Venice Inlet and the Gulf of Mexico
Capt. Dave Pinkham
April 26, 2007
Venice - Saltwater Fishing Report
Warm Spring Ushers in Early Season for Permit
This past winter was one of the warmest I can remember. On our Gulf fishing charters the king mackerel have been hitting since last fall. This is some what unusual due to the fact that the kings generally head south of us in the colder months. Well the fact is that this year that just didn’t happen, and the kings are still hitting.
With that said, the Gulf’s water temperature is now in the mid-70’s. With this in mind, I’m starting to think about catching Permit.
Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) are a member of the jack family. They closely resemble the pompano, and are at times incorrectly referred to as Great pompano. Their range is all of Florida, and throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean. They are often found in the surf, inlets and passes of both coasts but are more numerous in the southern half of the state. In the warmer months of the year permit often roam over South Atlantic reefs and many of our gulf wrecks. Permit can run as large as 40 or 50 pounds, with 20 to30 pound fish being more common. They are a big, strong, particularly wary, spooky, stubborn fighter, making them a great offshore Gulf game fish.
The best places to locate permit out on the gulf will be over larger structures such as wrecks, and the artificial reefs. When the wind and seas are calm, you can often see the schools of permit at or near the surface in the areas where these wrecks are located.
When targeting permit I prefer to use natural baits, and the best bait being a small live crab. Shrimp are okay in a pinch, but I think crabs are the best Permit bait so I prefer to use them when I can get them.
At times we catch some really huge permit up to 35 pounds and larger. These bigger Permits can suck down a decent sized crab so make sure to bring a good assortment of crab sizes. Even if you don’t use all your crabs remember that they also make great tarpon bait.
One method I use when fishing for permit is to anchor the boat just up wind or up tide of the wreck or bottom structure. Using spinning gear cast the crab out behind the boat and allow extra line for the crab to swim or sink down. Keep you monofilament or fluorocarbon leader material light as permit can spook away from heavy leaders. Make sure to remove the crab’s pinchers and place the hook through the corner of the crab in the area close to where the pinchers were removed. Circle hooks seem to work well on Permit, although hook selection should suit the aggressiveness of the bite.
Permit is a great eating fish. Years back a good friend of mine put on a wedding reception for his oldest daughter. It was during the month of June, and we had been catching some huge permit. I suggested he serve some of the fish at the reception. Taking one of the largest Permit we caught which weighed close to forty pounds, my friend stuffed its belly with a homemade crabmeat stuffing and slow cooked the entire fish over a grated pit on the beach. He then decorated the fish platter with garnishes and dips and served the whole fish with head on at the reception. The Permit dinner was a huge success, and the wedding guests picked it down to the bone.
I’m told that Permit and pompano both have an oil sac in the top of their head. When cooked with head and tail on this fish oil is released into the meat helping to keep it moist while creating a rich delicious flavor. Because of this, whenever I prepare Permit or pompano I prefer to cook and serve them with head attached. Both of these species are best when fresh as soft meat fishes do not freeze well, so I only keep what I can prepare fresh and carefully release all others for another day.
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