Key West Catch of the Week - 80-Pound Permit

When fishing in Key West, you will notice that the basic fishing conditions are almost always perfect no matter the time of year. This week continues that trend and has given us surprising catch after surprising catch, topped off by the catch of a truly unbelievable 80 pound permit. Given its immense size, it's a wonder that anyone was able to haul this behemoth in, but Cynthia from Boston, MA, didn't give up and was able to do so. While permit are one of the most prevalent species of fish in the waters of Key West, they are rarely this large. Not only was the size of this permit spectacular, but the weather conditions proved to be rough and stormy, which added tremendously to the difficulty of actually bringing this fish in, making it an easy pick for our Key West Catch of the Week.

When you're fishing in Key West, odds are that you will run into a permit or two, as they can be spotted with high frequency. In fact, though they prefer shallow waters, such as mudflats and muddy bottoms, they can also be reeled in when Key West deep sea fishing. The larger the permit, the higher the possibility of it making its way into the cooler deep sea waters. Cynthia found this fish on one of our deep sea charters, as it proved to be a formidable foe. These fish typically move around in small schools and can be quite aggressive if the attempt at a catch takes place when they are swimming in a group. They become somewhat easier to reel in when one permit is swimming by itself, as it will merely attempt to flee, a much better alternative when trying to catch one than the former.

Permit primarily feed on tiny invertebrates found in the ocean, including sea urchins and clams. You will be able to identify one of these fish through their lengthy dorsal fins, as well as the unique orange patch found nearby their abdomen. A permit will routinely grow to anywhere from a few pounds to around 75, which is why the 80 pound catch by Cynthia is extremely impressive. As the temperatures this week ranged from 80 to 85 degrees in Key West, permit were right at home in these waters, as they vastly prefer swimming in warm and tropical waters.

The rather stormy conditions while Cynthia was fishing also aided in creating optimal fishing conditions, as permit like to feed at these times. While the next few weeks are looking to bring a mixture of sun and rain to Key West, it's clear that the fish are biting better than ever no matter the type of weather. If you feel like going Key West deep sea fishing in the near future, come on down to Key West and see if you have what it takes to find your catch as the Key West Catch of the Week. Once again, congratulations to Cynthia on such a noteworthy haul!