Florida PompanoorPermit
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Florida Pompano
Deep silver body, yellow throat and belly, blunt face; surf runner.
Florida pompano, next to permit: smaller, yellower, no dark lobe.
Permit
Pompano's big cousin: taller body, dark dorsal lobe, orange wash near the anal fin.
Permit, next to Florida pompano: larger, orange belly patch, deeper body.
Side by side
| Florida Pompano | Permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Trachinotus carolinus | Trachinotus falcatus |
| Also called | — | — |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | 8 lb 12 oz · South Carolina (1975) | 56.13 lb · Florida (1997) |
| On the table | Superb — many call it the best inshore eating on the coast. | Good; ciguatera caution far south. |
| Rules of its own in | 4 states | 2 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 4 of 4 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), Florida pompano is 11 in fork length min, 6 per person and permit is 11-22 in fork length slot (outside Special Permit Zone), 2 per person; 1 may be over 22 in (max 2 over 22 in per vessel). Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Florida Pompano: size · bag · season | Permit: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 12 in total length minimum3 per personOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 11 in fork length min6 per personOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | 11-22 in fork length slot (outside Special Permit Zone)2 per person; 1 may be over 22 in (max 2 over 22 in per vessel)Open year-round outside SPZOpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | 11 in fork length min6 per personOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | 11-22 in fork length slot (outside Special Permit Zone)2 per person; 1 may be over 22 in (max 2 over 22 in per vessel)Open year-round outside SPZOpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, Florida pompano or permit, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell Florida pompano from permit?
Florida Pompano: Deep silver body, yellow throat and belly, blunt face; surf runner. Permit: Pompano's big cousin: taller body, dark dorsal lobe, orange wash near the anal fin. Permit, next to Florida pompano: larger, orange belly patch, deeper body. Florida pompano, next to permit: smaller, yellower, no dark lobe.
Which gets bigger, Florida pompano or permit?
Permit. The heaviest state record we hold is 56.13 lb in Florida; the heaviest Florida pompano record is 8 lb 12 oz in South Carolina.
Which is better to eat, Florida pompano or permit?
Florida Pompano: Superb — many call it the best inshore eating on the coast. Permit: Good; ciguatera caution far south.
Do Florida pompano and permit have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 4 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): Florida pompano 11 in fork length min, 6 per person, permit 11-22 in fork length slot (outside Special Permit Zone), 2 per person; 1 may be over 22 in (max 2 over 22 in per vessel); Florida (Gulf): Florida pompano 11 in fork length min, 6 per person, permit 11-22 in fork length slot (outside Special Permit Zone), 2 per person; 1 may be over 22 in (max 2 over 22 in per vessel); Alabama: Florida pompano 12 in total length minimum, 3 per person, permit no rule of its own; Mississippi: Florida pompano No size limit, No bag limit, permit no rule of its own.