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More Tips On Landing Those Tasty Pompano

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By FRANK SARGEANT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2008

Friday's story on pompano prompted several reader requests for more information on where and how to catch this popular species, so here's the scoop.

Basically, pompano are members of the jack family, but they are unusual in that they taste much better than most jacks. They are primarily green-water fish, found along the beaches and near the passes, though they also show up with some frequency in "black" or brackish water, such as that in Tampa Bay roughly from Port Manatee northward. There's occasionally a good run along the outer bar of the South Shore area, and in summer the bridge pilings at Gandy are a noted spot to catch a bucket full.

One way to find pompano is to "skip" them; basically, you motor along just off plane outside the bar that separates the flats from deeper water, and keep an eye on your wake. Pompano have a weird habit of flipping into the air when spooked, and they skip sideways like a flat stone. Where you see one skip, you can be sure there are others below. This same tactic works just outside the first bar off the Gulf beaches on calm mornings.

Pompano like crustaceans; shrimp, sand fleas and fiddler crabs are all prime baits. But they also readily take small minnows, thus lures that imitate these baits, such as a Doc's Goofy Jig, can be effective. I've also caught plenty on the smaller swimbaits. A gold-finish jig head with a short-hair tail is the classic pompano jig.

The new scented baits, including Gulp and Food Source, are also effective. The latter come in a sand flea shape, among others. These can be fished dead on the bottom on a standard hook or as trim on a small jig head.

When fishing a jig, the best action for pompano seems to be a short, sharp upward whip of the rod to make the lure hop, then a moment's hesitation until it sinks back to bottom, then another whip, and so on.

Typically, 10-pound-test microfiber on a light spinner makes a good rig. Adding a couple of feet of 20-pound clear monofilament as a leader makes a good handle to lift your catch aboard.

Pompano are where you find them, but sitting in one spot and hoping some come along is not often effective on our coast, as it can be on some Atlantic beaches where the fish are seasonally more abundant.

Best bet, if you can't skip a pompano, is to fish areas of scattered grass with plenty of sand pockets, typically in depths 3-6 feet. Locations within a quarter-mile or so of Gulf passes are always good bets, though the fish sometimes travel miles inside larger bays like Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor, as well.

Pompano average 1 to 2 pounds in our area, though 3-pounders occasionally are taken. The current world record is 8 pounds, 4 ounces, caught in St. Joe Bay in the Panhandle.

The slot limit is 11 to 20 inches, fork length. Note that this differs from the way soft-tailed fishes are measured; a pompano's total length has to be considerably more than 11 inches to make it legal. The bag is six daily, and one fish over the 20-inch maximum is allowed as part of that bag. There is no closed season.

FLATS FISHING SEMINAR: Captain Chuck Rogers presents a free flats fishing seminar Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bill Currie Ford on North Dale Mabry in Tampa; (813) 935-3293.

WINE-TASTING FUNDRAISER: Mike Kwasin, who is in the wine business, has come up with a unique conservation fundraiser; Kwasin will hold a wine tasting to benefit Tampa Bay Watch on Thursday at his home. The event will offer more than 60 wines, and includes appetizers. Requested donation is $25 each or $40 per couple. Location is 3613 S. Beach Dr. in Tampa, hours 6 to 8 p.m. Call (813) 837-8941 for details.

TRIBUNE'S OUTDOORS EXPO: The Tampa Tribune Outdoors Expo and Boat Show gets under way at 1 p.m. Friday at the Florida State Fairgrounds. The show features dozens of the top anglers and outdoorsmen in Florida, with continuous seminars on five stages.

Admission is free Friday, $8 on Saturday and Sunday, free for kids 12 and younger. Hours are 1 to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; TBO.com, keyword: Outdoors Expo.

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