Permit Fish (Trachinotus falcatus)

The Permit Fish or Trachinotus falcatus is a popular sporting fish that is often caught in the Western Atlantic Ocean. This fish belongs to the Carangidae family and will feed on shrimp, small fish and crabs. Permits are saltwater fish that can be distinguished from other fish by their dorsal fin that is shaped like a scythe. They also have a forked tail and their bodies look as if they were flatten.  This gives the Permit the appearance of a tall and thin fish when viewed underwater.  You can check out a Permit Fish in its natural habitat in the video below.


Permits can grow to about 48 inches (122 cm) and can weigh up to 79 pounds (36 kg).   If you are fishing for Permits, you can normally find them in shallow tropical waters with muddy bottoms and sometimes brackish waters too. They are often found in small schools close to the shore, but when they spawn they are found in deeper waters.

Permit fish are arguably one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. If you have caught one I am sure you would agree. If you have any fishing tips or recipes for the Permit that you would like to share please leave them in the comments below...