Species guide · Florida
Florida pompano fishing in Florida
Trachinotus carolinus, a surf species also called pompano and common pompano. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Off season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm at 69, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Off seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
South Florida and the Keys
Off season, about 1 more week- Jan: Peak season
- Feb: Peak season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Off season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Off season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Peak season
Peak: Dec to Mar. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to Apr.
Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region
Palm Beach and Broward surf fishing peaks in winter when migrating fish stack up along southeast Florida beaches.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Eastern Gulf
Shoulder season, about 1 more week- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Peak season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Mar to May, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): Feb to Jun, Sep to Dec.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
Panhandle and Alabama beaches have a strong spring run March through May and a fall run in October and November. Tampa Bay and southwest Florida passes and bridges hold fish through winter.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
South Atlantic
Shoulder season, about 1 more week- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Peak season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Mar to Apr, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): Sep to May.
Research notes, South Atlantic region
Northbound run through northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina in spring, southbound in fall. The Treasure Coast holds fish through winter. North Carolina surf catches are mostly late summer and fall.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 31
Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's florida pompano score this hour.
Best window today 9-11 AM (69) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (71) · 39 named spots
Best window today 9-11 AM (69) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (71) · 24 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-6 PM (67) · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 7 AM (73) · 22 named spots
Best window today 5-10 PM (66) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (70) · 131 named spots
Best window today 4-9 PM (71) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (72) · 4 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (65) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 6 PM (70) · 49 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (66) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (70) · 20 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (64) · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 9 AM (72) · 81 named spots
Best window today 8-11 AM (58) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 AM (63) · 13 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (61) · Best day Wed, Sep 30 at 5 PM (67) · 46 named spots
Best window today 6-8 PM (62) · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 7 AM (64) · 88 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (61) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 1 PM (62) · 92 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (63) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 6 PM (70) · 126 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-8 PM (59) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 6 PM (63) · 21 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (61) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 6 PM (67) · 195 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (58) · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 12 PM (63) · 23 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (58) · Best day Wed, Sep 30 at 4 PM (63) · 79 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-10 PM (49) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 6 PM (57) · 11 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-9 PM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 4 PM (41)
Best window today 9 AM-8 PM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 7 AM (48)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 6 PM (57) · 199 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 11 AM (55) · 82 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 7 AM (55)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 8 AM (52)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 7 AM (52)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 8 AM (60) · 6 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 1 PM (53) · 109 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 12 PM (54) · 16 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-11 PM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 5 PM (52)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 9 AM (53)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (35) · Best day Thu, Oct 1 at 8 AM (53)
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 62°F to 88°F, best between 68°F and 82°F.
- Water depth
- 2 to 20 ft of water.
- Structure
- Surf, beach, bar, pass, inlet, jetty and pier, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and high tide, with moderate current.FWC notes tides drive local pompano movement. Surf anglers favor the rising tide, when fish move into the trough behind the first bar to feed on sand fleas and coquinas. At passes and bridges they feed along sandy edges on moving water.
- Light
- Some lift around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Pompano feed on sand fleas and coquina clams in the trough between the beach and the first sandbar, and around the sandy edges of passes, inlets and bridges. Surf anglers fish a two-hook pompano rig with sand fleas, clams or shrimp, while boat and bridge anglers bounce small jigs along the bottom. The runs follow water temperature, heading north in spring and south in fall as the water cools.
- Methods
- surf fishing, bottom fishing, jigging from boats and bridges, pier fishing
- Lures
- pompano jig (banana or goofy jig), small bucktail with teaser, flea fly
- Bait
- sand flea (mole crab), coquina clam, fresh shrimp, clam strip, Fishbites strip
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Sep 18, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
6 per day · Minimum 11 in, fork length
Season: No closed season on file
Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. Hook and line, cast net, and beach or haul seine only. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open year-round in state and federal waters.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano · verified Sep 13, 2026
Other Florida species
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Gray snapper
- King mackerel
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spot
- Spotted seatrout
- Summer flounder
- Black drum
- Black sea bass
- Bonefish
- Cobia
- Gag grouper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Bluefish
- Striped bass