# Pompano fishing - how many rods?



## The Shark Book (Sep 6, 2016)

How many rods do you guys fish when going for pompano? 
Would a spread of one jigging rod and two longer bait rods work?

Thanks, 
Drew


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## SloppyTilapia (Oct 4, 2013)

3 rods would be an absolute minimum for me while pompano fishing......but, if there is a whiting/pompano blitz going on, it can be hard to manage more than one.


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## andypat (Jan 7, 2004)

View attachment 50553
View attachment 50561
View attachment 50569
View attachment 50577
-----If you jig around bridge pilings in FL. you will only need one rod.----I forgot you can't post pictures on a post by someone else.


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## The Shark Book (Sep 6, 2016)

Andypat - saw your pics - thank you. 

I'll definitely have one jigging rod, that'll just be my inshore jigging stick. 

SloppyTilapia - do you run 3 bait rods, or a combination of bait and jig rods?

Drew


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

when the Mrs and I fish we usually have 4 sometimes even 5 baitrods out


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## DANtheJDMan (Aug 29, 2012)

I think it depends on where you are in Florida. 

My wife and I have fished Sebastian Inlet beach a few times. 

The first time we were there an older Asian couple was just unloading their stuff and he says farther out more better. There were two of them and they had 6 14 ft rods because they were inside a mini van. 

We set up about a hundred yards and they were always throwing out a rod. They were commercial pompano fishing. 

My wife said the guy was throwing out and reeling something back in but it was really just a different rod. 

We caught one limit that day fishing 4 rods. Two long and two shorter but the ticket was to rebait every 5 minutes. 

Some bait steeling stuff lives there but also a ton of big fat pomps. 

When we go back we fish 4 rods long and if your not reeling one in you should be.


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## SloppyTilapia (Oct 4, 2013)

I'm going to have 2 bait rods out, baited with fresh shrimp, fleas, blue crab bits or fish bites. Then the jigging rod is going to be for Doc's goofy jig or a small spoon of some sort. I usually have me a shark/drum rig out too, if I can catch a sacrificial whiting or croaker. Make changes on the fly as the bite dictates......


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## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

For surf fishing if i am really trying to put them on the beach and it's deserted I will go 6 rods here in SE NC, usually early AM bevfore anyone is out. I have fished the surf several miles north of sebastian inlet Fl in december and started with 6 but dropped down to 3 rods in the water at once b/c the bite was hot. Circle hooks, long soft rod, and smooth drag are key b/c you can not possibly attend to 6 rods at once when they come through...you need them to hook themselves. Like Dan said if you do it right you will get NO rest as you will need to be constantly rebaiting and checking rigs if 6 rods are out. When I want to relax i fish 2 rods.


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## DANtheJDMan (Aug 29, 2012)

All, 

I meant to say 12 ft rods on my first post.

The way the beach lays north of the inlet the beach is steep and it gets gets really deep just off the beach. I saw a young kid use one of those little thin boards and time the back wash just right and go all the way down jump the next wave and stop sinking in over his head.

There is a sand line 80-90 yards off the beach where the color changes. 

You gotta bomb it out to pompano land or you will come up empty. 

The thing is with that area if they are hot you can limit out in a short time. The com guys can catch like 50 each and normal is 4.

I watched a com guy by himself with 4 13ft Yellow rods and it looked like 20 Saltist on them and he could bomb it. 

In this place if you are not reeling in to bait you might as well go to the car and give it up. 

The best thing you can have is 4 13ft 3-6 Tommy Farmer rods with 3 hook pomp rigs and a bucket full of sand fleas.

When you get them all bombed out don't sit down, go reel in the first one your bait is gone.

DAN


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

I use three, one long, one midway, one short on targets spots


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## fish bucket (Dec 5, 2002)

3 or more rods? are you guys commercial fishermen?


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## BPReeds (Jan 11, 2013)

3 rods max....too much work running 4 rods.....did that for a while.....no more......2 rods...for more mobility.....


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