Permit: Trachinotus falcatus

Appearance:

• Color gray, dark or iridescent blue above, shading to silvery on the sides
• May show golden tints around the breast in darker waters
• Smaller fish have teeth on the tongue
• No scutes
• Dorsal fin insertion is directly above that of the anal fin
• 17 to 21 soft dorsal rays; 16 to 19 soft anal rays

Habitat:

These coastal fish inhabit tropical grass and sand flats, near reefs and wrecks.

Behavior:

Spawning occurs primarily in early summer and again in fall. Permit have a specialized plate at the back of their mouth that helps them crush hard-shelled animals such as clams and crabs.

State Record:

56 lb 2 oz, caught near Ft. Lauderdale

Fishing Tips and Facts:

Anglers cast live crabs to schools of permit hoping to catch one of these line-stripping fish, which also take shrimp, clams and occasionally small fish.

Additional Information:

Permit are most common in south Florida. This member of the jack family can reach 40 inches and 50 pounds, but most are about 25-pounds.

Image Credit: Diane Rome Peebles