The Pompano
March 31, 2013
By Florida Sportsman Editor
The Florida Pompano, Trachinotus carolinus
Silvery overall with yellow on underside. Dorsal fin dark; other fins yellow. Head gently rounded. No scutes forward of tail. Pompano are often confused with small Permit of similar size, but Permit usually show a black blotch under the pectoral fin, and their bodies are deeper.
SIZE
Averages 1 pound; fairly common at 2 pounds and can grow to 8 pounds. World and Florida records 8 pounds, 4 ounces.
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FOOD VALUE
Reputed to be the best.
GAME QUALITIES
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Tops. Will outrace and outpull a Jack Crevalle of equivalent size.
TACKLE AND BAITS
If fishing the surf or piers, use the lightest surf spinning tackle that will get your bait where you want it. In other situations, spinning or light baitcasting tackle with 6-8-pound-test line gives maximum sport. By far the best natural bait is a live sand flea (sand crab), but Pompano also will bite live shrimp or fiddler crabs and—with varying dependability—dead sand fleas, dead shrimp, clams and cut squid. Pompano are ready strikers of artificial jigs, the Florida favorite being quarter-ounce or half-ounce models with short nylon skirts. Fly fishermen catch Pompano with Bonefish-type flies that sink well—those with epoxy heads or lead eyes.
FISHING SYSTEMS
Still Fishing; Casting; Drifting.
OTHER NAMES
Pompano Carolina Pompano
RANGE
All Florida coasts.
Inshore Galore! Florida Sportsman Forum Member Aquaholik with a great day of slaying with some keeper Pompano and Sheepshead that he caught in Clearwater.
Pompano Florida Sportsman Forum Member Stonecrab_23 shows off a nice Pompano he caught off the beach in Clearwater.
Will and Gracie's Pompano! Will and Gracie Blackwell caught this nice Pompano on the beaches of Stuart!
Kayak Pompano Caught this Pompano in Ft. Desoto on Gold Spoon. The fight was awesome! I had my anchor down in my kayak and it went around my anchor line, I had to put my entire rod in the water under the line to save from tangling!
Crystal River Pompano Florida Sportsman forum member Snookspanker with a nice pompano.
Cole's Pompano Cole caught this 6 pound pmpano in the Indian River.
Kissable Pompano Chris Veach's pompano caught at Crystal Beach in Destin, Florida being kissed by Brinkley Altamura.
St. Lucie Pompano Jahn H and Chris Dittmeier's 20\" Pompano caught in the St. Lucie Inlet.
Fred's Pompano Fred caught this 20-inch pompano on a shrimp tipped jig.
St. George Island Pompano FS Member esapronetti posted this large pompano photo from St. George Island.
Stuart Causeway Pompano Florida Sportsman member snook87 caught this pompano near the Stuart Causeway on Christmas day.
Big Pompano - Little Girl Bella Concannon, 7, helped her father catch these two giant pompano while surf fishing.
Amelia Island Pompano December 13, 2011. Samuel Simonds, 6, caught this 17 inch pompano from the shoreline off the north beach on Amelia Island on a dead peeled shrimp.
HABITAT
Florida anglers on both coasts catch most of their Pompano from the surf, or from ocean piers; however, many are caught outside the beaches and also from bays, mostly in or near channels that run through flats.
