How to Tie A Pompano Rig For Surf Fishing (Catches Pompano, Whiting, Black Drum & More) Salt Strong 106K views 2 years ago The BEST Way to Limit Out on Pompano Surf Fishing Bama Beach Bum. Pompano are in schools so once you find one, you will probably find a lot more. If you dont have a cooler, one alternative for keeping your catch fresh is to bury them in sand deep enough to where they will remain moist and cool. THERES NOTHING LIKE SEEING STARS AT NOON TIME AT THE CAPE. Approved. It depends on where the sand bar is. I throw this extra rod out with a larger bait to target bigger fish, like bull reds. First, your reminder Wind from the West, fish bite the best Wind from the East, fish bite the least Wind from the North, do not go forth Wind from the South blows bait in their mouth Now take a. Your email address will not be published. The place is home to 72 miles of shorelines, beyond which the Atlantic Ocean lies in wait. Pompano love sand fleas as much as any shore bird. But, they can live longer and grow to over 8 pounds, which would be a giant pompano. So, find out when the water temps normally hit the desired temperature zone in your area, and then hit the beach. Dont buy frozen shrimp that you see in local convenience stores. If you memorize just a few of these, you should be able to tell them apart. Unless sand eels are present, I prefer wide-bodied metal lures, like a Point Jude Nautilus, Hopkins No=Eql or Acme Kastmaster that ride high in the water column and have good action. Its rediculous. That makes a lot of sense right? Flies are another great choice. How to Fish with the Goofy Jig Before you can catch pompano, you first have to find them. in case you happen to run across a permit in the surf. othing is more efficient and easier to use than a proper rake. The key here is it being fresh. Surf beginners should hit the water with a . A 2 hook rig serves several purposes. Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you have. In short you need a couple of long surf rods with baitcasting or spinning reels loaded with braided line for casting distance. Subscribe to get one NEW fishing article every week. You can still find. These give off an odor that can attract pompano. Pompano regularly eat crabs, clams, shrimp, mussels and small fish. Snell hooks are best for fishing bait on the bottom--no hookset required! on the Treasure Coast of Florida. This will happen quicker than you might imagine. The pompano can pick up the smell through the rough waves. In Snapper Rocks, Mick Fanning is currently the fastest surfer. Every rod has a sweet spot, a weight that it casts best. Instead, you should store them in 2 or 3 of damp sand, which will actually keep them alive for several days, if they dont get too hot. When the surf is very large and the water is all stirred up it will be hard to find the pompano too. Ive only fished for the past 10 years but in my opinion Super Strike plugs seem to effortlessly soar through the air with the smallest flick of my rod. They may also be in grass flats hunting crabs when the tide is high.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'riversearch_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',159,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-riversearch_com-leader-2-0'); Pompano in spring are easier to catch in northern parts of Florida than in southern parts. Holes or cuts in the sandbar are good places to look. I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida. In other words, the quick answer is that it depends upon the conditions. Ill break down all aspects of when, where and how to catch them so you can taste success when targeting Florida Pompano. 2/0 and #1 circle hooks are fine options as well. Fishing pompano with squid is ideal on days where the seas are rough. Welcome to Surfside Resort, a nice option for travelers like you. This can be the ideal season to fish the surf for pompano. Your own casting stroke is more important to casting distance than any equipment. But, on occasion, they will be running further offshore, and you will need to cast further out to reach them. Privacy Policy. So, there is no need to fight crowds to claim a prized fishing spot on a jetty or pier. Step 4: Tie the first dropper loop about 10 inches above the sinker. But, other colors can also be productive. Also, while targeting pompano, there is a great likelihood that you will catch other desirable species such as whiting (kingfish) and redfish. Each fall as coastal water temperatures cool schools of delicious pompano head south along both of Florida's coasts within range of any angler with a surf rod. Like those stubby needlefish. Instead use a gentler flick of the wrist to set your hook. Just because the fish are far off the beach, doesnt mean they are in deep water. They can be found from Massachusetts all the way around Florida, throughout the gulf, and down towards South America. I prefer to use 2-hook pompano (high-low) rigs similar to my image below. When casting out your baits, you will typically only want to let it sit for 5-15 minutes, depending on how good the bite is that day. When Im after pompano, I like to take 3 thin-wall pvc surf spikes and space them 5-7 yards apart. It doesnt have to be clear but you will find that most of the pompano that you catch will be in water colors ranging from the emerald green to turquois blue. But you can still find pompano in their usual places: the surf, grass flats, and deep inshore channels. If you dont use a weight that holds your baits firmly to the bottom, you are going to have a tangled mess on your hands. The resulting perfectly flat line lay minimizes friction during the cast. Again mono or fluorocarbon line will work. I prefer to use 2-hook pompano (high-low) rigs similar to my image below. More about pompano rigs later. The name, Florida Pompano, is deceiving as this fish ranges quite a distance beyond the state of Florida. Another option, which I have used before, is to take 2 plastic containers that nest together. I like a 4000-5000 sized reel, but any sized reel will work. I like to fish the higher parts of the tide for just about everything. Pompano travel in schools, so catching 1 fish indicates a school is nearby. Instead, you just start reeling and apply firm pressure to place the hook in the corner of the fishs mouth. Cast out into smaller two to three-foot waves where pompano may be roaming. To immediately improve casting distance with every lure, rod and reel you use, downsize your line. Like most things, there is a sweet spot that offers the best conditions. Anglers in far South Florida--all the way to Miami Beach--reap the run on winter's coldest days. Lets say that the sand bar is 60 yards from the beach. Other very productive baits are small shrimp, and Fishbites. You have to cast out to the sand bar during the lower parts of the tide and you can literally catch pompano at your feet during the highest parts of the tide. It all depends upon the tide levels when determining how far out to cast to catch pompano in the surf. When you see shore birds like turnstones, plovers, sandpipers. One of the greatest things about pompano is that they can be found running fairly close to the beach, and within easy casting range. Give the spot 15 minutes or so to see if there are any fish around and reevaluate what to do if you dont get any bites. You will usually need to use between a 1-4 ounce pyramid sinker, so you should have a selection of weights in that range. For these reasons, pompano are a great fish to target for tourists and beginners. The best signs of life are feeding fish where you are at. Thats right! Nags Head Fishing Pier, Nags Head, (252) 441-5141. You may also go to your bait shop and pick up clams and mussels to use as bait. by Tyler Spader July 30, 2022. Sure, you can catch a pompano in 64 degree water or 81 degree water but it will be hard to catch large numbers of them in water that is uncomfortable to them. Regardless of what reel you use, keep the spool as close to full as you can to achieve the greatest possible casting distance. ? Anglers fish for pompano from piers, under bridges or on the beach, depending on their preferences. Agree , I no longer throw 12 mullet w 8 oz weight with a 12 rod in Texas . I like to hook a sand flea by holding their digger claw against their body and piercing the hook through it and out the top of the back. Slow down and let the rod do the work, and youll see a marked increase in casting distance. If you dont wish to tie your own, these Sea Strike 2 hook rigs on amazon look pretty good Sea Strike PPR20 2-Hook Pompano Rig. | Contact Us. Here we will cover a little bit about pompano, where to fish for them, their seasonal patterns, the equipment you will need to catch them, and a few tips to help you catch more pompano.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'riversearch_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',156,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-riversearch_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Pompano are members of the Carangidae or jack family of fish. Pompano like the water temperatures to be from 65 degrees to the high 70s. Dusty Hayes and I go looking for pompano and whiting after Hurricane Nate! Another added benefit is that, because of the thin mesh material found inside Fishbites, they stay on a hook very well, even through multiple caught fish. Position yourself in your sweet spot and get ready to paddle for the wave using long, smooth, deep strokes. These folks are more than happy to share tips and tactics. According to the chart Id studied that afternoon at the officeat the expense of doing actual workabout 200 feet away from where I was standing, the bottom dropped sharply into a channel. One of the best sources of surf fishing reports and tips is the Florida Surf Casters Club. Its actually a 3 part series thats well worth your time if you are lacking skills in this area. I have fished the beaches, mangroves, grass flats.. all over Florida for more than 40 years. If we didnt hook up in the first few cranks, the rest of the retrieve was over dead water. Then, choose a surfboard that fits your height and weight. Pompano fishing is more popular in Florida though, due to the high number of fish in this area.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'riversearch_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_3',157,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-riversearch_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); If youre trying to locate the pompano in the waters you are fishing, they are usually targeted by fishing in the surf. 9 w mullet head and 4 oz weight is fine for bull reds . Place your bait in each section and see if the pompano are biting. The tide is very important for beach fishing because more water allows more fish to come close to the beach. I just got word that surf fishermen on Amelia Island are intercepting the first of the fall pompano run. You can dump small chunks of baitfish, or scrape barnacles and mussels to chum the water and get the pompano riled up. Look for the fish on the down current side of the bridge. Jennette's Pier, Nags Head, (252) 255-1501. I throw this extra rod out with a larger bait to target bigger fish, like bull reds. Those are really nice, but they are also REALLY expensive. This should give you plenty of power to cast far enough to reach pompano. These are most common for inshore fishing but can also be used in the surf if the conditions arent too rough. I try to minimize weight anywhere possible in my beach loadout. I compensated by retrieving faster to keep the heavier jig off the bottom, but the bass werent interested in that. You will likely be catching them any time you are targeting Pompano. Early in the morning, or late in the evening, just toss your baits in the first trough off the beach. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Incoming tides, and the front of outgoing tides will typically be best. A longer rod and adequate reel capacity is the only way you can get the distance sometimes needed. Trying to overpower your cast isnt going to send your lure 100 yards into the surf. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg\/aid1422870-v4-728px-Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"