Pompano

Season in Tampa Bay

Peak months: Feb.

Reel Coquina St. Pete chart: pompano 3 stars February, 2 stars January, March, July, September to November, 1 star the other months. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Beach troughs and the passes, best in late winter (Reel Coquina).

In the wash and first trough, rooting for sand fleas and coquinas.

What to look for

Sand fleas in the receding wash, clean green water, a gentle shorebreak.

What to throw

Pompano jig1/4 to 1/2 oz, Small, with a teaser. Bounce it along the bottom so it kicks up sand puffs like a sand flea.

Bait

Live sand fleas (mole crabs), Shrimp pieces with Fishbites, Clams. Double-drop pompano rig with floats or beads, #1 to 2/0 circle hooks, 2 to 4 oz sinker.

Leader

20 to 30 lb.

Common mistakes

• Casting far beyond them
• Fishing them in dirty, rough water

Landing

Strong for their size; slide them up on a wave.

Handling

No special hazards.

Keep or release

Prized eating. Florida rules apply.

Recipes for pompano

Typical: 1 to 2 lb, 10 to 14 in. Large: 3 to 5 lb.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the FL limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you keep a fish.

Sources

• Reel Coquina Fishing Charters (Capt. Pablo Koch-Schick, St. Petersburg), June 4, 2026: St. Pete monthly fishing calendar with star ratings and water temperatures (Angler knowledge)
• NOAA repository: Florida pompano culture document (temperature tolerances) (Official source)
• Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
• Carolina Sportsman: soaking baits in the surf (Fort Fisher, NC, 2023) (Angler knowledge)

All the fish of Tampa Bay