Welcome to our “How to Catch Florida Pompano Fish Guide”! We tell you where, how, and when to catch this small but delicious fish – giving you tips on baits, lures, and gear to use. These are tiny Florida inshore fish that are absolutely delicious on a plate.

No, they don’t fight all that hard because they really don’t grow to a large size, but they’re well worth targeting while you’re in Florida fishing.

[Page Updated – 14 August 2022. Bookmark this page (Windows CNTRL+D, MAC CMD+D) so you don’t lose it.]

HOW TO FISH FOR AND CATCH POMPANO—Guide

Gamefish Ratings

  • Size: 2/10 stars 
  • Fight: 2/10 stars 
  • Difficulty to Catch: 6/10 stars
  • Taste: 10/10 stars

INDEX to Sections in this Guide:

PRO TIP – Florida Pompano fish are also called Carolina pompano, common pompano, Atlantic pompano, sunfish, silver dollars, poms, pom, paneau sole, and pompano amarillo (yellow). If you have heard any more names, let me know!

Pompano fish caught from a Florida fishing pier in daylight.
A freshly caught pompano fish from a Florida pier.

Pompano Fish Facts

Species: Trachinotus carolinus

Identifying Features

  • Overall silver and white color
  • Dark dorsal (top)
  • Some yellow on the fins except dorsal fin, and yellow on the belly
  • Smoothly curving head where it meets lower jaw (roundish)
  • Very thin
  • Scales very small, fish feels smooth like skin

Similar Species: Permit look very similar to Pompano, but Permit grow much bigger as adults. When both are juvenile, there is little difference, but you need to know the differences so you can stay legal with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Right?

Ignorance is not an excuse for keeping a fish you ‘thought’ was something else. Unfortunately!

Pompano are often confused with juvenile Permit of similar size. There are a number of differences between them you can look for to distinguish the species. Permits have a slight bump on the head between the dorsal fin and the snout.

Look at the image above. The top fish in the image is the Florida Pompano. The lower left is a Permit. The lower right is an African Pompano. The color of the Florida Pompano is obviously different with a lot of yellow in the fish and fins.

The African Pompano has colors similar to the Permit, but it has an angled head coming down to the lower jaw. The Permit has a small bump on the head. This bump can be easier to see in some than others.

Check this page for a very detailed graphic that points out the differences between Pompano vs Permit >

IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern (LC). Pompano fish were last assessed to be of Least Concern on 21 August 2012. They are represented in very good numbers in Florida state and the population is currently healthy. We are due for an update to that ongoing study.

Appearance: These are short thin fish that resemble the “silver dollars” some of us kept in home aquariums for years as we were growing up. Chances are high that some of you reading this may be keeping some now. They do get bigger than silver dollars but look similar.

Pompano are mostly silver with grey and green toward the top half and white/yellow toward the bottom. The belly (ventral surface) has a yellow tint. The dorsal area around the dorsal fin is darker. The other fins are generally yellow.

The head is round where the jaw meets the snout. It very much resembles the Permit fish, which grows much bigger. There are no scutes like Jacks have.

Length: As long as 24 inches.

Weight: 1 to 2 lb. range fish are common. The African Pompano fish gets bigger and 5 lbs. is common. Maximum length for the Florida Pompano is 24 inches.

Range/Distribution: Florida Pompano cover the entire east coast of the United States, Mexico, and all coasts of Cuba. In the southern hemisphere. They can be found on the north and eastern coasts almost to Argentina.

Florida Permit distribution range. Extant in these areas covering the east coast of USA, Cuba, Mexico, and most of the South American coast.
Florida Permit distribution range covers the U.S., Cuba, Mexico, and Northern South America East Coasts.

Habitat: They enjoy water in the 1 foot to 70-meter range. It is one of the fun shore-fishing and wade-fishing targets that many anglers living near a beach fish for. These fish are common in the waves and shallow water as they look for some of their preferred prey like sand fleas, other crabs, and small shrimp.

Fish for them on sandy beaches, on oyster bars, and in seagrass.

Once you find them, they don’t move much so you’ll be able to catch fish there for weeks at a time during the same tide conditions you found them the first time. With temperature changes, these fish move to warmer water.

Fishing World Records

The all-tackle pompano fish record (using any weight/strength tackle) is 8 lbs. 4 oz.. This huge Florida fish was caught in Port St. Joe by fisherman Barry Huston way back in 1999 on the 16th of October. What a lucky day that was!

I don’t remember ever seeing anyone catch one over 5 lbs. Maybe I need to get out there fishing more!

If you’re wondering, Port. St. Joe is up in the Florida Panhandle just east of Panama City, Florida.

Florida Record

The Florida record is the same as the World Record because that fish above was caught in Florida. Florida has the biggest ones!

Why Catch Them?

Catching any fish is fun, sure. Catching this is almost the least fun you can have though! OK, it isn’t that bad, but the bite may be delayed for hours.

The weather may be rainy. It could be cool or even cold during certain months (we’re in February at the moment).

Someone 50 yards down the beach from you might be 1-fish away from his limit and you haven’t caught one yet.

In short, nobody is out there targeting these fish for the absolute joy of catching them. Just about any fish is more fun to catch. Pompano fish are targeted because they TASTE SO GOOD! More on that later.

Where To Find Them?

Habitat –  At the beach. In the waves. Inshore fishing is easy and fun. Bring your kids. A moving tide, especially incoming is best.

Diet – What Do They Eat?

They eat a few different prey items. Sand fleas (mole crabs of the genus Emerita) also known as sand crabs or sand bugs, are the number one bait recommended for decades for this species of fish. They’re the perfect bite-sized meal and they catch the most fish.

Also effective are other small crabs and small shrimp or pieces of shrimp, and cut pieces of clam. Their diet is primarily mollusks and crustaceans.

If you’re trying to catch your own sand fleas, you’ll spend a lot of time doing it. It is probably best to get live sand fleas at a bait shop, or frozen ones at the supermarket. Then, if you can’t do that, you’ll be fine fishing with pieces of shrimp on the hook – they love that too.

When Is the Best Time to Fish?

The fishing heats up when the weather gets warm. Spring and summer are best, but you can still find some in Northern Florida as the fall and winter set in.

Gear—The Essentials

Best Rod for Pompano

I don’t think there is a ‘best rod’ for this fish. Literally, anything will do, including a big bamboo pole if you want to go that route. I use either an 8 or 9-foot fiberglass, or carbon rod that allows me to cast quite far into the surf because when I am targeting Pompano, I am either wade-fishing or shore fishing.

Sometimes the fish are in close, and sometimes they’re out a bit and the extra distance the 8-foot rod or even a 9-foot rod gives over my usual 7-foot rod, is helpful.

For Pompano, this rod works great at the beach:

UGLY STIK 9 foot rod at Amazon

If you’re fishing from a boat, really whatever you have available will work. They’re not big fighters and they usually stay on the hook. They can tolerate a lot of different rod/line combinations. Use what you have and drop it straight down to reach them.

Best Reel?

Baitcasting Reels

I love baitcasting reels. I love the way they cast. I love the precision. I love the power and the smoothness and efficiency I get with baitcasting reels. Is a baitcasting reel perfect for Pompano fish? Sure, it works fine. There’s no real difference between this and a spinning reel when targeting inshore fish.

My Favorite Reel (at Amazon) for this fish (and other inshore fish) Made in America (Philadelphia, PA.)

Here’s a less-expensive alternative (at Amazon) that is also great for catching inshore fish, but it’s more of a beginner’s baitcasting reel.

Best Spinning Reel?

Here’s a basic Sienna Spinning Reel (at Amazon) that is perfect for Pompano fish and many others you’ll be catching from shore or wade-fishing. This is an inexpensive reel that can get you started in the fishing hobby and you can upgrade later when you figure out what you need.

This is one of my favorite Shimano Spinning Reels (at Amazon). If you are already a die-hard angler, this reel will be one you cherish for years and possibly hand it down to your son or daughter to use.

Best Line?

This tiny fish is usually around 1 lb. so you don’t need a strong line to catch them. However, you may connect with a redfish or some other bigger fish, so you should be ready for something bigger.

I’d go with 10 lb. braided line and hope like heck I didn’t hook into a huge redfish, jack, black drum, or something else that fights hard.

This line is perfect:

10 Lb. Braided line at Amazon >

Some people use leader for them. I don’t. I like to feel every little nibble, and the braided line gives me that ultra-sensitivity.

Best Hooks?

The best hooks (at Amazon) for this species is a size 1/0 circle hook from Mustad, Owner, or Gamakatsu. These are not strong fish and their mouth is hard and strong. Circle hooks ensure a hook in the side (front) of the mouth. You’ll get very few swallowed hooks and it is easier on the fish for catch and release using circle hooks.

Best Fishing Rigs?

Jig color can be important and some captains and guides insist on certain colors working best for their area. Chartreuse and yellow can be good. Try a number of different colors. Whatever you have. Fish on the bottom.

You won’t really feel the strike from this small fish. Twitch the rod tip a bit if you think you’re getting bites. That may prompt a big hit and you can land your fish.

On the artificial side, using small jigs tipped with shrimp can get you a limit of these tasty critters as well. Live bait always works best, but give it a shot to save some money on bait. If you’re on a boat, you can drop a jig like this straight down and pop it up and down a few times to get the fish’s attention.

Tackle? Use a long rod – 8 foot plus when fishing in the surf, and set up a row of rods if you have them. It may take a while for the fish to find your bait.

Alternatively, you could walk out into the sea and fish with a smaller rod. It can be boring though fishing with just one rod, so setting up at least a couple is ideal. Some guys fish with a dozen rods at the same time.

Fishing Laws in Florida

These tasty fish are legal to be caught on the East and West Coast of Florida and other southern States. Florida has a lot of fish! See below our link to fishing license info or contact the Florida Game and Fish Commission before you fish.

License Requirements

Here is our page covering Florida Fishing Licenses. There is no special Pompano fish permit required.

Hook and line, cast net, and beach or haul seine only. No gigging, snatching, or spear-fishing allowed.

Florida Gulf Coast Laws

There is no specific season for Pompano on the Gulf Coast. OPEN YEAR ROUND

  • Minimum Size Limit: 11-inch minimum measured snout to fork in tail.
  • Daily Bag Limit: 6 per person.

Gulf Coast Regs

  • Minimum Size Limit: 24-inch length measured snout to fork in tail.
  • Daily Bag Limit: 2 per person per day. Not to exceed 2 per vessel? This is what the regs state.

East Coast (Atlantic) Laws

There is no season restricting the catching of African Pompano, but this fish is not listed under the Open Season listing either. So, not sure what’s going on. I’ll try to figure it out.

  • Minimum Size Limit: Same as Gulf Coast?
  • Daily Bag Limit: Same as Gulf Coast?

Get the Fishing App

If fishing from 3 to 200 nautical miles off the coast of Florida, Georgia, South or North Carolina, you can use this mobile application to stay up to date on the fishing rules on the Atlantic Coast.

Farming

Florida Pompano are incredibly delicious and very expensive. They are ideal to farm-raise for these reasons, but the actual implementation has been less than perfect in past years. Here’s a guy in Fort Pierce who raised 3-Million USD to start his fish farm. Here’s a business farming it since 1973.

Filleted pompano on the doc. Sad to see so much waste.
Let’s be honest, you’re going to get about 3 oz. of meat off a fish filleted like this! Learn to broil (bake) these fish in an oven WHOLE. You’ll get more meat to eat, and look, this guy’s going to lose the entire head portion – which is the BEST!

How to Cook Pompano Fish?

The first thing I’d do if it were my first time tasting this fish is to remove the scales, gut it, and stick it on ice right away – and I mean at the beach. You probably have time to do that unless you have 6 rods in at once and they’re all going off at the same time.

When you get home, get out a no-stick frying pan and coat it with butter. Set the entire Pompano fish on the pan and set it on low heat to cook without burning. Pompano are thin and it won’t take very long at all.

I always put a lid from a smaller sized pan over the fish to catch some of the steam and cook the fish faster. You don’t want to use the correct size lid and trap the steam because it seems to make the fish hard when you do that.

Flip it in 5-8 minutes and cook it another 4-5 minutes. Done. If you like onions, throw some of those in with the butter too. Wait! Garlic. OK, that’s all I’d use. Unless some black or white pepper was handy, then I might give it a dash.

The point is to be able to taste Pompano before you do something crazy with it like putting it on fish tacos or something. Taste the natural goodness first. Then, you’ll probably get addicted to them and fish for Pompano the rest of your life.

That’s how it happens.

The BEST WAY to cook this fish? Broil it in a glass pan covered in foil you poke a couple of holes in. Add butter, onions, garlic, and a touch of salt and pepper on top. Lemon if you like. Let it cook on 450 degrees for about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven of course. This is my favorite way to cook this fish. Head on. Guts out. Peel the skin away easily when cooked. MMMMM. So tasty. One of best Florida fish to eat.

PRO TIP – The pompano fish you catch probably won’t have any parasites – unless you get an old one. Check near the tail area, but give the entire inside of the fish a good once-over. Eat fish near the lower end of the range limit to get less parasites. That’s true for all species!

Watch this couple catch their limit of 12 Florida Pompano during a rainstorm (video)

Florida's MOST Expensive Fish! Catch Clean Cook- Florida Pompano

Resources

  • IUCN Redlist – The International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

More Fishing Help

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