July 16-19, 2023
Sugarloaf Key, FL
2023 Del Brown Dates
July 16 – 19, 2023
Sugarloaf Key, FL
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
Good morning from Key West! Good luck to all the anglers and guides fishing the IGFA Permit Invitational Tournament! Check out @igfa_official for results for Day 2 later today! #permit #permitonfly #flatcalm #sunrise #keywestsunrise #permitfishing #crabflies
Thanks again to Papa’s Pilar for their support of the Del Brown! They provided these authentic rum barrel awards to our Grand Champions Mike Ward and Capt. Brandon Cyr @papaspilar #rum #pilarrum #papaspilar #flyfishing #delbrown #keywestrumdistillery
One of our oldest sponsors and great supporters of the Del Brown and Cuda Bowl Key West ! Awesome food and cocktails and super cool T-shirt’s and more! Square Grouper Bar and Grill My New Joint
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. #permitonfly #permitfishing #delbrown #permittournament #flyfishing #flyfish #skifflife #flatsfishing
Many thanks to @fishewear for the amazing permit gear for our lady anglers. Check them out! #fishewear #ladyangler #girlsrule @katv22 @mireelovesfishinglee
Tonight we have our awards immediately following the end of scoring and we will be auctioning off these beautifully sculpted Florida mahogany sculptures. These are done by local flats & fly fishing guide Rob Kramarz. They are one of a kind! #fishart #fishsculpture #woodworking #flyfishing #permitonfly #delbrown
Thanks to Orvis we all our participants have a brand new Ultralight Storm 2.5L Jacket. Perfect for our Keys summer rain showers. #orvisflyfishing #orvis #rainjacket #permitonfly #fishingtournament #florida #keys #floridakeysfishing
A big thank you to Simms for being a big supporter of the Del Brown! @simmsfishing #fishinghat #fishitwell #permitonfly #permitfishing #floridakeys #keywest #sugarloafkey #papaspilar #rumbarrel
Yeti has been a proud supporter of the Del Brown for many years. Their products are made to last and this mug is a must. #yeti #yetirambler #yeticups #delbrown #permitfishing #adultbeverages #bestcoffeemugever
Day 2 results! Three teams are tied at 450 points each. Seven permit released today. Great job everyone! #permitonfly #delbrown #fishingtournament #flyfishing #skifflife #sugarloafmarina @southoftheseven
Thank you @jmartinez_art for your beautiful art for this years Largest Permit award. Jorge has supported the Del Brown since its inception in 2001! ❤️ #fishingartist #fishingart #fishart #permit #permitonfly #delbrown #keywest #skifflife #merkin #btd
Day 2 is underway! Good luck everyone! #permitonfly #flyfish #sugarloafkey #floridakeys #skifflife #permitfishing #palometa #sugarloafmarina
Five permit released yesterday in the first day of fishing … here are two of them released by Chris Stinnett and Mike Ward #permitonfly #delbrown #sugarloafkey @tailingpermit @palometa_en_el_cerebro
So many thanks to Papa’s Pilar Rum for their support of the Del Brown! Visit them in downtown Key West at the corner of Simonton & Greene St. @papaspilar #papaspilar #keywestrum #drinkrum #piratesdrinkrum #permitonfly #delbrown
Good Luck to all the anglers and guides! Day 1 of the 2022 Del Brown is under way.
A great evening @southoftheseven with great friends to kick off the 21st Del Brown Permit Tournament! So many thanks for all the support of our sponsors and to all the anglers and guides for coming out to fish! Boats depart for fishing from Sugarloaf tomorrow at 7:30am! @southoftheseven #permitonfly #permitfishing #palometa #flyfishing #flyfish #permitjunkie #merkin #flats #keywestflorida #sugarloafkey
Many thanks to our sponsors for the love and support for the Del Brown Tournament! Especially our hosts and headquarters for the event @southoftheseven
The Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament kicks off this Sunday with our Captain's Meeting and Dinner followed by three days of fishing!
Check out the silent auction for our friends at the Lower Keys Guides Association & Sugarloaf Showdown! They have some great gear, trips, gift certificates to local restaurants & businesses, and fabulous art!
https://showdown2021.givesmart.com
The 2021 Del Brown is a wrap! Congrats to our Grand Champion Clint Packo and Capt. Simon Becker who release 5 permit over the three day event. Second place went to Nathaniel Linville and Capt. John O’Hearn with two permit and third place went to Wes Smith and Capt. Nick LaBadie with two permit. Our bonefish division was won by Jose Ucan and Capt. Justin Rea. Thank you to all the participants, our wonderful sponsors and to the staff at South of the Seven for the great event @southoftheseven #delbrown #permitonfly #flyfishing #flyfishingnation #permitfishing #allpermitmatter
Del Brown 2022 – JULY 10 – 13
The 2022 Del Brown Permit Tournament will be held July 10th through 21st in Sugarloaf Key. The tournament for 2021 is full but please email us if you wish to be put on the waiting list for future events.
July 10th
Kick-off Dinner
South of the Seven Restaurant – Sugarloaf Key
5:30PM
July 11th
Fishing Day
Depart Sugarloaf at 7:30AM – Lines out at 3:30PM
Scoring until 4:30PM at South of the Seven Restaurant
July 12th
Fishing Day
Depart Sugarloaf at 7:30AM – Lines out at 3:30PM
Scoring until 4:30PM at South of the Seven Restaurant
July 13th
Fishing Day
Depart Sugarloaf at 7:30AM – Lines out at 3:30PM
Scoring until 4:30PM at South of the Seven Restaurant
Awards immediately following at 5PM
Sugarloaf Marina will be open early for use of the ramp, ice, drinks and snacks.
Breakfast to go will be available and lunch. Drinks and food after fishing at South of the Seven.
Many thanks to all the supporters of the Del Brown, both past and present. We appreciate your generosity greatly!
John Kobald
Kobald Art
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.
