Pompano, a Summer Favorite By Joe Malat

Pompano usually arrive on the Outer Banks in June, as soon as the surf temperature consistently climbs to the high sixties, but the best of the action for them is August through September. The first cool northeast blow of the late summer or early fall sends a signal to the pompano that it is time to head south, and most of them are gone by the middle of October.

Most of the pompano we catch along the Outer Banks are small fish, with the average size being less than one pound, probably closer to twelve ounces. However, every summer some real giants are beached. These huge, slab-sided, silver and yellow, four pounders will be the envy of every pompano fan. These big fish are rogues; rarely will more than one of these trophies be caught at one time.

Pompano range along the entire length of the Outer Banks from Ocracoke to Duck, and the northern most range of these fish along the Atlantic Coast is the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. But the most consistent place to fish for them on the Outer Banks is usually from Buxton, along the South Beach of Hatteras, and the entire length of Ocracoke Island.

The key to successfully catching pompano in the surf is location. They may bite in dingy, dirty water, but the best conditions are clear water, and a fairly calm surf. A moderate chop on the ocean, kicked up by a brisk easterly or northeasterly wind is okay, but as soon as the ocean becomes rough and dirty the pompano get out of town.

Anglers who can read the beach and locate the narrow, deep sloughs have a distinct advantage. Look for beaches with a sandbar that can be reached with a moderate to long cast. Ideally, there will be a break in the bar, or a distinct opening at one end. Most of my success with pompano has come on beaches where I can easily cast to, or sometimes past, the bar. I've caught fish on both sides of the bar, frequently in the deep edge than can be found along the beach side of most sand bars.