Permit

Season in Florida Keys

Peak months: Apr, May, Jun.

FWC Where to Saltwater Fish: permit spring to early summer (Monroe). Florida Museum: spawning peaks May to June in the Keys over reefs and nearshore water. Florida Sportsman: permit swarm wrecks April to June. Keys Weekly: permit reluctant to bite at 64 F and need about 70 F for a few days; limited flats sightings in November. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Channel edges and bars hunting crabs (Keys Weekly), flats on the incoming tide (Florida Museum), and wrecks where they gather in spring (Florida Sportsman).

Digs prey out of the bottom on flats and beaches; larger juveniles eat mole crabs and coquina clams, the surf-zone foods (Florida Museum). Schools of about ten; big fish alone or in pairs.

What to look for

Dark sickle-shaped fins and tails on the flats; silver flashes over a wreck (Florida Sportsman).

Bait

Live crabs, Sand fleas (mole crabs) in the surf. Dropper rig with sand fleas from the beach, as for pompano (Salt Water Sportsman)..

Leader

Common mistakes

• Fishing them in cool water; Keys guides find them reluctant at 64 F
• Leaving a surf rod in a loose sand spike; a big permit can pull rod and spike into the sea (Salt Water Sportsman)

Landing

Expect long runs; keep a fish you will release in the water.

Handling

Support the body horizontally with wet hands; keep large fish in the water.

Keep or release

Florida Museum warns that ciguatera poisoning may result if eaten. Florida manages permit with a Special Permit Zone south of Cape Florida that has its own rules; see the regulations file.

Recipes for permit

Typical: unknown. Large: At least 48 in and 79 lb (Florida Museum).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the FL limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you keep a fish.

Sources

• Florida FWC: Where to Saltwater Fish (species and seasons by county, Nassau to Monroe) (Official source)
• Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: permit (Official source)
• Florida Sportsman (2011): permit and pompano photo feature (Keys wrecks, April to June spawning) (Angler knowledge)
• Florida Keys Weekly (Bill Horn, March 2015): winter skinny-water anglers target cuda, sharks (Angler knowledge)
• Florida Keys Weekly (Richard Hastings, Dec 2025): cold fronts bring hungry bonefish (Angler knowledge)

All the fish of Florida Keys