July 10 – 13, 2022
Sugarloaf Key, Florida
Tournament Results
The 2021 Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament hosted 22 boats with an outstanding field of anglers and guides. The three day fishing event was hosted at South of the Seven restaurant in Sugarloaf Key.
Totals for the field include 15 permit released and 28 bonefish. Although this is primarily a permit tournament we have a fun division for bonefish.
Grand Champions
Clint Packo of Littleton, CO
Capt. Simon Becker of Cudjoe Key, FL
5 Permit Released – 700 points total
First Runner-Up
Nathaniel Linville of Key West
Capt. John O’Hearn of Key West
2 Permit Released – 300 points total – 48.25 total inches
Runner-Up
Wes Smith of Dallas, TX
Capt. Nick LaBadie of Key West, FL
2 Permit Released – 300 points total – 48 total inches
Largest Permit
Clint Packo & Capt Simon Becker
29.5″
Most Bonefish Releases
Jose Ucan of Punta Allen, Mexico
Capt. Justin Rea of Sugarloaf Key, FL
16 bonefish released
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
Day 2 of the Del Brown Results: 3 permit released by three different teams. Nathaniel Linville, 26” fish, 150 points, Clint Packo, 26” fish, 150 points and Scott Harkins, 21” fish, 150 Points. Leader is Clint Packo & Capt. Simon Becker with three fish and 450 points. Final day is tomorrow! Check the link in bio for complete scoreboard #permit #permitonfly #flyfishingforpermit #delbrownpermittournament #sugarloafkey
Day 2 of the Del Brown is underway! Good luck everyone!
#delbrownpermittournament #permitonfly #permitflyfishing #permitfishing #delbrown #sugarloafkey #floridakeys #flyfishing @chittum_skiffs @simmsfishing @bajiosunglasses @patagonia_flyfish @yeti @southoftheseven @jmartinez_art @squaregrouperbarandgrill @sunbum @tailingpermit @saltwateranglerkw @theanglingcompany @realsaltlife @thomasandthomasflyrods @thefloridakeys @bonefishtarpontrust
Day 1 is complete! 8 permit released, largest being 29.5” to the fork… great job everyone!
check https://delbrown.com/scoreboard for the results #delbrown #permitonfly #delbrownpermittournament #flyfishing
We have a lot of great items for our participants this year… thank you @yeti @simmsfishing @chittum_skiffs and @tailingpermit for the cool hats, shirts and of course a nice sized Yeti bottle for your beverage of choice. #delbrownpermittournament #permitonfly #flyfishingaddict #flyfishing #sugarloafkey
Good morning from Sugarloaf! Good luck everyone! Day 1 of the 2021 Del Brown is underway! @southoftheseven #sugarloafmarina
So much fun tonight with a great group! Thanks to @southoftheseven for a fabulous meal with good friends ❤️ and thanks for the support from our friends at Thomas & Thomas @thomasandthomasflyrods #permitonfly #delbrownpermittournament #flyfishing #floridakeysflyfishing #tournamentfishing
Many thanks to Bajio Sunglasses for being a sponsor of the 2021 Del Brown! Check them out @bajiosunglasses #fresheyesforarichlife #bajio #bajiosunglasses #delbrown #permitonfly
A big thanks to @jmartinez_art for the killer t-shirt image and largest permit original paintings… and to all our sponsors for their part in helping make this event a success #delbrownpermittournament #permitonfly #sugarloaf #sugarloafkey
This is the 20th Annual Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament. The event began in 2001 and the late Del Brown attended the social events back then. #permitonfly #permitfishing
The 20th Annual Del Brown Invitational Permit Tournament kicks off this Sunday evening at South of the Seven. Many thanks to Chef Paul and Krissy for hosting this years tournament in Sugarloaf Key! @southoftheseven #southoftheseven #permitonfly #permitfishing #delbrown
Get used to the view... the 2021 Del Brown starts on July 18th @southoftheseven on Sugarloaf Key
The 16th Annual March Merkin began this morning with boats departing for fishing at 7:30 AM! Good luck to all the anglers and guides! They have a great online silent auction with gear, trips, art and more! Check it out here: https://permit21.givesmart.com
Help us raise funds to support the fly guiding community! In order to keep our favorite guiding operations in business, @codyrichardsonscreations will be donating 30% of every piece sold to the buyer’s favorite fishing guide. Simply put your guide’s name and contact info in the “Special Notes & Requests” before adding the piece to your cart, and they will make sure the funds are disbursed. Let’s work together to help those who have created so many memories for anglers everywhere #flyfishing #flyfishingnation #flyfishingjunkie #fishart #fishartfriday #flyfishingguides @codyrichardsonscreations
Check out the March Merkin Silent Auction! It’s online and has lots of great items - trips, art, fly rods, fly reels, sunglasses, and gift certificates to fabulous local restaurants - text ‘permit2020’ to 76278 to start 👀 and bid! @marchmerkin
So many great folks come to Key West for the Del Brown each year and I have to say we were fortunate to release 29 Permit in the three days of the event. Congrats again to Mr. Sand Flea and Capt. Will Benson for a great victory! #permitfishing #permitonfly #flyfishing #saltlife #saltyflyfishing #keywestfishing #keywestflyfishing #delbrownpermittournament #perpetualtrophy @chris_bladen_sculpture @captwillbenson @mrsandflea
The largest permit for the 2019 Del Brown was caught by the Grand Champions Alejandro Vega Cruz from Holbox, MX and Capt Will Benson of Sugarloaf Key. Their largest fish measured a whopping 32.25” to the fork. Scott Harkins of Steamboat Springs CO also landed a 30-incher on the final day, another impressive catch! He was fishing with Capt Kris Suplee. Original paintings by fish artist Jorge Martinez were awarded for the largest permit on fly. @jmartinez_art @captwillbenson @mrsandflea @sharkins970 @supleeflyfishing #permitonfly
It’s a wrap! Grand Champion Angler Alejandro Vega “Sand Flea” Cruz and Capt Will Benson landed two Permit today, one measuring 32.25” to the fork. Total points 1100. First Runner-Up, José Ucan landed one permit today with Capt. Justin Rea. Total points 1050. Runner-up Angler Chris Stinnett landed three fish on the first day with Capt Rob Kramarz. Total 450 points. The largest fish is awarded to Alejandro Vega Cruz and Capt Will Benson. Most releases of bonefish is Jim Knowles and Capt Peter Heydon with four releases. Congrats to all! #delbrownpermittournament @mrsandflea @captwillbenson @jose.aka.careto @captjustinrea @tailingpermit @robkramarz @saltykeyschick
One of our competitors, Chris Stinnett loves Permit fishing so much he has a line of clothing and hats called Tailing Permit. They supplied all our participants with a custom Patagonia hoodie and hat for the event. Thank you so much! @tailingpermit @cstinnett #permitking #permitonfly #tailingpermit #keywest #delbrownpermittournament
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.
