CATCHING POMPANO IN THE DESTIN AREATACKLE & RIGS FOR CATCHING POMPANOThe key to Pompano fishing is to keep your bait/lure at or near the bottom. There area two primary ways used to catch pompano in the panhandle of Florida.- In the surf or off the pier/jetties using a 2 - 3 hook bottom rig ("Set Rig") with either sand fleas or pieces of fresh peeled shrimp.- In the surf or off the pier/jetties by casting a "Pompano JigBoth work well but jigging for pompano is probably the most fun.FISHING FOR POMPANO ON THE BOTTOM WITH BAIT: Tackle and Technique When you are surf fishing with a bottom rig ("Set Rig") for pompano, you normally use 2 to 3 rods and space your bait outward from the shore. The pompano could be anywhere, from inside the first bar to outside the second bar, running east to west in the spring run. The pompano you are going to catch are only going to be in the 2 -3 pound range, so you don't need the big surf outfits they use for stripers, etc off the east coast. However, you will need a little heavier equipment in the surf due to the weight you have to sling. And, you will catch other fish besides pompano. I have seen my rod take off from the rod holder on the beach because I forgot to set my drag (its was tightened down). Last I saw of it was skimming out to sea, probably with a bull redfish on the other end.If you are just starting out, I would just go to Walmart and get one of their $39.95 specials. It will probably last a summer and will give you an ideal of what you need. Once you are ready to get serious, then buy you some good equipment.POMPANO SURF FISHING TACKLEREEL: The pompano aren't that big but you need something to handlethe weight you will be tossing. The Penn 750SSm spinning reelis a good overall reel for both beach and boat fishing and iswhat I use. It can handle just about anything you get on and a4- 6 zo weight. It is probably a little overkill for pompano. ThePenn 650SSm or Shimano Spheros 6000 would also be good.You are going to get a lot of opinions on this, I really don'tthink it matters that much which reel you use, as ong as it canhandle the weight you are tossing.With fisheries, recruitment usually refers to the age a fish can be caught and counted in nets.In fisheries, recruitment is the number of fish that survive to enter a fishery In fisheries, recruitment refers to the number of fish surviving to enter a fishery. These fish have to pass through a number of life history stages (e.g., egg, larva, juvenile, etc.) before becoming vulnerable to fishing gear.ROD: Normally, the longer the rod, the farther you can cast. And, you need a strong rod to toss the weight of the sinker and yourbait out. But you do not have to go out and buy a 14' rod. A lot of the pompano are close to shore, within 20-30 feet of the beach. Most people set out two to three rods and space their bait seaward, from from close in to as far as they can throw. I use both a 10' and 12' Ugly Stick rod.MAIN LINE: 20 # to 30 # monofilament or braid will work fine on your surf reels. I still use 20 # monofilament.SWIVELS:Optional, be better if you didn't use them. But, usually easier to use as it gives a convenient place to tie a new leader on. A 40# black barrel swivel will work fine.LEADERS: Most people use what is called a Pompano Rig for surf fishing. It is nothing other than a 2 or 3 hook dropper rig with beads and/or "floaties" attached to each hook line.The beads, usually orange, are said to attract Pompano as one of the most popular bait's, thesand flea, has orange eggs.And, some rigs have "floaties", usually yellow rigged just before the beads. The purpose of theseare to supposely keep a live sand flea from digging back into the sand.There are pros and cons to having all this and not having them. Some people say the beads andfloaties spook the fish. If you are starting out, just buy one of the prerigged Pompano rigs at a local tackle store. I still use them when I don't have anypre-tied of my own and they catch fish.Most "experts" agree that fluorocarbon leaders catch more fish and I tend to agree. So, I try to have a few fluorocarbon pompano rigs at the start of the season.HOOKS: Most prerigged pompano rigs come with Kahle hooks. Pompano have small mouths, so I usually swap them with a # 1 or # 2 circle hook. Just personal preference. If you use a double line from your main line to put the hooks on, you want to make sure the hook eye is big enough for the double line. The Eagle Claw lazer sharps have big eyes.BAIT: Pompano have fairly small mouths, so baits and hooks should be small. The most popular pompano baits in this area are the sand flea (mole crab) and fresh, peeled shrimp. Live fiddler crabs are good bait also. And, although rarely used for Pompano, live shrimp is also a good bait. Sand Fleas: The preferred bait for Pompano here in the panhandle is sand fleas (mole crabs). Click here for more information on how to use the sand flea for bait. Shrimp: An equally good bait for pompano is pieces of fresh, peeled shrimp. Pompano have small mouths, so usually a half a shrimp is enough.WEIGHTS: The most popular weight is a 2 - 4 oz pyramid weight. A better holding weight would be the "spider" weight. The stronger the current/waves, the higher the weight. If you have to go over 8 oz, you might as well go home.WHERE TO PUT YOUR BAITIn the picture to the right, we can see a "hole"formed. It is usually darker in color than thesurrounding water and has little or no breakersin it.See the Beach Fishing pages for more information on reading the beach. X link coming XWhen you hook a pompano, be ready for a good fight. Sometimes once they are hooked, they will make a run toward the beach and it appears you have lost the fish as your line will go slack. Keep reeling, he is usually still there.I start walking backwards up the beach when bringing a pompano in through the waves. Use to waves to help bring them in.Always loosen your drag when your rod is in the sand spike. When a school comes through and you have two rods out, there is a good chance you will hook one or two fish on each rod. They are strong enough to pull your pole over if your drag is locked down. With it loose, you can get one in while the other one pulls on the drag. JIGGING FOR POMPANO: Tackle and techniquesAnother popular method for catching pompano is with the artificial "Pompano Jig". They are similar to a normal jig but have the bristles cut short, at the bend of the hook. The head itself may be round, peanut shaped, or bullet shaped. The common weight range is from 1/4 ounce to 3/4 ounce. A pompano jig is supposed to be mimicing a bottom feeding crustacean. You fish them on the bottom. Toss the jig out and let it settle to the bottom. Start a slow, twitch - wait 2-5 seconds - twitch -wait etc retrieve. Try to keep the line tight at all times. This will cause the jig to bump along the bottom, kicking up some sand as it "jumps" off the bottom and "swims" forward a little before settling back down. Continue until you have retrieved most of your line. The key is to keep your jig on or near the bottom. Pompano feed by having their noses down near the bottom as they are looking for bottom dwelling prey. Colors vary but a popular color combination in this area is a cream head with a pink bristle tail.Wide variety of Pompano Jigs are available Two popular Pompano jigsREEL:When jigging for Pompano, you want to use a light weight reel. I use a Penn 550SSm or Shimano Symetre 4000 spinning reel.ROD:Use a light weight rod to match your reel and you want around an 8' long one.MAIN LINE:10 # to 16 # monofilament. Braid is fine but you will have to use a monofilament or flurocarbon leader.SWIVEL:Better not to use one, but if you do, smallest you can get away with.LEADERS:Not really needed. But if you want one, use about a 3 foot20 # fluorocarbonLURES: Almost everyone around here uses some type of Pompano jig. Youcan tip them with a piece of Gulp Shrimp or fresh, peeled shrimp toenhance its scent. I have seen pompano caught with a Gotcha offthe Okaloosa Island pier (It was a large school swimming through andI think they would have eaten anything in front of them.WHERE TO USE YOUR JIG AT: The most popular places for jigging for Pompano in the Destin area are:The Destin JettiesJig either side of the last 40' of the jetty. A good place is near the end on the southeast (Beach) side. You have to be careful as there are rocks on the bottom that you will snag on. Always bring a bunch of jigs, as you will lose some to snags.You want the tide moving, either in or out. These pictures were taken on March 30th and April 1st a few years ago.Off the end and either side of the end of the east Spur Jetty.Okaloosa Island PierThe pier is an excellent place to catch Pompano. Generally, most are caught just seaward of the first set of breakers on the east side of the pier, in the first trough. (Between the first and second light pole on the east side) This is referred to locally as the "pompano hole". Use either a bottom rig or jig. The cobia fishermen are out on the pier too at the same time, but they are nearer the south end. Most people fishing for pompano also have a rod rigged with a Cobia Jig, just in case.The beach"Run & Gun"If you plan on jigging on a beach, you normally will stay moving. Find a hole and toss your jig in for 10 minutes. If nothing, move on and try somewhere else.Sight Fishing the beachFrom a boatFish the beach on both sides of the last (third) sandbar.WHEN TO CATCH POMPANOTIME OF YEARThe spring run is the best time to catch pompano here in Destin. This runs generally from April 1st (April Fools Day) to about May 10. Not really hard times, just an ideal. Tax day, April 15th is considered the peak of the run. The fish will be in schools of 10-50 coming from the east, migrating westward. Surf fishing for Pompano in April. Just outside the outer bar are the cobia fishermen sight fishing for migrating cobia.The fall run is the second most productive time. It is a little harder to predict, but generally anywhere from October through December, with temperture being the key.At other times in the summer, you can catch pompano, but usually you are not targeting them and they are caught while you are fishing for something else and you just happen to hook one. Not much of a chance from December through March though as most of the fish have gone to deeper water or moved south.TIDE & WEATHER EFFECTSDon't bother going if you have a neap tide (No water movement)I have had my best luck when the seas are relatively rough. A good pompano day on the jettyA good day fishing a hole thatdeveloped just east of the oldCrystal Beach pier. Severalpompano were caught in themorning here. (5/1/2009)HOW TO CLEAN A POMPANOclick on these links:For some more good reading, click on the following links: 
Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) One of the most popular fish to catch in Destin, they are normally caught off the beach, piers, or jetty. If you see someone fishing on the beach, this is the fish they are normally after. Weighing only two to four pounds, they are fun to catch on light tackle and many consider them one of the best tasting fish here.General InformationPompano are found in schools in the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Brazil and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. It is a member of the jack family Carangidae. Florida relatives of the pompano include permit, palometa, crevalle jack, and amberberjacks. It grows grows to 17 – 25 inches in length and reaches weights up to 8 pounds, though pompano over 4 pounds are rarely caught. According to the International Game Fish Association, the All Tackle World Record and Florida record for Florida pompano is 8 pounds, 4 ounces, caught in Port St. Joe by angler Barry Huston on Oct. 16, 1999.A pompano's mouth is on the underside (subterminal) of the head. Fish with this type of mouth usually feed on the bottom. This, along with it's protrusible mouthparts (able to extend outward) and short, widely spaced gill rakers allow the fish to efficiently root through sand to prey on bottom living (benthic) organisms such as clams, crabs, worms, smallcrustaceans, snails, and anemones . They also have well-developed pharyngeal plates – hard structures in the throat for crushing crustaceans. The jaws contain very small teeth, but no teeth are present on the tongue at any life stage Scales are very small, smooth and partiallyembedded.Life History: Pompano are believed to spawn in offshore waters from spring through fall, with a peak in April and May and a smaller peak in September. In the Keys, spawning may occur all year, as small pompano can be observed in the surf zone year-round. Along the Atlantic coast, they apparently spawn near the Gulf Stream. Spawning takes place in the gulf and in the summer the young are present in great numbers in the surf. Fish often move offshore in the winter. It is believed that larvae spend approximately the first month of life at sea, then begin moving toward shore, where they congregate in the surf zone of low-energy beaches. Juveniles appear near beaches from April to November, but are most abundant from May to June. Juveniles in Florida begin to leave the surf zone when they have grown to a body length of approximately 6", while juveniles in Georgia begin vacating the surf zone at body lengths of 2" to 3". Temperature may play a role in determining the time of departure, since few fish have been found near beaches when the water temperature has dropped to 66 F. Fish often move offshore in the winter.Florida pompano juveniles exhibit very rapid growth rates for length and weight, up to 12 inches of growth within their first year of life is common. As the fish get older the length increase slows, but the weight increase continues. Scientists at the Florida Marine Research Institute determined that pompano lived up to 7 years on the Atlantic coast and up to 5 years on the gulf coast of Florida. Florida pompano can be reproductively mature at an early age. Approximately 50% of the females reach maturity at age 1 (11.5 to 12. 5") and 100% maturity occurs by age 3 (approximately 15" in length). Habitat: Pompano are coastal fish and are generally found in small schools along sloping, sandy beaches, around inlets, and in brackish bays and estuaries where they feed on sand fleas, coquinos, shrimp, small fish and other animals buried in the sand.Large schools of pompano migrate north in the spring along the gulf coast and south in the winter. This is called the spring and fall “run”. The fall "run" is normally smaller. Times vary for the run in the Destin area, but it generally begins in the first few weeks of April (Tax day - April 15, is generally considered the peak day) and ends in early May. In September and October, adults move into the bays. The fall migration is a little harder to forecast, but usually in October. It is thought that the migration is in response to changes in water temperature. Juvenile Florida pompano utilize the surf zone of exposed, sandy beaches as a preferred nursery habitat.However, Pompano may be found along the gulf coast year round, but in lesser numbers than during the run. They tolerate a wide range of environmental variables, including cold temperatures, low dissolved-oxygen levels, and low salinities—as long as the changes occur gradually. Although typically a shallow-water species, they have been found in waters over 200 feet deep.Adults are found in inshore and nearshore waters, especially along sandy beaches, oyster banks, over grassbeds, near oil rigs, even in water as deep as 130 feet.Temperature: Bilogist report that pompano in the Tampa Bay area inhabit waters ranging from 63 – 90º F, but preferred temperatures of 82 – 90º F. A study on the effects of decreasing temperatures on pompanos finds that signs of stress began at when temperature was dropped to 54 º F. Critical minimum temperature for pompano in this study was determined to be 50 º F, while critical maximum temperature was approximately 100º F. However, it is known that smaller juveniles can withstand considerably higher temperatures, as many have been observed in shoreline tidepools where temperatures may exceed 113º F.- Salinity: Adult Florida pompano are rare in brackish waters where salinity falls below 25 parts per thousand (ppt), preferring salinities of 28 – 37 ppt. Juveniles are able to tolerate salinity as low as 9 ppt and as high as 50 ppt. - Dissolved Oxygen: Pompano became stressed when dissolved oxygen content dropped to approximately 3 parts per million (ppm). Mortality occurred at 2.5 ppm. - Other Physical Tolerances: Pompano can not survive when pH levels dropped below 4 or exceeded 12, .FEEDING CHARACTERISTICS:The distinctive plates (pharyngeal plates) at the back of the pompano's mouth indicate that hard-shelled organisms such as crabs and mollusks are important in the diet. (These plates are used to crush the hard-shelled crustaceans). Small juvenile pompano are day time, opportunistic feeders that select a widevariety of planktonic and benthic organisms, yet become increasingly selectiveas they grow . Juvenile pompano collected in the surf zone of the Mississippicoast were observed to be planktivores (an animal feeding primarily on plankton),primarily consuming copepods and some benthic organisms includingpolychaetes, coquina clam siphons, and sand fleas (mole crabs). A studyof pompano in Tampa Bay, Florida, ranging in size from 2-4 inches, showedthat they ate crustaceans and mollusks, while those from 4 – 5 inches atecoquinas.As pompano grow, the pharyngeal plates develop that allow consumption ofhard-shelled organisms including clams, mussels, and crabs In Florida, juvenilescollected in the surf zone were shown to be mainly bottom feeders, consuming Sand Fleascoquina clam siphons and sand fleas (mole crabs). Juvenile pompanocollected at Louisiana beaches were observed to consume polychaetes,bivalves, amphipods, and penaeid shrimp.Adult pompano appear to be selective grazers, feeding mostly on the bottomon a wide variety of organisms. Bivalves, crabs, shrimp, and various smallfish species constitute the majority of the diet of adult pompano. Sampledgut contents from 19 adult pompanos taken in the Tampa Bay area andfound that all fishes sampled fed exclusively on the scorched mussel,Brachidontes exustus, which commonly lives attached to rocks in thedeeper portion of Tampa Bay. However, adult pompano caught in the Gulf of Mexico, in the vicinity of oil rigs, fed primarily on penaeid shrimp. Coquinos on Okaloosa Island beachCompetitors: Florida pompano are preyed upon by birds, particularly brown pelicans, and other birds that utilize beach areas as feeding grounds.RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING POMPANOState Waters: The state of Florida regulates fishing in the Gulf of Mexico waters out to 9 nautical miles from the Florida Gulf coastline. Since correctly identifying pompano and permit is difficult at small sizes, the two species are managed together.As of January 2018: Minimum 11” , maximum 20" fork length.Maximum 6 pompano per fisherman per dayMay possess one Pompano or Permit over 20" (included in the aggregate bag limit of 6).Hook and line, cast net and beach or haul seineGigging, spearing, snatching prohibited.Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore (heads, fins & tails intact).Federal Waters: The US Government, throught NOAA and its Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, regulates fishing in the Gulf of Mexico waters from 9 nautical miles off the coast of Florida out to 200 nautical miles from the coast. 
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HOLE Florida Surf Casting articleCapt Mel pompano article | Southeast corner of the east Destin jetty Pompano Hole |
You Tube "Filleting a Pompano"Florida Surf Fishing web site "How to clean a Pompano"(Excellent) 
| Third Bar - Can not always see waves on it |
Put one bait here Put another bait here 
AD BANNER Fishing Destin Guide©Pompano | Known as the "luckiest fishing village", Destin is the home to some of the best saltwater fishing in the United States. The 100 Fathom (600' depth) Curve of the Gulf of Mexicodraws closerto Destin than any other spot in Florida. This, along with Destin's close proximity to the East Pass and the Gulf of Mexico, allowsquick access to the Gulf of Mexico's fishing bounty. The purpose of this site is to acquaint a new fisherman to the Destin area - our local facilities, fish, waters andfishing methods. Tight lines and good fishing! |
More information than you ever wanted to know about the Pompano linksSmithsonian Marine Station Fort PierceFishbaseUS Florida Fish & Wildlife - Florida PompanoPompano vs Permit IDFlorida Marine Research Institute - Florida Pompanox Pompano are common along Gulf beaches and passes where they feed on beach fleas, shrimp, small fish and animals buried in the sand. In September and October, adults move into the bays. These deep-bodied fish flash their silver sides and yellow bodies when they jump in the wake of boats in the coastal bays.DistributionPompano range from inshore waters to offshore throughout the Gulf of Mexico.How To CatchPompano have fairly small mouths, so baits and hooks should be small. Generally live bait or bits of shrimp are the best bait, although some lures can be successful. Best fishing is in summer and fall, since the fish may move offshore in winter. 
