How to Catch Florida Pompano

I was jogging along the beach the other day in the late afternoon and decided to see what the locals were catching on the jetty. I normally don’t pay too much attention as I’m used to hopping on the boat and going offshore for Dolphin or Sailfish, but today felt a bit different. It was a bit choppy and the end of the jetty was unusually crowded with anglers and the surfers were out in force as well. As I got to the end of the jetty I was greeted with cries of Pompano! Pompano! Next thing I knew 1-4 pound Pompano were being lifted up onto the rocks every couple of minutes.

I love eating the white flakey meat of the Pompano, they are perhaps among the finest table fare of any fish in the ocean and available in many of Florida’s better restaurants. The Florida Pompano is within reach of any anglers that can walk onto a pier, fish a jetty or cast from the beach. The Florida Pompano is an excellent fighter although they only average a few pounds and fish over five pounds are considered monsters. For those who know how to fish for them, they are available mostly early spring through early fall.

The prime bait for catching Pompano is the ‘sand flea’ also called mole crabs, most small crustaceans and shrimp will work as well but sand fleas are by far the bait of choice for the accomplished Pompano fisherman. These fish travel in schools so if you see one caught, there will probably be more to follow. One of the things I love about Pompano fishing is that I don’t have to be in the crowds at the tip of a fishing pier or the end of the jetty to catch them, pompano like to feed just on the ocean side of a shore break or sand bar where they can ambush small crustaceans being washed out with the current or tides.
They tend to feed on the incoming tide and the early part of the outgoing tide when water depth is optimal for them to move in closer to shore.

Any medium spinning rod with 12 lb test line will work just fine as remember, these are fish that average one to four pounds but fight like heck, and since they feed just beyond the shore break mega long surf rods are not a necessity either. But this should be determined by surf conditions at the time. Small circle hooks can be used as singles or in multiple hook rigs. I prefer one 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook hanging about a foot above a pyramid sinker. I have a preference for pyramid sinkers as they will hold bottom better than bank or egg sinkers.

In my next article I will go over catching your own sand fleas using a sand flea rake that can either be built or purchased at stores such as Bass Pro shops or Gander Mountain. It should be noted that once you find a stretch of beach that is abundant in sand fleas there is a good chance it will hold Pompano as well. After all you can use these little critters as your advance scouts! So, find the sand fleas, find some choppy water with a shore break and an incoming tide and cast to the far side. Then start daydreaming of a great wine to go with your incredible Florida Pompano meal!

Tips for Successful Pier Fishing

The Unexpected Thrill of Pier Fishing

 

If you’ve never fished off a pier, I suppose you don’t really know what you’re missing, so I’m here to tell you.  Whether you choose to pier fish during the day under the hot Florida sun, or take advantage of a warm night on a pier in the north Atlantic, you never know what you may catch, which is part of the attraction.  Unlike surf fishing, or casting your rod from the deck of a chartered boat, pier fishing allows you and possibly your family (kids love it) to spend time at your ‘camp’, dropping your lines (you’ll want to drop them, rather than cast when out on a pier since the fish prefer to stick close by), having some lunch, reading a book, enjoying your iPod, and reveling in what the other anglers around you are reeling in. 

 

 

 

 Its always a good idea to call ahead to see what has been caught recently as pier fishing like other types of angling  will produce a variety of species depending on the time of year and  where along our coastlines you happen to be. Most fishing piers have a bait shop on them and you can give them a call to see what has been biting and the best baits. In addition to the cut bait you can purchase from any local bait shop you may want to bring along a rod for catching some live bait.  A light rod with a sabiki rig is great for catching small baitfish such as pilchard and sardines, but remember you must have bait bucket capable of keeping them alive once caught.

Most fishing piers have a limit on the number of rods that can be brought out on to the pier; usually this limit is about 3 fishing rods.  A good rule of thumb is to have one bait rod, one rod that is used for casting and another rod that can be used for straight bottom fishing. Since you will already have a good idea of what species of fish have been caught recently you can outfit your tackle box to include a variety of hooks and lures commonly used to catch that species.  If you are fishing the piers in South Florida you can expect to catch many of the more popular species of fish such as Snook, Jacks, Cobia, Tarpon, Mackerel and many kinds of bottom fish including snappers. Have a good assortment of hook sizes and sinkers along with various swivels in your box so you can see what others who are fishing on the pier are using and adjust if you notice one rig is more successful than another.

 

 

The number one tip to being successful while pier fishing is to locate any structure or reefs near the pier. Remember that it is the structure that will become the haven for the baitfish and that in turn will attract the larger fish you are targeting.  Many times fishing piers are built over the remains of previous piers that have been destroyed by storms, or they could be built around reefs or rock structures. Try and learn where these structures are located as fishing the very end of the pier may not put you in the best position to catch fish.

Although pier fishing may draw a very “unique” crowd, most people you encounter will be very helpful if approached courteously, but remember not to crowd others who may be having more luck than you.  Just make note of what type of rig they are using and the kind of bait that is catching the fish, so the next time you come you can try to follow their success and enjoy the fine art of pier fishing.