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© St. Petersburg Times, published September 29, 2001
If pompano aren't on your list, they should be. Pompano are a migratory species that move north along our coast in the summer and south in the fall. They move into shallow water adjacent to sandy beaches searching for crustaceans. It's common to see a school cruising the swash channel where the surf crashes onto the beach.
On light tackle there's no better battle pound for pound. Eight-pound line works well because pompano average 2 pounds. They run, so make sure your reel's drag is smooth. Their tail is built for power and speed, and when they turn their flat, wide body, you'll think you have a monster.
Free-lining live shrimp, sand fleas or fiddler crabs will get bites. Present your bait naturally: Let it drift with the current and you'll get results. For artificials, small, heavy jigs are the ticket. It's a good idea to use at least a three-eighths-ounce head. Yellow, green and white are favorite jig colors. Make sure you keep your bait in contact with the bottom to create puffs of sand.
- Capt. Rick Frazier runs Lucky Dawg Charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 510-4376 or by e-mail at captrick@luckydawg.com.