Species guide · Mississippi
Florida pompano fishing in Mississippi
Trachinotus carolinus, a surf species also called pompano and common pompano. Listed for the Eastern Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in Mississippi Sound at 54.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
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.
Where it's scoring now · 1
Mississippi bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's florida pompano score this hour.
Best window today 6-9 PM (62) · Best day Wed, Sep 30 at 5 PM (69) · 81 named spots
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
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Synced with MDMR Sep 18, 2026.
No reviewed florida pompano rule for Mississippi is on file yet. Check with MDMR before you keep one.