Pompano fishing tips: best season, tides, sand fleas, rigs and where to find them
Pompano fishing tips for Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Carolinas: when the spring and fall runs happen, best water temperature, surf troughs, tides and time of day, sand fleas and jigs, double-drop rigs and how to read the beach.
Florida pompano are one of the top prizes of the Southern surf. They're strong fighters for their size, run along the beach in schools and are one of the best-tasting fish in the sea. Pompano fishing is about reading the beach and timing the run. These pompano fishing tips will help you put more in the cooler.
Where to fish
Pompano live along sandy beaches, inlets and passes in warm water:
Florida: both coasts, from the Panhandle (Pensacola, Destin, Panama City) to Tampa Bay, the Space Coast, Jacksonville and the Keys.
The Gulf Coast: Alabama (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach), Mississippi, Louisiana's barrier islands and the Texas coast.
The Carolinas and Georgia: fish move north along the Atlantic beaches in late spring and summer.
When to fish for pompano
Pompano are very sensitive to water temperature. They like water around 65–80°F, and they migrate along the coast as it changes.
Period
What happens
Winter
Fish in South Florida and deeper water; few in the northern Gulf
Spring (Mar–May)
Spring run: schools move north along the beaches as water warms; peak on both Florida coasts and the Panhandle
Summer
Scattered along beaches and around piers, more fish in the Carolinas
Fall (Oct–Dec)
Fall run: schools move south as water cools, often excellent fishing
Many surf anglers watch the water temperature at the beach every day during the runs.
Read the beach
Pompano feed in the surf zone, picking sand fleas and small shellfish out of the sand:
Troughs: the deeper channels between the beach and the sandbars.
Cuts in the bar: where water flows in and out, carrying food.
The first trough near shore: pompano often feed just a few yards from your feet.
Coquina beds and sand flea colonies: if you find lots of sand fleas, pompano won't be far.
Look at the beach at low tide to find the bars and troughs, then fish them on the rising tide.
Best tides and time of day
Moving water is the key: the incoming tide and the first hours of the falling tide are often best.
Early morning and late afternoon are productive, especially in summer.
Slightly rough water with some wave action stirs up food; flat, clear water can make fish wary.
Spring tides around the new and full moon move more water and can trigger feeding. Learn how tides and moon work together in tides and solunar saltwater fishing.
Best baits
Sand fleas (mole crabs): the top bait. Catch them with a sand flea rake in the wash. Soft-shell fleas with orange eggs are the best.
Fresh shrimp: easy to find and works well, but other fish steal it.
Clams: good, especially when sand fleas are hard to find.
Fishbites and other synthetic baits: popular for their durability; often tipped on top of natural bait.
Rigs and lures
Double-drop pompano rig: two short leaders with small circle or kahle hooks (#1 to 1/0), a float or bead above each hook and a pyramid sinker (2–4 oz) to hold the bottom.
Pompano jigs: small, heavy jigs with a short skirt, bounced along the bottom near passes and inlets.
Rods: 9–12 foot surf rods with 15–20 lb line to reach the trough or the bar.
Keep a rod in a sand spike and watch the rod tip: pompano bites are often a rattle and a bend.
Practical tips
Fish close first: many anglers cast too far and miss fish in the first trough.
Move until you find them: pompano travel in schools.
Use fresh bait and change it often.
Check your state's regulations: Florida and other states set minimum sizes and bag limits for pompano; check FWC or your state agency before keeping fish.
Plan with Solunar
Solunar shows sunrise, sunset, moon phase and solunar windows on one 24-hour dial with a 1–4 star day rating, for your exact beach, offline. Pair it with your local tide chart: a strong rating and an incoming tide at sunrise is a prime pompano morning.