PalometaorPermit

Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.

Studio photograph of a Palometa (Trachinotus goodei), side view, on a white background — **Palometa***Trachinotus goodei*

Studio photograph of a Permit (Trachinotus falcatus), side view, on a white background — **Permit***Trachinotus falcatus*

Rules for both fish from 2 state rulebooks, checked Oct 29, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

How to tell them apart

Palometa

Surf pompano with dramatically long black-edged dorsal and anal lobes and four faint side bars.

Permit

Pompano's big cousin: taller body, dark dorsal lobe, orange wash near the anal fin.

Permit, next to palometa: grows far larger; deeper body.

Side by side

	Palometa	Permit
Scientific name	Trachinotus goodei	Trachinotus falcatus
Also called	Longfin pompano	—
Waters	Inshore	Nearshore
Heaviest state record	1.5 lb · Texas (2006)	56.13 lb · Florida (1997)
On the table	Excellent — pompano-grade.	Good; ciguatera caution far south.
Rules of its own in	2 states	2 states

Rules for

Every state, both fish

The two fish are regulated differently in 2 of 2 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), palometa is No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day and permit is 11–22 in slot · Keys zone: 22 in min, 2 per person · Keys zone: 1. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.

State	Palometa: size · bag · season	Permit: size · bag · season
Florida (Atlantic)	No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per dayOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked 2026-10-29	11–22 in slot · Keys zone: 22 in min2 per person · Keys zone: 1Open all year · Keys zone: closed Apr 1–Jul 31CheckFWC 2026 · checked 2026-10-29
Florida (Gulf)	No size limit2 fish or 100 lb per dayOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked 2026-10-29	11–22 in slot · Keys zone: 22 in min2 per person · Keys zone: 1Open all year · Keys zone: closed Apr 1–Jul 31CheckFWC 2026 · checked 2026-10-29

Questions anglers ask

How do you tell palometa from permit?

Palometa: Surf pompano with dramatically long black-edged dorsal and anal lobes and four faint side bars. Permit: Pompano's big cousin: taller body, dark dorsal lobe, orange wash near the anal fin. Permit, next to palometa: grows far larger; deeper body.

Which gets bigger, palometa or permit?

Permit. The heaviest state record we hold is 56.13 lb in Florida; the heaviest palometa record is 1.5 lb in Texas.

Which is better to eat, palometa or permit?

Palometa: Excellent — pompano-grade. Permit: Good; ciguatera caution far south.

Do palometa and permit have the same limits?

Not everywhere. They differ in 2 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): palometa No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day, permit 11–22 in slot · Keys zone: 22 in min, 2 per person · Keys zone: 1; Florida (Gulf): palometa No size limit, 2 fish or 100 lb per day, permit 11–22 in slot · Keys zone: 22 in min, 2 per person · Keys zone: 1.