# Pompanos



## Fisherman001 (Sep 17, 2020)

Does anyone know what time of the year the Pompano come through ga coast?  Thanks.


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## Seanote (Sep 17, 2020)

Not from experience, but researching old fishing reports suggest any time between late September to end of October in Ga. (If they decide to stop by)


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## Foster (Oct 19, 2020)

We caught a few on the 11th on Sapelo.


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## Redbow (Oct 20, 2020)

Haven't seen any Pompano up this way lately but they are hit and miss on our area of the coast here in NC...We used to catch them every spring until they got badly depleted many years ago.. I would love to have a fresh mess of them to fry up..


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## Seanote (Oct 20, 2020)

I went to Tybee beach today to try to hook a red.  I caught 2 pomps immediately that were about 8 inches.  The were right in the breakers in very shallow water. I was trying to catch some whiting for bait.  It was an hour after high going out.  I cut them up for bait and got my red rods baited and in the water, After getting back to my bait rod I never caught another pomp or whiting.  No reds either.


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## GLS (Oct 21, 2020)

In addition to fall, there is a spring migration in late April early to mid-May.  Cutting up pompano for bait to catch redfish????


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## Jase70 (Oct 21, 2020)

I caught several babies (3-4 inches) in my cast net while I was casting for mullet on the beach at Jekyll last Saturday. Not sure if that has any bearing on the bigger Pomps being around right now, but the babies are here for sure. And yes, I did throw them back.


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## Seanote (Oct 22, 2020)

GLS said:


> In addition to fall, there is a spring migration in late April early to mid-May.  Cutting up pompano for bait to catch redfish????


Yea I agree.  Just didn't catch anything else to use.  Pomps or Butterfish probably taste too good for the reds.  They like that tasty stuff like pogies, mullet, crabs,  etc.   

I also caught several babies a few days before casting for mullet for trout fishing.  Also a baby tarpon.  All released.  I didn't know Tarpon spawned in this area.


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## GLS (Oct 23, 2020)

Twenty-five years ago when the kids were smaller, we'd take the 15'  Scout through the Mosquito Ditch to the frontside of Little Tybee.  One summer some GI's were surf fishing and asked me if I wanted the only fish they caught.  It was a  2.5 to 3  lb. pompano.  I grilled it that night and it was more than enough to feed the family.  I've never seen or caught one bigger than that one.  I got into the spring run once at Tybee and caught some nice ones off the pier, but that's been awhile.  A shrimper buddy once heard some radio traffic off Tybee one fall where pompano net boats from Florida got into a school that was so big that one of the boats needed help from the other one pulling his net in.  The boats were temporarily docking at Lazaretto Creek.  There's not a prettier or better tasting fish than a pompano.  I have caught the half hand sized ones in a cast net in the surf during the summer.


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## Redbow (Oct 23, 2020)

Yep,


Seanote said:


> I went to Tybee beach today to try to hook a red.  I caught 2 pomps immediately that were about 8 inches.  The were right in the breakers in very shallow water. I was trying to catch some whiting for bait.  It was an hour after high going out.  I cut them up for bait and got my red rods baited and in the water, After getting back to my bait rod I never caught another pomp or whiting.  No reds either.


Yep that's where the Pomps feed, in very shallow water. Many people who fish for them throw out too far into the surf. Sand fleas are the best bait IMO for Pomps, if you can find them. Fresh shrimp is good also but they sure love the sand fleas. Folks here used to call them Butter Fish as well..


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## GLS (Oct 23, 2020)

Where distance casting for pomps occurs is where there are two bars parallel to the beach.  The bigger pomps lie on the ocean side of the farther bar.  This is common in Florida.  Gil


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## tad1 (Nov 3, 2020)

Nothing makes me happier than a nice pompano or 3...  cooked whole minus gills


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 1, 2021)

Seanote said:


> I went to Tybee beach today to try to hook a red.  I caught 2 pomps immediately that were about 8 inches.  The were right in the breakers in very shallow water. I was trying to catch some whiting for bait.  It was an hour after high going out.  I cut them up for bait and got my red rods baited and in the water, After getting back to my bait rod I never caught another pomp or whiting.  No reds either.


I don't know about GA, but cutting up an eight inch pomp for bait is a big no no in Florida.  They are a game fish and like all game fish now have a minimum size limit, and I imagine 8 would be below the size limit in GA, but I have not checked. Kind of looked upon like cutting up a native brook trout for catfish bait I imagine.


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## Cmp1 (Feb 1, 2021)

tad1 said:


> Nothing makes me happier than a nice pompano or 3...  cooked whole minus gillsView attachment 1047666


Dang good eating right there, I don't know the size limits in GA, but I definitely wouldn't use them for cut bait,,,,? ? ? ?


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## Seanote (Feb 1, 2021)

There are no regulations for Pompano in Ga.  I too do not usually cut up game fish for bait.


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## Cmp1 (Feb 1, 2021)

Seanote said:


> There are no regulations for Pompano in Ga.  I too do not usually cut up game fish for bait.


They're too good eatin,,,,? ? ? ?


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## Bass105 (Feb 3, 2021)

Cmp1 said:


> They're too good eatin,,,,? ? ? ?



Absolutely.


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## lampern (Feb 3, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> I don't know about GA, but cutting up an eight inch pomp for bait is a big no no in Florida.  They are a game fish and like all game fish now have a minimum size limit, and I imagine 8 would be below the size limit in GA, but I have not checked. Kind of looked upon like cutting up a native brook trout for catfish bait I imagine.



No size limit in Georgia waters


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## redneck_billcollector (Feb 3, 2021)

lampern said:


> No size limit in Georgia waters


It has been since I was stationed in Savannah in the Army since I have fished for pompano and that was back in the early 80s.


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## Sunbury (Feb 8, 2021)

Up in the Rivers between Savannah and Darien, I caught what really looked like a few baby pomps in the fall while casting for shrimp.  If babies are there in the fall, mama was probably there in the spring/late winter.


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