(Linnaeus, 1758); CARANGIDAE FAMILY; also
called round pompano, great pompano, Indian
River permit
Occurs in the western Atlantic Ocean from
Massachusetts, USA to Brazil, including the
Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies. The
greatest concentrations are off south
Florida and it is there that the biggest
specimens are taken. Permit are essentially
shallow water, schooling fish occurring over
sandy flats and reefs in depths of from 1 to
17 fathoms. They travel in schools of ten or
more fish, though occasionally they may be
seen in great numbers. They tend to become
more solitary with age.
It is distinguished from the common pompano,
Trachinotus carolinus, by having fewer soft
rays in the dorsal and anal fins. The second
dorsal fin has 1 spine and 17 21 soft rays
(22 27 in the pompano). The body is
laterally compressed and the second and
third ribs are prominent—often as big around
as one's thumb in fish weighing over 10 lb
(4 5 kg). These larger ribs can be felt
through the sides of the fish and help in
distinguishing the permit from the pompano.
In overall appearance it is a silvery fish
with dusky fins, though the back is usually
bluish or grayish. The ventral fins and the
anterior margin of the anal fin may be
orange in some specimens. Often there is a
triangular yellow patch before the anal fin.
They feed in much the same way as bonefish,
rooting in the sand on shallow flats. Their
diet consists primarily of mollusks,
crustaceans, sea urchins, and less commonly,
of smaller fish.
It is a tough fighter on light tackle. When
hooked it makes an initial long, fast run
toward deep water, twisting and pausing to
bump its head on the bottom or rub its mouth
in the sand in an effort to disengage the
hook. If there is coral, a sea fan, or any
other obstacle on which the permit can snag
the line, it will. To complicate matters,
its mouth is as tough as shoe leather and it
simply spits out the hook the first time
there is a slack in the line.
Fishing methods include casting to fish
sighted in shallow water, bottom fishing,
fishing over inshore wrecks, and jigging
from boats or while wading. Baits and lures
include crabs, shrimp, streamer flies,
bonefish jigs, weighted bucktails, and
plugs. Permit up to 8 or 10 pounds are
considered excellent eating.
