Jack Samson and the Mantis Shrimp

Ive read every bit of literature on permit fishing, my favourite being Jack Samsons book "Fly Fishing for Permit".  On what I have read and watched on youtube I have developed an assumption ... that one of the reasons permit are so hard to catch is that when conditions arent visually perfect it becomes almost impossible to see the take.  Permit dont like chasing crabs and the only movement they like to see is a crab dropping through the water column.

Jack Samson addressed this by creating a mantis shrimp fly that towards the end of his fly fihsing career (a decade he devoted almost entirely to permit) he fished almost exclusively.  He also wrote that the development of the mantis shrimp fly will see a complete change in Permit fly fishing- as Permit will chase a Mantis Shrimp and therefor dont get the chance to inspect it like a crab (fly), which results in more positive, aggressive takes.

Jack Samson

Jack Samson Mantis Shrimp

Jacks dreams were never realized.  The crab flies still dominate.  Except for maybe the Avalon.. and who knows what the hell fish think those are.

The Avalon Fly - I still dont get it.

Without disrespect- Jacks mantis shrimp was pretty ugly and badly tied but  did still account for the lions share of his later life fish.  It also swam the wrong way round.

Either way, I plan on spending the twilight years of my life doing exactly what Jack did.... wading and being poled around paradise casting at tailing Permit and listening to my classic Charlton reel sing.  But with a better Mantis Shrimp on the end of my fly line.

This video shows is absolutely incredible for a fly tyer.  Its the first time ive seen a prey items behaviour with its life in serious danger.  And it shows exactly how wrong we get it.  The mantis swims forward almost all the time.

wrong way round

wronf way round again.

another cool Mantis video.