Trachinotus falcatus

Although somewhat similar to pompano in appearance, permit do tend to be larger and can be distinguished by black tips on their fins and tails. Another crazy way you can maybe tell the difference? Young permit have teeth on their tongues, pompano do not…

Permit is a prime target of serious anglers. Difficult to find and tough to hook, some call permit “the grey ghost”. Its popularity as a sport fish make it recognizable to some diners who will be excited to finally sink their teeth into this elusive quarry.

From a story in the Washington Post:

“Permit are the true Holy Grail of the flats species,” said Jim Klug, founder and operations director of Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, a Montana-based company. “They are, hands down, the most challenging, picky, difficult and maddening fish to pursue with a fly rod, and 99 out of 100 times they’re not going to eat whatever it is that you put in front of them. When they do, however, it is one of the most rewarding experiences in the entire world of sport fishing.”

Make it easy on your customers – get some permit on the menu!