If you opt for a fly rod you will want to use an 8 to 9 weight fast action rod. Many of the good ones are designed to imitate sand fleas. P.S. % of people told us that this article helped them. Fish will move until they find suitable water temperatures. Many anglers swear by bucktail jigs for fishing pompano in the surf. They may also be in grass flats hunting crabs when the tide is high.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'riversearch_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',159,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-riversearch_com-leader-2-0'); Pompano in spring are easier to catch in northern parts of Florida than in southern parts. Its rediculous. Rather than tossing that little fish back, Ill put it on a hook and throw it back out on my larger rod. Sand spikes are a must if you're fishing multiple rods. Ill pull one out as needed, and when I run out, Ill make another scoop. SURF RIDER RESORT - Updated 2023 Prices & Condominium Reviews (Pompano Beach, FL) United States Florida (FL) Broward County Pompano Beach Pompano Beach Hotels Apartment Hotels in Pompano Beach Surf Rider Resort 136 reviews #3 of 10 condos in Pompano Beach Save Share 1441 S Ocean Blvd, Pompano Beach, FL 33062-7305 Check In / / Some times they might stay on the same stretch of beach for a few days before they leave for somewhere else. Avalon Fishing Pier, Kill Devil Hills, (252) 441-7494. You can also target them by fishing inshore. But you can still find pompano in their usual places: the surf, grass flats, and deep inshore channels. Thats a really good size for pompano, and they are big enough to handle any large bonus fish you might run into, such as bull reds or black drum. Water temps are the name of the game and will dictate where you find pompano. You will likely experience an influx of pompano in the spring and then again in the fall. You have to remember to keep your drag loosened any time you have a rod in a rod holder. One of the greatest things about pompano is that they can be found running fairly close to the beach, and within easy casting range. On one hand, I really like my long 12 foot rods so that I can really get the bait out there when necessary. You just have to figure it out. In other words, the quick answer is that it depends upon the conditions. A 2 hook rig serves several purposes. I want to put a bait in each 20 foot by 20 foot square of the grid to see if there are fish around. They prefer water temps between 65 and 85 degrees with 68 degrees being the sweet spot. Just try to make sure your hook matches the size or your bait as best you can. It's important that the teaser is threaded onto the loop knot first so it sits above the jig in the loop knot. Free use of tennis court and hot tub. But if you are going after much larger fish with big pieces of cut bait, you can go all the way up . As long as the current isnt too strong, I might use some other style of sinker (bank sinker) that allowed my bait to slowly move along the bottom. I prefer to use 2-hook pompano (high-low) rigs similar to my image below. When you find shore birds feeding it is a good idea to try your luck at that spot for a while. I try to minimize weight anywhere possible in my beach loadout. The cheapest sandflea rakes Ive seen were at local wally worlds near the beach. Typically when Im using multiple rods, I like to have 1 bigger rod with me. Heavy, long-casting lures that sink too quickly will drag bottom or pick up weeds. Copyright 2023 On The Water, LLC. Hope you enjoyed these Florida surf fishing tips! There are many ways you could catch sand fleas. But, they will also feed on all sorts of small crabs, shrimp, and even small fish. in case you happen to run across a permit in the surf. For pompano, you generally want a fast sinking fly. During the right time of year, they are easy to catch and they taste great. But, this gives you an idea of how big pompano get in your area. We recommend an 8-to-10 foot fast action casting rod. I also like to have the teaser hook and jig hook pointing in opposite directions. If youre using a spinning rod and reel, we recommend a 6 to 14 pound monofilament or fluorocarbon line. 8.8. Charter Fishing If the beach doesnt look good for fishing, you will need to cast further out to find the pompano. THE LAST TIME I WENT SURF CASTING I GOT 3 TREBLE HOOKS IN MY RIGHT EAR . Pompano fishing is regularly done from shore, or from ocean-side piers. This website is owned by FYAO Saltwater Media Group, Inc. Learn more Pompano is a popular food fish that can sell at a higher price per pound than beef. Sometimes I use beads, sometimes I dont. But, that is a pretty inefficient method and plays hell on your back. Your best bet is to try multiple placements and see what gets the strikes. Less water means that some of the bigger fish cant get too close to the beach. Just because the fish are far off the beach, doesnt mean they are in deep water. In short you need a couple of long surf rods with baitcasting or spinning reels loaded with braided line for casting distance. Pompano will generally be on the move as water temps approach 62 degrees. You can typically scoop sand fleas with your hands to use as bait. Try to find the sandbar and break the length of the beach to the sandbar into three sections. Your line should be 10-20 pound mono, flourocarbon or 20-30 pound braid. The first zone for me would be from the beach to 20 yards out. Finding your rod's sweet spot is a matter of feelthe rod will load smoothly on the cast and the lure will take off like a rocket. Best Hooks. Unsubscribe at any time. If you have multiple rods, you will want to experiment to see what colors might work better on a particular day. These are the pink shrimp flavor Fishbites I like to have, in addition to the orange sand flea ones. You will find sand fleas where the waves are lapping onto the beach (the swash zone). These tend to work better for inshore fishing. Where do you catch stripers in NS? Lets talk about those fishing zones again. Ill take a rubber mallet to tap them securely into the sand. The water was shallow and the current was slow, making it the perfect place to fish 1- to 1 -ounce bucktails. No real instructions on better techniques for actually casting? There are other baits that will work great as well, but if you are able to obtain live sand fleas on a given day, thats what you should use. This will help guide you in knowing where to focus your efforts. Learn how to tie a dropper loop here. They are one of the best tasting fish in the sea, and their price at the fish market reflects it. You have a couple options in how you manage your mole crabs after you catch them. If you want more info about other bait options for pompano, you can refer to my article here: Best Baits For Pompano. The simplest way is to scoop them out with your bare hands. First, your reminder Wind from the West, fish bite the best Wind from the East, fish bite the least Wind from the North, do not go forth Wind from the South blows bait in their mouth Now take a. The same goes for floats. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. It is common that pompano rigs are tied using colored floats and beads, most commonly orange. Pompano are a flat, silvery fish with a wide forked tail, which makes for a very powerful swimmer. The large loop allows the teaser to slide up and down between the jig and the knot while retrieving the lure. The rig won't be this long once you're done, but that will give you more than enough line to work with. Tie a second dropper loop another 10 inches up the line and a . Why on Earth would you need that weight? Kick your legs in an egg beater motion to turn the board around toward the shore. This makes sense because they are from the jack family of fishes. They migrate based upon water temperatures, available food resources and predators. Certified Visitor Information Centers North Central Florida, Certified Visitor Information Centers Northeast Florida, Certified Visitor Information Centers Central West Florida, Certified Visitor Information Centers Central Florida, Certified Visitor Information Centers Central East Florida, Certified Visitor Information Centers Southwest Florida, Certified Visitor Information Centers Southeast Florida, Florida Travel and Vacation Guides - United States, Exchange Rates, Conversions, And Processes. The best signs of life are feeding fish where you are at. Some of them have colorful skirts, others are designed to imitate shrimp and other foods that pompano eat. The lifespan is commonly only 3 to 4 years. Your own casting stroke is more important to casting distance than any equipment. It might be sandpipers and plovers digging for sand fleas. Get today's most accurate Pompano Pier surf report with multiple live HD surf cams for current swell, wind, and wave conditions. I challenge you to lift a 20lb dumbbell off the ground with a surf rod the way you might fight a fish. If you found this article helpful, please share it on your social media accounts. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/65\/Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg\/aid1422870-v4-728px-Catch-Pompano-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"