# Unusual Start to Pompano Season?



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

So, 
I'm stuck living vicariously via the World Wide Interweb, but... 

...Is the start of Pompano Season as hot as it looks from seeing the posts and pics from Hatteras the last week or so?
Seems like the place is filthy with 2+ pounders and last night I saw a post of a 4+ monster.

Maybe people are just less shy of posting up pics this year, but viewed from afar, I don't remember seeing these kind of fish with this kind of regularity in years past.
(And I am guessing that for however many make it to my screen there are way more than that that don't!)

What say The Sharpies?
opcorn:
TjB


----------



## mossers (Sep 15, 2009)

There have been some nice Pompano caught year it seems. Every years plays out a little different, spring and fall. This year when Ana came through the OBX it seemed like an instant change from spring to summer patterns. In 2012 as Sandy passed it went from 2# Bluefish everywhere to short Drum up and down the beach. Water temperature, winds, moon phases and storms make it what it is, fishing. Just my thoughts.

Scott


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

well it is may and a new moon last week...getting excited to chase them...lets see if it holds through the dog days of summer when it is usually "dinkino" time. agree though, some nice fish caught this past week


----------



## K2e2vin (May 15, 2015)

Past two weekends I didn't get any pompano bites at all nor did I see anyone that did while at Bogue Inlet pier(~630am-1030am).


----------



## Alexy (Nov 1, 2010)

The pomp bite has been ridiculous down at the 49-55 ramps in Hatteras. Hitting on everything from shrimp to old fishbites that were laying in the bottom of a tackle box. only thing constant has been they are hitting on floro much more than mono for obvious reasons.


----------



## River (Sep 30, 2006)

TjB ...... I think Alexy nailed it, way more fisherman using fluorocarbon, way more Pomp's being caught ...... Nicer ones too ....... Tackle shops now sell fluoro rigs which were not available several years ago ..... JMO ..... River


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

yes also the fact that those fluoro rigs now come with a quality circle hook is key IMO. old guys used to claim that may pomps (big ones) were less selective about bait than october ones, maybe hungry as they are moving up the coast? down at topsail have seen many NICE pomps pulled up on piers in May from with frozen shrimp, etc.


----------



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Alexy, River, Greg, 

That was sort of what I was wondering/getting at.
Is it this season in particular? (Doubtful)
Or is it people fishing with better tools, and/or is it more access to reporting and posting due to Facebook and everything else that pops up on our phones nowadays...
I'm guessing more of those big ol boys are showing up on the bulletin boards of the tackle shops (and world wide interweb...) because of Flouro and better hooks, and better rigs...
Instead of the ubiquitous wire two hook stand-off rig and bear claw snelled craptastic gold hooks with half a dozen beads and spinning gold spoons that the Dinks would hit with abandon in the wash because they didn't  know any better.
TjB


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

This year seems to be the same as the last three years. The bigger fish are coming further north. More people are using fluoro more social media makes one think there are more fish.


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

i wonder how far north the big ones go. biggest i ever caught in va was close to 1lb at lesner bridge several years ago but only real small dinks (plenty of those) in the VB surf or Back Bay NWR the couple times I have fished. don't really hear about big ones being caught up in corolla, etc. either.


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

also i am going to get one on a fly in the next 30y before i die...can't afford trips to islamorada to chase permit with the buggy whip so this will have to do


----------



## River (Sep 30, 2006)

Always wanted to do that to Greg ..... You could do it on Hatteras, ramp 49 or 55 would be perfect sometimes. Can't imagine a 3+ lb Pomp on a fly rod .... Luv to experience that , River


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

You don't here of them past Rodanthe much. They don't like the Labrador current


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

yep river was already thinking about south beach being the place to do it up here in nc, just need a day where the wind lays down enough...can probably get a crab/flea pattern about 40y on an 8wt w minimal breeze...would love to try to hook one on a 6wt...wonder if they would just hit a deep clouser minnow

thing is there's all these baby pomps up in here in va...big momma has to be up here i would think


----------



## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

We get pomps at Assateague Island in the summer, and with the warm, clean water.


----------



## kraus (Jun 8, 2009)

Here's one that fell for a sand flea just before dark last night. 2lbs 4oz. Pretty sure I had another one on for a few seconds that got off. Using a double drop rig made of 60lb mono leader three hrs. into a falling tide on Bald Head. ESE wind gusting to 11mph.


----------



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Outstanding!


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Got one 4 pounds 11 ounces this morning, 13' Carolina Cast Pro Rod 3-6oz, Akios 555 Turno reel, Sukuma line, Susan OBX River Rig, Floro leader. 
Keep using 9' rods and mono..........


----------



## kraus (Jun 8, 2009)

Congrats bronzbck1!


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

nice fish bronzbck1...how is bite detection on the 13' 3-6 CCP compared to 11' 2-5 CCP? Just as good?


----------



## River (Sep 30, 2006)

I think my friend Bronzbck1 has done reached out and touched some Pomp's that don't get touched much on Hatteras Island ..... and if work don't bog him down ....... There will be more to come ..... The 13' 3-6 has a sensitive tip, great bite detection , I've watched Bronzbck1's on several occasions when it was spiked ..... But that Pomp probably hit it with some speed ...... River


----------



## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

bronzbck1 said:


> Got one 4 pounds 11 ounces this morning, 13' Carolina Cast Pro Rod 3-6oz, Akios 555 Turno reel, Sukuma line, Susan OBX River Rig, Floro leader.
> Keep using 9' rods and mono..........


 dang!! Nice fish. Been thinking more and more about that rod. Hearing great things about it.


----------



## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

I don't really target pomps but last week I caught a handful in the 2-3 pound range with 1 pushing just shy of 4 pounds fishing for black drum and sea mullet. Caught them all in the flats; most on fleas and a couple on green shrimp fishbites. Caught a ton of very nice sea mullet as well.

Somehow I managed to catch them on mono tied rigs and 9'-6' steelhead rods.....


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

next thing you know you'll be catching 'em on those wire dropper store bought rigs


----------



## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

greg12345 said:


> next thing you know you'll be catching 'em on those wire dropper store bought rigs


That was actually my rig of choice. Retied with mono and #2 bronze eagle claw snells. I like this rig for spring and summer


----------



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

You will not be disappointed.
I've got way too many of Tommy's rods and that one is right at the top of the list, after only one trip.
Neck and neck with the 11' 2-5 conventional that River built (and Bronzbck broke in!)
Crazy sensitive for a rod of that size.
In hand, you can feel mullet that barely qualify as bait.



cooper138 said:


> dang!! Nice fish. Been thinking more and more about that rod. Hearing great things about it.


----------



## Cutbait Bob (Mar 24, 2004)

bronzbck1 said:


> Got one 4 pounds 11 ounces this morning, 13' Carolina Cast Pro Rod 3-6oz, Akios 555 Turno reel, Sukuma line, Susan OBX River Rig, Floro leader.
> Keep using 9' rods and mono..........


Percy, do you know of a good place to order one of those CCPRs? What # test were you using? I gotta have one...


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

greg12345 said:


> next thing you know you'll be catching 'em on those wire dropper store bought rigs


You got that right


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

The 13' foot rod has good bite detection but on a long cast most times your line just goes slack so you need to watch your line on the outer bar cast. If I could only keep two rods (god forbid) it would be the 11' 2-5 , and the 13' 2-6 CCP. 14 pound test on that reel Bob, 10 & 12 on everything else!


----------



## Cutbait Bob (Mar 24, 2004)

Two rods Percy... That's all you get. ha ha ... Thanks for the info!


----------



## RjTheMetalhead (Dec 3, 2011)

Biggest pomp I've ever seen was probably around 5 pounds and caught on a 8 gold hook straw rig by someone who didn't know what it was.
I have seen many big pompano caught on those bare gold hooks and coffee straw.
Now that I think about 75% of the pompano i catch come from gold hook rigs with mono, what a peasant I am.


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

I use to catch the heck out of them on the gold hook rigs until I found how to catch quality fish. To each there own.


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

biggest pomp i ever saw (pushing close to 6lbs) was caught at end of jolly roger pier by a guy throwing gotcha plugs for spanish...ever since that day always have a long rod with fleas out far.

only get to the coast a couple days a year but do OK when I go down, i started catching quality (2+lb) pomps when i started doing the following:
1. live fleas
2. sticky sharp circles
3. tying my own rigs with 100% fluoro (i prefer ande fluoro leader material the best)
4. working on my casting to get baits out as far as i can (my "home" beach is real flat)

not to say it can't be done otherwise but that's when i noticed my catch rate going up, of my personal 4 "key" points i think #3 is probably the least important IMO...but i still only fish fluoro leaders i tie myself. i have not found drop/snood length, rig design, or flea size (i like grape size!) to make a big difference for me personally....not trying to start anything here just what works for me 

my 2 favorite pomp hooks are:
1. owner mutu light circle, use these on river style rigs or float style rigs, i like #6 to #2 depending on flea size
2. eagle claw l197 circles, use these on dropper style rigs b/c the eye is big enough to make changing out hooks easy, i like #1/0 (gotta mailorder this size, will sometimes move up to 2/0 if fleas are big)...i try to get at least 2d worth of fishing out of a fluoro leader and will change out my hooks 2-4 times over 2d depending on how quickly the point is dulling


----------



## RocknReds (Jun 13, 2010)

Percy: Congrats on that monster you just caught


----------



## fish-on (May 12, 2002)

bronzbck1 said:


> Got one 4 pounds 11 ounces this morning, 13' Carolina Cast Pro Rod 3-6oz, Akios 555 Turno reel, Sukuma line, Susan OBX River Rig, Floro leader.
> Keep using 9' rods and mono..........


13 footer...so are most pompano caught further out, then in? I never targeted pompano, so just curious at what range most pompano are typically caught.


----------



## rabbitdog2 (Aug 20, 2011)

I have caught way more big pompano beyond the first sand bar. The biggest I caught in the suds.


----------



## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

Saw at a local seafood restaurant here in Chesapeake this past Saturday night that the were serving Pompano whole, on parchment paper with some fresh veggies for $30.00 A four pound Pompano would have to sell for $65.00!!!


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

supposedly so pricey b/c you have to get it with hook & line...may change in the future?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qulNJAHM4a0

love them on the grill whole, just gut/gill 'em, brush w/olive oil, score the sides & rub in salt/pepper, fill cavity with some lemon slices...takes 1 minute to prep


----------



## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

fish-on said:


> 13 footer...so are most pompano caught further out, then in? I never targeted pompano, so just curious at what range most pompano are typically caught.


Not as big a pomp expert as some on here because I don't "target" them but I do pick them up as by-catch so to speak when I am fishing for black drum and sea mullet on the flats. Where I fish and how I fish you start on the backside of the bar as the tide starts coming in, moving up on the bar as it floods and almost right at your feet as it turns to go out. I have caught pomps in all 3 target zones......what "I" have found is that the clearer the water the further out I catch the bigger ones. I don't like water that is too clear preferring that greenish/blue "clean" water that moves the fish in closer to their comfort zone in the suds.


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

I catch the bigger Pomps and Mullet far out. At high tide you can catch them in close absolutely. I fish usually 10 hrs or more and cast according to the tide. On the middle moon cycles the tides can go out really fast and real low so I make sure I can reach the fish. A 5 pounder can be caught tomorrow on a snoopy rod but that is a accident. Gold hook pompano rigs will not hold the big females. I use a heavy hook not a light wire like the gold ones.


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

+1 on what bronzbck1 said, put a bait out far and u will be surprised at the size of mullet u will pull in not to mention big pomps, at low tide a long cast is critical. i have caught big ones on incoming for sure but 90% of my citations are out real far. some people like gold kahles but that hook point will dull by the third flea. never found that the roe-females outfish the normal fleas either, dont use softshells for the long rod either b/c they fall off the hook too easy. i pop the fenders off 50% of the time when im not lazy....still catch either way...just my 2c


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)




----------



## dlpetrey (Oct 30, 2013)

WOW!!! Nice pomp!


----------



## "ReelDeal" (Dec 27, 2014)

Nice fish Bronzbck1!!! Sounds like you got this thing figured out!!


----------



## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

Cripes that's a nice pomp


----------



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Bronzbck,
That is just insane.
I gotta get my butt back down there.


----------



## dialout (Feb 5, 2011)

I am totally pomp fishing this weekend. Want to pop my pomp cherry...lol


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

wow bronzbck, nice one!!

finally down at the coast and 1st day of fishing 2015 for me today, got these half dozen in 2h this am. 5 came on simple 2 dropper fluoro rigs, all on live fleas. they would not hit fishbites at all. biggest is just over 2lbs.


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Nice eating there good job


----------



## dlpetrey (Oct 30, 2013)

Nice work greg12345. You at OBX?


----------



## River (Sep 30, 2006)

Nice catch Greg12345 ...


----------



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Nice work!


----------

