Looking for tips on catching one in the surf. Tried a couple times last year and didn’t get anything. Would love to add the species to my list of fish catching.
Key West 1720 115 HP Johnson Saltwater.
I catch a few of them every summer on iop. The trick to catching lots of fish in the surf is small hooks and smaller diameter leaders. Fluorocarbon helps if you don’t mind spending 3x more for leader material. I’ve always caught them on small pieces of shrimp. Also, all of the pompano I’ve caught were not in deep water. Thigh deep behind crashing waves is where I’ve got them. Hopefully this helps. Good luck.
Capt. R. Killin
“Day Tripper”
Shamrock 20 cuddy
Ford 351W
Also been trying for a couple of years to catch a pompano, and caught my first one in the surf on IOP this year, about 4 weeks ago. R. Killin describes the method perfectly. Small hooks (#2 mutu light circle), double drop rig tied with fluorocarbon leader, red beads above the hook, small pieces of fresh shrimp. Caught mine an hour or so after morning low tide, just behind the breakers. That is the only one I have caught in the past 4 or 5 years, and this is my normal setup on my “lighter” surf rod, so not sure if it was technique, or just dumb luck. Either way, hoping to catch more this summer. Tight lines.
Thanks 
. I have always heard to throw the bait right behind where the waves are breaking. Have heard the best bait is a sand flea…Caught some sand fleas near Breach Inlet and fished around Station 26 last year… Not even a bite…will try smaller hooks and cut shrimp this year.
Key West 1720 115 HP Johnson Saltwater.
I always used 3/0 hooks with double rig . Any time my line would go left or right not straight out , I knew it was a Pompano.
I DONT HAVE A BOAT
BUT LOVE TO FISH> HINT
being from florida ive quite a few pompano. the best set up ive used is a homemade double drop leader of 20lb flouro. use 2 drop loops it gets rid of the extra metal crimps they put in the premade ones from the store. slide a small bead or float on each loop. color just depends on the fish for the day whatever they want to hit. i use either #1 or #2 cirlce hooks. the best bait would be sand fleas. fresh if you can find any and they arent a pain to get out of the hard sand up here. frozen rarely works. other than that fresh or fresh dead shrimp. i ve only gotten one pomp here so far this year and it was by accident in a cast net in a back creek of all places lol.
Team ReeL Issues Fishing</font id=“red”>
Caught 2 pompano this year already. (After trying for a couple of years without catching a single one) What FLASharker said - Home tied double drop rig made from 25lb test fluorocarbon leader. Red beads on each dropper loop above a #2 mutu light circle hook. I use small pieces of fresh dead shrimp for bait. Both were caught about the same time during the incoming tide.
2 words:River Rig. Google it. It’s from Hatteras, and those guys know a thing or 2 about pompano.