In many ways, Pompano and Permit are the ultimate inshore fish. They’re tough to trick, fun to fight, and amazing to eat. These guys are the best. Anyone who has spent time on the Florida flats will agree. Most anglers prefer Permit vs. Pompano because they’re more of a challenge. However, nobody’s disappointed to find either one on the end of their line.
One problem with these two fish is that they look so much alike! A lot of people have trouble telling the difference between Permit and Pompano. If you’re one of them, don’t worry. This short guide is all about what makes each species unique.
Permit are a popular sport fish species found in tropical waters around the world With their large size, fighting strength, and wary nature, permit are considered one of the most challenging and desirable targets for fly anglers and light tackle enthusiasts. But beyond being great game fish, many anglers wonder – are permit good to eat?
This complete guide will cover everything you need to know about eating permit fish, including taste, preparation, nutrition, and sustainability
Permit belong to the jack family (Carangidae) and are closely related to pompano. They are found along coastlines, flats, and reefs in warmer waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Popular permit fishing destinations include the Florida Keys, Belize, Mexico, Hawaii, and Australia.
These fish have a distinctive body shape featuring a steep forehead, large eyes and forked tail. Their coloration is silver with faint vertical bars along the sides. Permit can grow quite large, commonly reaching 15-30 pounds. The all-tackle world record is a massive 55 pound permit caught in Mexico.
Permit are notoriously finicky and spook easily when pressured. Their hyper-awareness makes permit challenging to catch on artificial lures or flies. Anglers must make accurate, delicate presentations to hook these wily fish. This difficulty is a big part of their appeal as a trophy species.
Is Permit Good to Eat?
So can you eat permit? The answer is yes – permit meat is perfectly edible with a tasty flavor and texture when prepared properly. However, permit are not typically considered great table fare compared to other fish.
The main reason is their very firm, dense flesh and moderate to strong fishy taste. Their leathery skin and many bones also make filleting permit difficult. These factors relegate permit more as a sport fish rather than food fish. But their edibility varies depending on size.
Smaller permit around 5-15 pounds generally provide the best eating. Their flesh will be softer and flakier with a sweeter, more delicate flavor. Trophy permit over 20 pounds have a stronger taste and meat that can be overly tough. Bleeding, icing, and careful cooking helps improve flavor.
Overall, permit offer decent eating for anglers who retain their catch. While not quite as prized as pompano for culinary uses, their fillets can make for a nice meal after a day of fishing.
What Does Permit Taste Like?
The flesh of permit has a moderately strong, oily flavor compared to other fish. It is not as mild as flounder or tilapia, but not quite as fishy tasting as bluefish either. Their taste is similar to jack crevalle with a firm, flaky texture.
Smaller permit tend to taste sweeter and less fishy than larger fish over 10 pounds. Removing the red lateral line bloodline helps reduce strong flavors. Proper bleeding and icing the fish after catching also improves flavor. The skin is rubbery with a potent taste and often removed.
When cooked well, permit fillets have a pleasantly meaty flavor. Their density stands up well to grilling, blackening, or pan frying. The flesh often compares to tuna or swordfish. Permit respond nicely to marinades and spice rubs which complement their natural flavor.
Nutritional Value of Permit
Here are some of the main nutritional facts for a 6 ounce serving of permit fillet:
- Calories: 132
- Protein: 26g
- Fat: 2g
- Omega-3 fatty acids: 500mg
- Vitamin B12: 2.9mcg
- Potassium: 447mg
- Selenium: 49mcg
Permit are high in protein, vitamin B12, heart-healthy omega-3s, and important minerals like selenium. Their meat provides a nutritious, low-fat protein source. Permit offer similar nutritional benefits to other oily fish like salmon, sardines, or mackerel.
How to Prepare and Cook Permit
Proper handling of your catch and following these preparation tips will help ensure great tasting permit fillets:
- Bleed permit immediately after catching by cutting the gills or throat. Use a knife or nail.
- Keep permit chilled on ice if retaining for eating.
- Fillet quickly before meat deteriorates. Trim off all dark fatty tissue.
- Remove the bloodline running down the center of fillets.
- Soak fillets in milk or brine for 30 minutes to mellow any strong flavors.
- Marinate permit overnight in lemon juice, lime, or vinegar based marinades.
- Cook with moist heat like baking, steaming, or poaching to keep flesh moist.
- Avoid overcooking – permit flesh becomes dry if cooked too long.
Popular cooking methods include blackened permit, jerk-spiced permit, grilled permit, and pan-fried permit tacos. Well prepared permit fillets will offer pleasantly firm meat with a tuna-like flavor.
Can You Eat Permit Raw?
Permit is not commonly eaten raw, but some people do enjoy it as ceviche or sashimi. However, there are some health concerns with consuming raw permit:
- Risk of parasitic roundworms which are killed by cooking.
- Dense, chewy texture is less than ideal for sushi.
- Stronger fishy taste than delicately flavored raw fish like snapper or tuna.
Permit meat is quite dense and benefits from marinating. Raw preparations like ceviche “cook” the fish in citrus juice. If preparing permit sushi, freeze the meat first to kill any parasites present. Overall, permit is better suited for thorough cooking compared to eating raw.
Is Permit Sustainable to Eat?
In most regions, permit are not overfished and have relatively healthy populations. Permit congregate in large spawning aggregations which can be vulnerable to overfishing if not properly managed.
Strict regulations often exist on size limits to protect juvenile fish. Anglers should adhere to all local fishing rules and avoid keeping undersized permit. Exercising moderation and only keeping what you will eat makes permit a reasonably sustainable seafood choice.
However, it’s important to research the exploitation levels in your specific area. Permit numbers have declined more notably in certain fisheries like parts of Belize and Mexico.
Where to Buy Permit
Since it is not a mainstream seafood item, you likely won’t find permit fillets at the local grocery store. Some specialty fish markets and seafood stores may carry it, especially in coastal regions. The best options to find fresh permit meat include:
- Local fish markets and seafood shops near popular permit fisheries.
- Restaurant suppliers and wholesalers.
- Direct from charter captains or local fishermen.
- Online seafood retailers that source sustainably caught permit.
Catching and preparing your own permit after a day of fishing allows you full control over the handling for optimal flavor and freshness.
Can You Eat the Skin?
While technically edible, permit skin is quite thick and rubbery. It can also harbor strong fishy flavors. Removing the skin before cooking is recommended with permit fillets. The thick skin will likely shrink and become unappetizing when cooked.
However, the skin can be fried into crispy chips with the right technique. The smaller skin of juvenile permit is thinner and more palatable if you want to leave it on. Many recipes suggest simply filleting off the skin and focusing on the prime flesh.
Permit offer an appetizing fish fillet for anglers who retain their catch, especially smaller Permit under 10 pounds. While not quite as prized a food fish as pompano, their dense, flaky meat holds up well to a variety of cooking methods. With proper handling and preparation, permit can provide a nutritious, flavorful meal after a day battling these powerful game fish.
The Difference Between Permit and Pompano
The best way to figure out which fish you’ve caught is to look at the fins. Firstly, check their top (dorsal) and bottom (anal) fins. These are long and sloped back on Permit, almost reaching their tail. Pompano have much shorter fins, which point out from the body more than back.
After that, take a look at the tail. Permit have deeply-forked, V-shaped tail fins. Pompano tails are more splayed, usually at least as wide as their body. Their side fins, called pectorals, are different: the Permit’s are wider, while the Pompano’s are more pointed and smooth.
If you’re still not sure what you’re holding, look at the head. Permit have a distinctive bump above their eye, as if they’re built to headbutt other fish (they’re not, but some of their relatives, like Giant Trevally, actually are). Pompano have a much more steady slope from their back down to their nose.
Also, the bodies of permit fish are wider than those of pompano fish, which are longer. Permit are usually silvery, with a small yellow patch in front of their anal fin. Pompano can be golden all over, and will have a yellow underside. However, their general shape and size varies with age, so it’s best to judge them by their fins.
This Might PISS People Off!!! Eating A PRIZED Fish! (Permit)- Catch Clean Cook
Are permit fish good for Sport?
Permit are a true sport fish on the level of Tarpon and Bonefish. Pompano are fun, but nothing close to their big, wily cousins. These fish are good for more than sport, though. Which brings us to one of the top questions on many people’s minds: which one tastes best? Both Permit and Pompano are delicious.
Do you need a permit to catch a Permit fish?
To catch a Permit fish, anglers may use artificial lures. However, on rare occasions, a patient and persistent fly fisher may land one. Permit typically respond to live bait, with crabs being their top choice. Along with mollusks, crabs make up their regular diet.
Are Pompano vs permit a good fish?
In many ways, Pompano and Permit are the ultimate inshore fish. They’re tough to trick, fun to fight, and amazing to eat. Anyone who’s spent time on the Florida flats will agree that these guys are as good as it gets. Most anglers prefer Permit vs. Pompano because they’re more of a challenge.
What type of fish is a permit?
The permit ( Trachinotus falcatus) is a game fish of the western Atlantic Ocean belonging to the family Carangidae. Adults feed on crabs, shrimp, and smaller fish. The permit was originally classified as Labrus falcatus, though the fish has since been placed in the genus Trachinotus. It is the type species of the genus Trachinotus.