Captain’s Corner: Ed Walker

The Tampa Bay Times

By Ed Walker

Summer is the best time to hunt pompano along the beach and in the passes. These prized fish are one of the most elusive targets in all inshore fishing. They are famous for being in a spot one day and gone the next. Even the most experienced guides and pompano aficionados are often befuddled by this challenging species.

For those interested in pursuing them, the following tips may help.

Pompano prefer clean fast moving water. Look for them around the edges of channels and passes where the estuaries pour into the Gulf. There are two ways to locate them. The first is simply lots of casting. Walking the beach while casting a yellow or pink Goofy Jig and quickly hopping it along the bottom may reveal the school of pompano. Be sure to cover a lot of ground when prospecting.

Another may to find them is to idle the edge of the inlet or remote sand bar in a boat and watch for them “skipping’ out of your wake. This has been the tried and true method used by commercial fishermen for generations. For some reason startled pompano launch from the water and then skip on their sides. If you see a few skip like this you have probably found a pompano hotspot.

Jigs are the most popular bait but sand fleas dug from the edge of the surf are one of their favorite foods and also make a great bait choice.

The size limit for pompano is 11 inches to the fork of the tail, with a bag limit of 6 per person.