Raskage,

Regardless of the lunar influence, and as with most species, they should still strike out of aggression or opportunity, even if they've fed the night before. I believe he told me the reason they would be more difficult is due more to the fact that they may not be actively hunting, in which case they may move into deeper water, which is difficult to present a fly to. They will probably still feed, but they probably won't go out of their way to move into shallow water to get to their food. It might be a good idea to bring an intermediate sinking line if one is fly fishing for them under these conditions or bring a spincast outfit just in case.

As far as the Grand Slam goes, I'm not betting on it, but am definitely going to make an effort. Permit are extremely difficult fish to fool with a fly. I'm just going to lay out a good game plan with my guide to concentrate on Tarpon and Bones, but will definitely be ready for Permit if the opportunity presents itself and will probably spend some time with them exclusively, but not a lot.

All three of these fish are usually located in different areas, so you should have a plan on how to best distribute the time spent with each species. It's also a good idea to discuss "Plan B" fish with the guide every time you go out, just in case your primary target doesn't pan out. For instance, if you're near tidal channels looking for Permit and deep Tarpon that don't pan out, you can usually switch to Jacks or even cudas, which are excellent fish. Telling your guide this before you set out for the day will allow him to position you optimally.

I'd personally be just as happy with Plan B fish if things don't go well. It's like anything else - make the best of whatever the situation is and try to have fun.

Angelo