| Description:
greenish gray on back, shading to silvery sides; fish in dark waters showing gold on
throat, pelvic, and anal fins; deep flattened body with small mouth; no scutes; 22 to 27
soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays; origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of
second dorsal. Similar Fish: permit, T. falcatus, palometa, T. goodei. The permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile not strongly angled at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds. Where found: INSHORE and NEARSHORE waters, especially along sandy beaches, along oyster banks, and over grass-beds, often in turbid water; may be found in water as deep as 130 feet. Size: usually less than 3 pounds. Florida Record: 8 lbs., 1 oz. Remarks: spawns OFFSHORE between March and September; feeds on mollusks and crustaceans, especially sand fleas; local movements are influenced by the tide, and seasonal movements are influenced by temperature. Feeding: only on crustacean like
sandfleas, shrimp and small crabs. For artificial bait, a 1/4 -1/2 ounce jig with a short
tail, not longer then the bend of the hook is preferred. Yellow is the most popular color
and white would be the second best. Tipping the hook with a whole sandflea or a small
piece of shrimp will improve your fishing. Bounce the jigs along a sandy bottom or just
above the grass. Bouncing the jigs on a sandy bottom will simulate crabs digging in and
kicking the sand up. |
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