Florida Pompano(Trachinotus carolinus)

Quick Facts

  • Size Range: The pompano rarely grows to more than 6 pounds and averages 2 to 3 pounds.
  • Native Species?: Yes
  • Food Value: The pompano is famed for it’s edibility and is a prize catch of surf fishermen.

State Record

  • Louisiana State Record: 8.5lbs
  • State Record Date: 12/1/1969
  • State Record Holder Buddy Pons

The pompano is a deeply flattened, tall, silver-sided, gray-backed fish with yellow on the throat and pelvic and anal fins. They have a small mouth and deeply forked tail. They are very similar to permit, but the permit’s body is deeper.

The pompano frequents inshore and coastal waters of the Atlantic and Gulf and is often found in the shallows of the surf and out as far as 100 feet.

Pompano are most often fished using bait in the surf zone of sandy beaches. They eat mollusks and crustaceans—sand fleas are a very common bait, and small bits of shrimp will also catch pompano. Some are caught on small jigs as well. The tides often play an important role in the feeding of these fish.

Related Habitats:
Other Fin Fish Species: Mahogany Snapper Spotted Bass Warmouth Longear Sunfish Flathead Catfish Bonnethead Shark Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Banded Rudderfish
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Related Fishing Methods

Bottom fishing is normally about fishing bottom structures in order to target benthic or bottom dwelling fish. There are a wide variety of techniques, but the common element is the targeting of species who dwell around or hide in natural and man-made structures. Fish like grouper, snapper, amberjack and catfish would be considered bottom fish. It is very popular amongst anglers and success is often determined by the fishermen's ability to crank a fish away from the structure before the fish can duck into it and cut the line. Anchoring or drifting the boat over the structure is key to having success. There are many versions, and many of the bottom fish are prized eating.

Dead bait consists of many different types of bait that is no longer alive. Dead bait is still attractive to many fish as they are normally feeding by smell and dead bait is the ticket for smell. Fresh cut fish, dead shrimp, half crab, shucked clam, cut squid and all popular examples of bait that will catch a wide variety of fish. Many sport fish that are predators, will gladly take the opportunity to slurp up a fresh dead bait. A redfish is equally happy to chase down a baitfish or slurp up a dead shrimp on the bottom. Dead bait has the benefit is being easy to obtain, maintain and transport, as opposed to live bait which takes livewells, quality water control and can be harder to obtain.

A versatile method of fishing for many types of fish in both freshwater and salt. A jig is a lure, normally a lead-headed lure with many various types of body/tail configurations made of rubber, hair and feather. Jigs are one of the most versatile of all lures and can be tipped with bait or not. Traditionally jigs are worked in variety of up and down motions, and can be fished throughout the entire water column, depending on the fishery. A modern form of jigs called metal jigs has taken hold and many varieties and shapes have been developed to work different ways. Made famous by the Shimano Butterfly Jig and now produced by many companies in many variations. If I could only have one lure to fish with it would be a jig.