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Evan's epic, prize-winning hero shot, brought to you by Soul Fly Lodge
Without further ado, the most glorious photograph itself:
Malik, Evan, and a VERY BIG permit
Evan ends up at Soul Fly in September 2026
When a longtime client could no longer make his trip as planned, he asked Evan to take his spot at Soul Fly Lodge in the Bahamas this past September. While we can't comment on whether Evan's arm needed any twisting, this trip ended up being truly memorable for many reasons. Obviously, number one being that permit (I mean, would you just look at it?!). The smiles on Evan and guide Malik's faces tell you all you need to know.
In recognition of the catch, Evan got to put his very own permit on the hallowed wall of permit at Soul Fly (see below). These beautiful wooden fish are carved by a local artist. When an angler catches a permit at Soul Fly, he gets to leave his mark by adding his fish to the wall. It is a gorgeous legacy.
Evan's handmade permit
The wall of permit
More takeaways from Soul Fly
In addition to landing the permit of a lifetime, Evan made the most of his time in the Bahamas by really connecting with Soul Fly's wonderful guides. He asked them all about their knot preferences, which we covered in Evan's September "Ask Evan" column, and he learned about their fishing experience, methodology, and the Soul Fly training program.
Evan also recorded this wonderful video of Freddie Dames explaining what it means to "be ready" when pursuing permit with crab or shrimp flies (ready Freddie!).
Recognition back home
Shortly after Evan's return from the Bahamas, he joined us at the Compleat Angler's 2026 Fall Fest. Evan enjoyed the pig roast, live music from Rusty Gear, lawn games, and conversation along with the rest of us. He was surprised to learn that not only had his hero shot been entered into the photo contest, but it had earned second place by popular vote! Evan graciously accepted the award and passed along the prize to another entrant.
Evan wins 2nd place at the Compleat Angler's 2026 Fall Fest
A few more gorgeous pictures from Soul Fly...
We are also thrilled to note that Soul Fly has some super-rare last-minute openings:
- November 1-7, 2026 (5 days of fishing) - availability for 2 anglers / 2 rooms
- November 24-29, 2026 (4 days of fishing) - full group booking only: 8 anglers / 6 rooms
- November 28 - December 3, 2026(4 days of fishing) - availability for 4 anglers / 3 rooms
- December 3-9, 2026 (5 days of fishing) - availability for 4 anglers / 4 rooms
- December 9-15, 2026 (5 days of fishing) - availability for 4 anglers / 4 rooms
- January 8-15, 2027 (6 days of fishing) - availability for 6 anglers / 5 rooms
- January 15-21, 2027 (5 days of fishing) - availability for 2 anglers / 3 rooms
These spots will not stick around for long, so reach out to Evan to book or get more information!
Email Evan
Call Evan at 860-434-9624
