with a 3-fish day!
Grand Champions - 700 points - Mike Ward and Capt Brandon Cyr. First Runner Up went to Scott Christian and Capt Chad Huff with 400 points, Runner Up was awarded to Robert Dougherty and Capt. Nick LaBadie with 350 points. They also walked away with the largest fish award with a permit measuring 80cm to the fork. Our fun bonefish division was awarded to Ivar Bolander and Capt Steve Friedman. Thanks to everyone for fishing and for our wonderful sponsors who help make this tournament a success! #delbrownpermittournament #delbrown #flyfishingaddict #permitonfly
...

449 21
Day 2 take off from Perky Creek - thanks @david.morrrissey for the video #delbrownpermittournament #sugarloafkey #floridakeys @thefloridakeys

Day 2 take off from Perky Creek - thanks @david.morrrissey for the video #delbrownpermittournament #sugarloafkey #floridakeys @thefloridakeys ...

66 0
Many thanks to the huge support for our raffle which benefits @bonefishtarpontrust  Yeti has provided many of their popular products including some of the most recent additions to their product line! @yeti @papaspilar @blacktip_fabrication @patagonia @jmartinez_art @travislutherart @johnkobald @thomasandthomasflyrods @bajiosunglasses @danteskeywest @primesteakhousekeywest @theanglingcompany @turtleboxaudio

Many thanks to the huge support for our raffle which benefits @bonefishtarpontrust Yeti has provided many of their popular products including some of the most recent additions to their product line! @yeti @papaspilar @blacktip_fabrication @patagonia @jmartinez_art @travislutherart @johnkobald @thomasandthomasflyrods @bajiosunglasses @danteskeywest @primesteakhousekeywest @theanglingcompany @turtleboxaudio ...

70 3
One of our title sponsors the last few years is @papaspilar … their rum is extraordinary and they offer a highly sought after Rye now as well. Best thing is you can visit the distillery right here in Key West! #papaspilar #rumdistillery #keywestrum #delbrownpermittournament

One of our title sponsors the last few years is @papaspilar … their rum is extraordinary and they offer a highly sought after Rye now as well. Best thing is you can visit the distillery right here in Key West! #papaspilar #rumdistillery #keywestrum #delbrownpermittournament ...

19 0
Many thanks to @blacktip_fabrication for donating an Emperor Stool for our tournament raffle. If you haven’t used one of these on the bow of a skiff you owe it to yourself to try it! #emperorstool #blacktipfabrication #delbrownpermittournament #flyfishing

Many thanks to @blacktip_fabrication for donating an Emperor Stool for our tournament raffle. If you haven’t used one of these on the bow of a skiff you owe it to yourself to try it! #emperorstool #blacktipfabrication #delbrownpermittournament #flyfishing ...

97 0
Many thanks to @patagonia and @saltwateranglerkw for their continued support of thr Del Brown Permit Tournament

Many thanks to @patagonia and @saltwateranglerkw for their continued support of thr Del Brown Permit Tournament ...

95 7
Final day of the 2024 Del Brown. Good luck to all! @chittum_skiffs @southoftheseven #delbrownpermittournament

Final day of the 2024 Del Brown. Good luck to all! @chittum_skiffs @southoftheseven #delbrownpermittournament ...

94 0
The 2023 Del Brown Invitational is a wrap! Very warm weather made this tournament extra tough but several teams prevailed. A total of 12 permit were released over the 3-day event. The field consisted of 22 anglers and guides.
Grand Champions – Evan Carruthers & Capt. Will Benson – 4 permit, 500 points
First Runner-Up – Kat Vallilee and Capt. Doug Kilpatrick – 3 permit, 400 points
Runner-Up – Mike Ward & Capt. Brandon Cyr – 2 permit, 300 points
Largest Fish – Mike Ward & Capt. Brandon Cyr – 71 cm / 27.95″
Most Bonefish Releases – Miree Lee and Capt. Zach Stells – 400 points
Thanks to all the anglers and guides for coming out and competing. It was a tougher year this year! #delbrownpermittournament

 

2022 Tournament Results

Congrats to all our winners and so many thanks to everyone who came out to fish! The final results are: 19 permit released and one bonefish over the three day event. Seventeen boats participated this year. Grand champions Mike Ward and Capt Brandon Cyr with 900 points and 6 fish, second place went to Robert Dougherty and Capt. Nick LaBadie with 600 points and 4 fish, third place went to Clint Packo and Capt Simon Becker with three permit and 450 points. Third place went to a tie breaker by total inches. The largest permit was awarded to Robert Dougherty and Capt Nick LaBadie with a fish measuring 30.25” to the fork. The bonefish release category was won by Tom del Bosque and Capt Scott Irvine.

Grand Champions
Mike Ward, Spokane, WA
Capt. Brandon Cyr, Big Pine Key, FL
6 Permit Released – 900 points total

First Runner-Up
Robert Dougherty of Dallas, TX
Capt. Nick LaBadie of Key West, FL
4 Permit Released – 600 points total – Largest permit – 30.25″

Runner-Up
Clint Packo of Littleton, CO
Capt. Simon Becker of Cudjoe Key, FL
3 Permit Released – 450 points total

Largest Permit
Robert Dougherty of Dallas, TX
Capt. Nick LaBadie of Key West, FL
30.25″ to the fork 

Most Bonefish Releases
Tom del Bosque of Boca Raton, FL
Capt. Scott Irvine of Key West, FL

2025 Del Brown Dates
July 7-10, 2025
Sugarloaf Key, FL

The 2024 Del Brown Invitational is a wrap! A total of 16 permit were released over the 3-day event. The field consisted of 24 anglers and guides.
Grand Champions – Mike Ward and Capt. Brandon Cyr – 700 points
First Runner-Up – Scott Christian and Capt. Chad Huff – 400 points
Runner-Up – Robert Dougherty and Capt. Nick LaBadie – 350 points
Largest Fish – Robert Dougherty and Capt. Nick LaBadie – 80cm to the fork
Most Bonefish Releases – Ivar Bolander and Capt. Steve Friedman
Thanks to all the anglers and guides for coming out and competing. Many thanks to all of our gracious sponsors this year. I am always so apprecitive for the support of the local businesses and industry sponsors. 
Many thanks to YETI, Patagonia, Papa’s Pilar and Simms Fishing for being our title sponsors along with our gracious hosts for the event at South of the Seven restaurant on Sugarloaf Key.  #delbrownpermittournament
Patagonia Fly Fish
Patagonia Fly Fish
Papa's Pilar
Papa's Pilar
Papa's Pilar

Many thanks to all the supporters of the Del Brown, both past and present. We appreciate your generosity greatly!

Patagonia Fly Fish
Saltwater Angler Key West
Chittum Skiffs - The world's most technologically advanced composite flats skiff.
Square Grouper Bar and Grill
Dante's Key West
Prime Steakhouse
Yeti Coolers
Bajio Sunglasses
Seven Mile Fly Shop
Sugarloaf Marina
Blacktip Fabrication
Papa's Pilar

John Kobald
Kobald Art

Captains For Clean Water
Trust the Bum
Travis Luther Art
Simms Fishing
Thomas & Thomas
The Angling Company Key West
International Game Fish Association

About Del Brown

The Del Brown Permit Tournament is dedicated to the man who made permit fishing with a fly rod famous, the late Del Brown. Brown caught 513 permit on a fly rod in his lifetime. Brown tied a fly called the “Merkin” that was a close enough representation of a crab that permit rushed to eat it. Today there are many styles of the Merkin fly, most of them are a representation of Brown’s crab. The Del Brown Permit Tournament was established in 2001 and continues to honor the late Del Brown with this annual event in July. The Del Brown makes a contribution to Bonefish Tarpon Trust annually to the Jon Ain Memorial Fund for continued permit research.

Del Brown