Appearance
- Gray, dark or iridescent blue back, shading to silver sides
- Fish from dark waters have golden tints on belly
- Dorsal fin begins over anal fin
- Dorsal, anal and caudal fins long and sloped back
- Forehead sharply rises to a “hump” then slopes back
- Compressed body that is deeper than Florida pompano
- Caudal fin has a narrow fork
- Small permit have teeth on their tongue (absent in pompano)
Similar Species: Florida pompano, T. carolinus (dorsal fin begins in front of anal fin)
Size: Common to 50 pounds
Habitat
Offshore near structure; inshore over grass flats, sand and in channels.
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. Feeds on small fishes and invertebrates.
Additional Information
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.
Image Credit: © Diane Rome Peebles