Pompano fishing in the surf

[Gotcha]

Sand Fleas; You have to catch these. You are going to need a sand flea rake and a bucket. Sand fleas are on the beach just at the waters edge. Take your rake and scoop up the sand as the wave is going back out. Some of the best places to get fleas are south of St. Augustine to Marineland.But you don't have to go that far north .Any beach will do around south florida . To do this you need and outgoing tide, this seems to be the best tide for getting fleas. You take your sand flea rake and drag it in the sand, in about 12 inches of water, just as the waves move back out to sea on the beach. If you were in the correct place and there were any fleas there, you should have a few in the bottom of the rake. This might take some practice, so I would suggest that you take your rake and a five gallon bucket and go to the beach and practice before you have a full blown day of trying to pompano fish, without fleas.

If you catch any while practicing, put them in the bucket with about eight inches of sand and your fleas will stay alive for several days if they do not get too cold or too hot.

Next go to a craft shop and get some beads, like the ones that come in the trout float package. You will need some red and some yellow ones. You will also need some Daichii #1 to 1/0 Circle Wide hooks, a thick wall pvc rod holder for each rod, a piece of wood and a big hammer. The wood is to put on top of the pvc rod holder, so when you beat it in the sand with the big hammer you won't tear it up.

Your rod and reel outfits should be ones that will allow you to cast about 50 yards (1/2 the length of a football field). I like the Shakespeare surfcasting rods in the 11 foot length and the Tidewater reels that will hold about 225 yards of 50 pound test Power Pro braided line. The reason that I use braided line is it is very abrasion resistant and it is smaller than monofilament, so you can more on the spool.

The rig that I have found to work, consist of a 30 to 50 pound test barrel swivel tied to the Power Pro using a Palomar knot, from there tie on a piece of 25 to 40 pound test monofilament, about three feet long. Go down from the swivel and tie a loop knot that has the loop sticking out about six to eight inches, then another about six inches down from the first, the another about the same distance down and the one more at the end of the line. Take a yellow and a red trout float bead and slide them on the loop knots, then put the loop knot through the eye of a Daichii #1 to 1/0 Circle Wide hook. Do this to the first three loop knots. on the last loop knot, slide it through a pyramid sinker, 4 to 6 ounces. Take your sand fleas, running the hook through the bottom and coming out of the center. Do this to each hook, one flea to the hook.

Walk down to the surf and cast it as far as you can straight out, then place it in your pvc rod holder. Your cast will usually need to be about 70 to 100 yards long so you might have to practice a few times before you get this down. Most of us are not used to throwing a piece of lead the weighs so much and throwing it so far.

When one of these bad boys eats your flea and is hooked up, there will be "NO DOUBT" that you have a fish on. Your rod tip will be bouncing and bending. Some of these fish put up quite a fight and you might have to walk them down the beach before landing him.

You will also catch whiting, reds and many other things while fishing for pompano.

[BoatlessFisherman]

That is the one thing I love about fishing is seeing and understanding how other people fish for different species.
Thanks for the post and taking the time Gotcha and thanks for your input beachbum

I myself rely on Surf Zen to locate Bait and Fish LOL

[Gotcha]

I'm sorry I had that post from some website I got next time I'll post the link instead .

[Gotcha]

this is the link to the site http://www.fishing-florida.com/article5.htm


check this one http://www.hotspotfishing.com/fish/Pompano-fishing.asp

[Cookinman]

I read that article also and would aloso agree that the tensile test of the recommended line could be a little overkill for these parts.

On another note, I have had a rough time finding sand fleas lately ( usually N of Pompano pier a bit yielded nicely through the years)
Anyone else have a hard time lately?

[Gotcha]

Dig a liitle deeper

[Cookinman]

Gotcha, I am going to be in Hollywood Dania Beach this weekend with some cousins of the wifey. We are going to be staying on the ocean just a few blocks North of the Westin Diplomat. I don't suppose you would be willing to divulge any spots that could fess up a few sand flea's close by.......
If not, I understand, I'll just try to look for cloudy water and V's in the water recession.........But it sure would save me some time since I will have just a few short hours to fish in the PM.....

[Gotcha]

check your meesages

[Cookinman]

check your meesages

Got it, Reply'd.

Thanks and beer's on me when we meet !

[Cookinman]

Gotcha, I am going to be in Hollywood Dania Beach this weekend with some cousins of the wifey. We are going to be staying on the ocean just a few blocks North of the Westin Diplomat. I don't suppose you would be willing to divulge any spots that could fess up a few sand flea's close by.......
If not, I understand, I'll just try to look for cloudy water and V's in the water recession.........But it sure would save me some time since I will have just a few short hours to fish in the PM.....

I live just there, in Quadomain, 5 blocks north of westin diplomat, let me know if you go fishin' there, we can meet down the beach!
have a good time

Will do!!
Actually my wifes cousins are in "Residences" Used to be the Alexander I think....We had a change of plans and I ended up at Pompano Pier instead of on the surf in AM as I thought....

I have always done pretty well just walking along that beach in the AM before the lifegaurds come on, however I have not really fished that surf since the replenishment. MAD fish of all sizes and types follow the mullet down in the Autumn out there!.....Now, however I have noticed less of a pronounced trough though.....I am curious, have the fish returned the same yet?