# Full Moon this weekend and time for big Pompano



## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

Seems like I recall during our discussion of Pompano fishing last January, that the time of mid to late April with a full moon was the best time for big Pompano to roam the surf around the Southern NC Beaches and Piers

Well it is Mid April and there is a full moon this Saturday and the water temps are in the mid 60's. 

Time for you to chime in here Pier Legend, your the top dog of pompano fishing, give me an amen brother to the above and let's all get out there this weekend, wet some hooks and give reports back on Sun-Mon.:fishing:


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

Oh man you guys are getting me excited!! Do they make it up to hatteras by now? Nobody has been catching ANYTHING since I've moved here,,, well fish are being caught, but nothing tremendous... Hopefully this will all change real real real soon!


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

Ive been waiting for this too! Heading out this weekend either topsail area, or carolina beach. Hope i can give you a good report on monday.


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

Hmm,, do the big pomps hit bait between the breakers? What sorta setup do you guys like for them? Heck, I've never caught a pomp in my life!! Are they like sheep and black drum, and munch on the sandfleas? Shrimp? Cutbait? Thanks fellas!!


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

JeepMike said:


> Hmm,, do the big pomps hit bait between the breakers? What sorta setup do you guys like for them? Heck, I've never caught a pomp in my life!! Are they like sheep and black drum, and munch on the sandfleas? Shrimp? Cutbait? Thanks fellas!!


mike go to the drum and get some pomp rigs and stick some sandfleas and shrimp on them and try casting from right at youre feet to the first bar into some clear clean water but the water need s to warm up alot im think atleast 68 or so but maybe some of the big pomp boys will chime in also there was all the sea mullet and toads round 43 this weekend


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## tunadog (Feb 2, 2008)

hey guys

I was just as excited as the rest for the pomp to show, had it all figured out but guess what, they didn't. The moon phases and the tides are all calculated but the water conditions are not. I'm no pomp expert but I know they like the clean water and until then it is all skates, blues and hopefully drum. Maybe we will hit some good luck with the upcoming moon. I have been searching for the fleas and still are finding only limited amounts at a deep depth. Don't worry my friends if it is not today it will be tomorrow. Tight lines till then.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Mike Hint Hint*

gold hook with a sand flea and just a tiny chunck of orange fishbiites on the bottom side where the eggs would be ..... hook it thru the joint at the body-tail section with a kahle GOLD HOOK ... I can't remember if you hook thru the top or bottom first but I think it's the top ..... but it's way early yet .......


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## POMPINOLOVER (Jun 29, 2006)

I wish you luck Fireline , However it's too early in the year for pomps in southern NC, early to mid may at best in that area, I know pier legend likes the full moon theory, and it has worked that way the last couple of years , but im not a full believer, in the mid 90's the first showing of pomps ranged from late may to early june, However that was before Florida put a limit and even a ban a few years I think on the commercial guys ...so the the early 2000's did have them showing up earlier, but In my opinion thats because of the limits finally starting to show on their population numbers.. the water temps need to be 67 and sustain that for about a week , Pier Legend is probably one of the best pomp fisherman I know of , but the full moon theory would only apply if they are close already , if they are 500 or more miles away they are not gonna swim that far just because of the moon. I would look at the may full moon if it occurs mid to late may, hopefully pier legeng will chime in, because as I said he is one of the best


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## POMPINOLOVER (Jun 29, 2006)

On another note the pomps do prefer clear water , however they tolerate murky water, you just catch less in the murkier water because they are sight feeders, all you need is a basic 2 hook bottom rig, preferably hand tied with a orange bead at the top of a gold hook, many pomp rigs they sell have circle hooks , but I prefer j hooks, and dont forget pomps have very small mouths , so you need smaller hooks.. sand fleas are their bait of choice, as that is what they are after, however a small piece of shrimp will work but not nearly as much as a sand flea, also you can tip the bait with a 1/4 inch of blood worm fish bites again for the color, I find the BWFB;s actually do better than the orange clam fish bites,, and the big ones will occasiaonly hit a jig but thats not recommended, ,,,,the early bigger ones hit between the first 2 sandbars , sometimes thats only 15 feet out or up to 30 or 40 feet out depending on the beach layout, the reason for the orange beads is that is simulates an egg sack on a sand flea, and as stated before they are site feeders, so that will catch their eyes, also their migration north also depends on the emergance on the sand fleas moving up closer to the top of the sand, in fact the only reason they even migrate north is because of the sand fleas spawning and of course developing the egg sacs, sand fleas spawn early , then in the nc area will spawn 5-6 times during the summer ....hope this helps ...


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Very good tips here on this subject. I got hooked on the little buggers a few years ago. The early season bite is the best, alot of quality fish are caught but not just anywhere. Learn to read the beach and there not too hard to hunt down. I started tying my own rigs a couple years ago and agree with the J hook. I use these from Gamakatsu. Yes they are offset J's. Top row are #4 the bottom roe are #2 and the one on the side is a #1


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

I normally get the rogues around mid May where I fish and they are definitely flea eaters. I find them on the flats in very shallow water next to outlets. I look for any kind of ditch or low spot that might funnel water out at low tide and mark those spots. I hit the sea mullet, black drum and even puppy drum in this same water no more than 20 yards out. I like the water to be clean so I can locate the "cloudy water" that is key to finding fish. If they are rooting out fleas, crabs and coquina clams they are stirring up the skinny water.....


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## POMPINOLOVER (Jun 29, 2006)

Hey Airdown I ilike that #4 orange , thats what i would go with


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

POMPINOLOVER said:


> Hey Airdown I ilike that #4 orange , thats what i would go with


 You know thats what I thought about that color also. After tying up my Pomp. rigs I found that the Pomps. like the Chartruse hooks better and the Mullet dig the Orange ones. Also I have moved up to the #2 size those #4's are a little small.


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## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

..fellow pompano lovers...yes this season is starting out like 2006..COLD and won't warm up..and 2006 was Terrible on Pomps and pier kings...
..HOWEVER....Ocean Crest pier on Long Beach CAUGHT the 1st pompano of the season yesterday... and the full moon phase is just starting..
..never look for a lot on the April moon...but that southern section of N.C. always gets a few!!!

..go to www.oceancrestpier.com and click on 2008 catchs to see the 1st one....April 14.

..blowing 25 out of the North ain't never the spring pompano wind!!!!:--|
...(however I am steady picking the Speckled Trout....cold or not!)


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

<--- sick of this danged wind, wants to catch pompino!


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## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

..well the Full Moon was Saturday...and right on schedule....Johnnie Merces Pier reports their 1st CITATION pompano...

..SW wind....clear water... full moon...yea that'll work...

...too many bluefish for much serious pomp fishing...bet there was some more on Oak Island and maybe even Kure...

.....I'm still in spring speckled trout mode... ..
..when they quit I'll do something else...IF THEY QUIT!!


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## JeepMike (Feb 4, 2008)

Got me lickin my chops!!!


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## roadkillal (Feb 23, 2006)

I heard there were a few pomps at Oak Island on Saturday I couldn't make it down until Sunday. Aslo a Pomp was landed at Topsail on Saturday too.


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## drum junky (Jan 23, 2008)

SO what would be the best time to look for pomps? Rising or falling tide? Early morning or all day....any advice is Greatly Appreciated!!


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## stealneal (Jan 9, 2008)

So i got to do a little spearing around the jetty a few days ago, and had some half crappy viz.(5ft). But on top of the rays, sharks, and decent sized black drum, there were definitely a few smaller pompano that would give me a little fly by every once in a while...took me a while to figure out what they were cause i was thinking the water is still too cold for them to move in yet but they are starting to show up


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## Kenmefish (Apr 21, 2000)

There have been several caught on Bogue Inlet pier lately pushing 2#


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## POMPINOLOVER (Jun 29, 2006)

Thats Great news ...glad to hear they are showing up


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## Fireline20 (Oct 2, 2007)

Going backup to Ft Fisher this weekend for 2 full days of fishing and you can bet I will be throwing out some rigs with cut shrimp topped with a small piece of FBBW:fishing:


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