POMPANO

How do you catch pompano on Hatteras Island?

Pompano arrive with the warm water and leave just as fast. Sand fleas and a light rig are the whole game.

What to use today

A Florida pompano in the surf zone off the Outer Banks

Right now

Sizing up the surf for pompano…

Pompano through the year

Prime
Good
Off

JANOff
FEBOff
MAROff
APROff
MAYOff
JUNOff
JULGood
AUGPrime
SEPPrime
OCTPrime
NOVOff
DECOff

Pompano are a warm-water visitor: July to October, peaking August through October.

Pompano: bait, rig and sinker

Bait first: sand fleas. Then the rig, the sinker and the rod, the way pompano actually take them here.

Pompano bait, rig, sinker and rod table
Bait	Rig	Sinker weight	Rod and line
Sand fleas	Pompano rig, two size 4-1 hooks with floats2-4 oz pyramid sinker8-12 lb light surf spinning rodFresh fleas outfish everything. Rake them from the swash while the tide drops.	2-4 oz pyramid sinker	8-12 lb light surf spinning rod
Fresh shrimp	Pompano rig, size 4 hooks with floats2-4 oz pyramid sinker8-12 lb light surf rodDime-sized pieces on small hooks.	2-4 oz pyramid sinker	8-12 lb light surf rod
Fish Bites (crab or shrimp)	Pompano rig, size 4 hooks2-4 oz pyramid sinker8-12 lb light surf rodKeeps a bait on when crabs are stealing shrimp.	2-4 oz pyramid sinker	8-12 lb light surf rod
Small bucktail jig tipped with shrimp	1/4 oz jigNo sinker, cast and bounce the bottom8-12 lb light spinning rodFor fish cruising the trough on a calm day.	No sinker, cast and bounce the bottom	8-12 lb light spinning rod

Three things that matter for pompano

Fish the sloughs at the fall of the tide. That is when the wave action washes sand fleas out of the sand.
Light line and a soft rod. Pompano have soft mouths and horsing them pulls the hook.
Look for clean, warm water. Pompano avoid the muddy green water after a blow.

Pompano water

4 access points where pompano actually show, each with its walk-in facts and today's call.

CAPE POINT

Cape Point

4WD, or a long walk

FRISCO PIER

Frisco Pier

Pier: walk on and pay at the gate

ORV RAMPS 34-55

Ramps 34 to 55 (ORV beach)

4WD only

AVON PIER

Avon Pier

Pier: walk on and pay at the gate

The pompano pass

Pompano run the beach in packs, and they are fussy about the bottom. They favour clean sand between the troughs and the shorebreak, hunting sand fleas and small crabs with a quick, pecking take that is easy to miss. A quiet surf, a light sinker and a bait that tumbles naturally win the day; a heavy weight pinned in one spot will not. Look for them on the rising water after a calm spell, when the colour cleans up. Their fork tails and flat silver sides make them unmistakable on the sand — and worth the drive when a wave of them pushes through. Watch the birds and the colour change; when the wash turns green and the crabs start moving, the pack is usually already in front of you. Keep the hooks needle-sharp, because a pompano mouth is soft and a dull point simply slides out of it. When the surf is flat and gin-clear, downsize the leader and the hooks until the fish stop refusing.

Water: Surf zoneSandbars and sloughsInletsNearshore waters
Methods: Bottom fishing with pompano rigSurf fishing with float rigCasting small jigs