Permit

Season in Tampa Bay

Peak months: Apr, May, Jun.

Reel Coquina St. Pete chart: permit 3 stars April to June, 2 stars February, March and July, 1 star the other months. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Nearshore reefs, wrecks and passes, April to June best (Reel Coquina).

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 rules apply; release is common.

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

• Reel Coquina Fishing Charters (Capt. Pablo Koch-Schick, St. Petersburg), June 4, 2026: St. Pete monthly fishing calendar with star ratings and water temperatures (Angler knowledge)
• Florida Keys Weekly (Bill Horn, March 2015): winter skinny-water anglers target cuda, sharks (Angler knowledge)
• Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: permit (Official source)

All the fish of Tampa Bay