By far the best natural bait is a
live sand flea (sand crab)
, but Pompano also will bite live shrimp or fiddler crabs
What is the best time to catch pompano?
April, May, and November
are normally the best months to catch Pompano, but you may also land some in the other months of the year, especially if the water temperature and surf conditions are similar to those preferred by the fish.
What’s the best bait for pompano?
Sand fleas, ghost shrimp and pompano jigs
are going to be your best bets in terms of bait for pompano. You can head to the local tackle stores and find tools to both scoop up sand fleas (mole crabs) and ghost shrimp.
How do you catch pompano fish?
When targeting pompano in Florida, you can use several methods, such as
fly fishing, pier, shoreline
, or the surf’s coastal waters. A spinning reel 3500 or 4000 series spooled with a 12 to 15-pound test line is useable for normal surf conditions while fishing inshore.
What do pompano fish like to eat?
Florida Pompano are primarily a bottom feeding fish, mainly feasting on crustaceans. Their undisputed favorite food is
sand fleas (mole crabs)
. But, they will also feed on all sorts of small crabs, shrimp, and even small fish.
What can you catch on a pompano rig?
They come in
clam, shrimp and sand flea flavors
. Any of those 3 flavors will catch pompano. Whether you are using sand fleas, clam strips, small pieces of shrimp or small pieces of Fish Bites, you will simply put that on your hooks of the pompano rig and cast it out into the surf.
What size hooks for pompano?
The best hook size for surf fishing for pompano and whiting is
a #1 or 1/0 circle hook
. This is the perfect size range for catching tons of whiting, croakers and pompano using sand fleas or fish bites.
Can you catch Pompano at night?
It is possible to catch
Pompano from the surf at night, however, you are more likely to have success early in the morning during moving tides. Increase you odds of success when Pompano fishing at night by picking bright nights, during moving tides, and using bright colored bait.
Is there a limit on Pompano?
Currently, only the State of Florida has fishing regulations on harvesting of African Pompano and these regulations extend to federal waters. The fishing season is year-round with a 24-inch fork length minimum size limit and a
daily recreational bag limit of 2 per harvester not to exceed 2 per vessel
.
Should you bleed pompano?
Should you bleed Pompano? …
Pompano taste good enough that you can often abuse them
after you catch them and still have them taste good, but it never hurts to bleed them right away and pack them in ice before cleaning them.
Can you use pompano for bait?
You don’t give a hint as to where you are fishing. That said, pompano is not defined as a reef fish, so I guess
one could use it as bait
. BUT there’s also the regulation that fish must be landed whole, head & tail intact.
Do you eat the skin on Pompano?
The attractive,
silvery skin is edible
and does not require scaling. Pompano meat is firm but finely flaked, with a sweet, mild flavor. … Pompano lends itself to whole preparations since it is easy to eat off the bone.
Why is Pompano so expensive?
There are several fish species of Pompano in the genera Trachinotus that are marketed as Pompano. … This species of Pompano is the most expensive and
preferred due to its wonderful flavor, texture and fat content
and is highly valued as a wonderful delicacy.
How good is Pompano fish?
Pompano fish, also known as Florida or Golden Pompano (source) has a thick, firm white flesh that has a pearl whitish translucency. The fish’s meat is so easy to chew and is ideal for people who are health conscious. It is also
heart-healthy
as it is rich in omega 3 fatty acids (source).
