I was just thinking that one of the best fish I have ever caught, both for the table and pound for pound fight, has been a Pompano from he surf. Since I don’t have a boat, and am still on the fence about a kayak, I was thinking of fly fishing for some Pompano. Their main food source is the mole crab. Anyone have a pattern? I’m thinking the trick is to find a rip current on the beach and cast a crab pattern in. Let the current pull it out and hope for a cruising fish.
I remember when I was first looking at fly-fishing, I was on YouTube and found a video of some guys fly-fishing for pompano. They’re on a boat, but you may be able to get some tips from it.
You can catch them in the surf, try smaller crab patterns as well as anything that looks like a jig. Smaller heavier clousers in peral like colors with lots of flash work well. Try to find you some near shore bars, cuts and holes then work the tide, sometimes they are very shallow just keep in mind that they are primary bottom feeders.
Saltwateredge.com (yankees but super nice guys) sent me a molecrab pattern one time to see if was what I was talking about. I can send you a picture if you want. Basically yak wool with mono eyes. Never tried it but it does look like one when it is wet.
Just curious what weight rod would you use for surf in SC?
My options are pretty limited when it comes to fly fishing. I have an 8 wt for saltwater and large mouth bass and a 2 wt for trout in the creeks and bream.
Your 8 weight is fine providing the wind cooperates, typically Poms are right in the wash so long casts aren’t necessary. At low tide fish the near shore holes, cuts and bars. You also need to throw smaller weighted flies that stay near the bottom so you 8 shold be pretty well matched to your target. Try white, chartresue, olive and brown, pink, red or orange flashy patterns that mimic critters, shrimp other small baitfish, just make sure that you keep it small, weighted and flashy! If there happen to be some Spanish in the surf, the same holds true for them except you can get by with non weighted baitfish patterns. The are both a blast to catch on light tackle, if the wind picks up or you can’t locte fish on the fly take a light weight spinning outfit with you until you find the fish then switch off to the fly one the bite gets going. Try smaller crappie and bass jigs on the spinning outfit or try you up some with flashabou, crystal flash and some craft hair on 1/16, 1/8 or 1/4 heads with smaller hooks. Here again keep the profile small and flashy! If they get going on the jig bite you can switch off to a weighted bend back, cone head or clouser in the same size, color and basic material!