Pompano Fishing the fall run in South Florida

Pompano Fish
A Pompano

Well once they have arrived its just finding a spot and tossing out a rod no big secrets, because its just laid back fishing, those fisher People that love kicking back at night and tossing out some baits for a Snapper, Catfish, which by the way is one of my Favorites ‘Lazy Fishing’ YEAH!, those will like Pompano Fishing because its so laid back.

Well many choose piers because it makes getting to them easier, you see pompano will come in and feed with in feet of the sand, but mainly you target them out past the first sand bar if one and alot of time if the beach has two sand bars then it will be beyond the second. They always seem to find and run the deeper of that channel and when they encounter a pier or obstacle they turn and head out and around, they do move through but in the day they will alot of time get to the pier and pull a uey and head back around and keep doing it, like a circuit. That is why it is important where you are on that pier, this is a case where the fish can only be in one place.

Now I like the beaches but like I said you just have to be able to cast to them any where you fish for them and casting even on a pier, fisherman choose the longest of rods and I guess your pompano rods on the beach have to be, anyways this is typically what I use:

The Gear:
10 foot surf rod with a Penn 750ss this rod I use for both Pier and Beach

The rig:
Basic Pompano rig a double drop loop rig with Khale hooks or as I call them english hooks “Old school circles” from 1/0 to 3/0 and I have 7/0 for Crabs on the top hook for a stray Cobia “secret shhhhh” and on the end attach the amount of wieght you need I like on the beach 4oz to 6oz Pyramid on a pier 4oz pyramid.

This is baited with Sand fleas, hook the flea so it sits into the hook.

Cast out as far as you can when you have located the place you want to try.

Locating a good place to fish for Pompano, I look for what they like to eat Sand Fleas, so if they are their there are probably some around and it makes getting bait easy.
You can also use bait Shrimp and to the North they use Clams.

Light Spinner Fishing for Pompano
Now you want to go lighter and maybe go for the ones in the surf well use a jig you can also use this method on a pier, I go right where the guy is catching them and work his left or right which ever way I determine they are going and it pretty easy to work around the pompano lines when jigging but you do need to know how to cast because the Pompano pier fisherman can be touchy so be careful and their bite is sharp.

On the beach just work out and parallel as far out as you can cast until you find where they are, its not always an easy task, pier jigging is easier.

The Gear:
Small Spinner with 6 to 10lb test

The Rig;
Double the line with a spiderhitch be careful when doing a spiderhitch on light line so you don’t burn it when you tighten it down same goes for any knot. Then attach a leader line “24 inches” with a double uni knot I use 15 to 30lb test depending on if there are teethy fish around that might hit it also.
Jig types typical pompano jig and most others for Pompano “pop” Banna Jig work up and allow to flutter down they will hit on the drop

Now I work the Pomp jig by allowing it to find the bottom and then popping it on the bottom with a slow retrieve something will hit it.
Make things happen faster tip the jig with fresh cut peeled shrimp “SHhhhhhhhh another secret”.