Florida Sport Fishing - Pompano Princess

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Pompano Princess

Written by Merry Beth Ryan

AS SEEN IN THE MARCH/APRIL '07 ISSUE

Pompano are such highly-prized fish that some anglers refer to them as “golden nuggets.” This term may seem excessive to anyone who has never caught or eaten one of these snub-nosed mini-members of the jack family, but to those of us who regularly target pomps, the name fits well. They are tough fighters on light tackle, and when placed on the dinner table before a tired and hungry angler, they are, in fact, truly golden.

Pompano are helpful fish. They often inform eager anglers of their presence by skipping out of the water when they are alarmed by a passing boat. One skipping pompano usually indicates there are more in the area, and it is probably a good place to spend some time. There is no need to race around a flat at full speed in search of skipping pompano; a slow idle-speed is all that is necessary. Also, it is best to have a few sets of eyes helping to locate the fish.

Girls have a great time watching directly behind the boat, as pompano tend to skip out of the water right in the “V” pattern of the boat’s wake. Strangely, pompano tend to settle down rather quickly after skipping. Within a few minutes, they are usually right back to grubbing the sandy bottom for shrimp, small crabs, sand fleas and other tasty crustaceans. Any angler “pompano watching” needs to be careful, because reckless pompano have been known to jump right into the boat at times! Talk about good luck! It has happened to me on a few occasions. I simply look to the sky and say “Thank you, Lord. That was the easiest fish I have ever caught!”

Pompano can be elusive, but once you understand their characteristics and feeding patterns, targeting them will be a lot easier. Truly, you can have the most expensive tackle, a state-of-the-art skiff and the tastiest pompano bait, but if you’re fishing an area where no pompano are present, you can plan on stopping for dinner at a local restaurant on your way home. You need to fish where the fish are! Obviously, this factor alone dramatically improves your odds of scoring.

As a rule, pomps prefer a sandy bottom where they use their snub-noses to grub out small crustaceans that bury themselves in the sand. This means, to experience any level of success, you need to think “bait on the bottom” whether using live bait or artificial lures. Pompano also hang around sandy, grassy areas, and they don’t mind a bit of structure, either. Once you locate these fish, it is best to drift well ahead of where you last saw the fish skip.

Pompano prefer moving water. This means the action can be fast and furious around current-swept points and along sandy shorelines, and then drop to almost nothing as the tide bottoms out.

Most pompano pros tend to throw some sort of jig to entice these fish. The traditional pompano hair jigs with yellow heads are the rig of choice. Doc’s Goofy Jigs have gained the respect of many experts all across the state.

It is important to remember to keep your jig as close to the bottom as possible. Pompano always have their heads turned downwards while they search for prey. The puffs of sand that are kicked up during your retrieve - if you’re hopping your jig correctly - imitate the natural prey that lives on the bottom. Most of the time, pompano strike just after you twitch the jig upward after allowing it to flutter. Pomps have small mouths, so do not use too large a piece of bait when sweetening your jig. Rig it right and work it right, and catching pompano on light tackle is as good as inshore fishing gets.

Pompano are usually not shy when they strike artificials. They will slam your jig hard and fast, so be ready. These yellow-bellied, silvery fish seem to prefer a moving target, and sometimes they will nail your jig on the retrieve, so it is important to be ready to reel while keeping the line tight at all times. If you happen to miss a strike, do not give up on the cast. Give your rod another quick twitch. With excellent vision and a healthy appetite, they almost always come back for a second try.

Though relatively small in size, pompano are scrappy fighters, and provide outstanding sport for anglers of all skill levels, but the real reward is on the dinner table. They yield some of the most delectable fillets you’ll ever sink your teeth into.

Here on the West Coast, pompano can be found adjacent to passes where it is best to use a heavier jig and cast uptide. Again, make sure you allow your jig to hit the bottom before hopping it. Tipping your jig with a sand flea, fiddler crab or shrimp provides an irresistible enticement. You can grab your “Florida snow shovel” and head to the beach and dig your own sand fleas in the surf. Tipping jigs with bait also attracts ladyfish and bluefish, which for some reason pompano prefer to swim with. It makes it more difficult to pick off the pomps with the other species racing to snatch the very same bait you’re trying to attract the pompano with. However, eager anglers don’t seem to find this a problem.

Remember that pompano are a schooling fish, so where there is one, there are always more. When using live bait, anglers should know that pomps tend to bite the bait lightly, so be ready to set the hook immediately; otherwise your crab or sand flea will magically disappear.

Many anglers agree with me when I choose pompano as one of my favorite fish to target. It is a challenge to work the jig just right or to present live bait correctly in an attempt to fool these fish. The thrill of catching pomps doesn’t wear off with experience, either.

Pompano are a species that female anglers of all ages and all skill levels can really enjoy catching. I am pretty sure that you ladies will quickly earn the title of ‘Pompano Princess’ when you land more of these highly sought-after golden nuggets than your more experienced male counterparts.

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