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Jacks & Pompanos: Permit

Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS
Trachinotus falcatus

Illustrations and Copyright by Diane Rome Peebles
Illustrations are for viewing purposes only.

Description: color gray, dark or iridescent blue above, shading to silvery sides, in dark waters showing golden tints around breast; small permit have teeth on tongue (none on pompano); no scutes; dorsal fin insertion directly above that of the anal fin; 17 to 21 soft anal rays.

Similar Fish: pompano, T. carolinus. The permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile forms angle at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds.

Where found: OFFSHORE on wrecks and debris, INSHORE on grass flats, sand flats, and in channels; most abundant in south Florida, with smaller specimens from every coastal county.

Size: common to 25 pounds.

*Florida Record: 51 lbs., 8 ozs.

Remarks: feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling crabs, shrimp, small clams, and small fish.

* The Florida records quoted are from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.