Pompano location?

I have no idea if the pompano are biting right now but all up and down Topsail island you can find them. I would imagine the same goes for Emerald Isle/Atlantic Beach.

You have to experiment but remember you don't need to cast very far for pompano. Last year I was scooping for sand fleas with my kid's play beach net, right where the breakers hit the beach and churn up the sand - and I wound up scooping up a pompano the size of my hand! I never saw it, and I would never be able to do that again even if I had tried. But that goes to show how close they come up to shore.

Capt. Chris at East Coast Sports once told me that you can catch them with a circle hook and no weight, just sort of let it drift in the suds and current. It actually worked, it was almost like drifting salmon eggs for trout in the river.

Water is warm enough...they should be around. Trick is finding the school. As mentioned they are usually between the wave break and the shoreline. They love sand fleas. If you're fishing the ICW try the down current sides of bridges...they hang out there waiting for the current to break crustaceans away from the pilings. Same for pier fishing.

I will echo the comment about not casting too far. You will also have better luck in clearer water. As usual stick with the cuts and sloughs on the beach. You cant beat a sand flea for pomps. I would tie your own rigs using minimal harware. About the only swivel I would use would be to connect your weight. Ive also added a pink or orange bead near the hook (owner #2 light wire circle). I have always done well with the double hook bottom rig, but like I said minimize the hardware. Good luck.

May try topsail this weekend after a morning chasing reds on the kayak. Sandflees are plentiful at top sail?

stevedc said:

May try topsail this weekend after a morning chasing reds on the kayak. Sandflees are plentiful at top sail?

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Check out youtube for finding sandfleas. I watched a video from a guy who is a guide and uses A LOT of sandfleas for bait so he knows what to look for to find them. I followed his advice down around Kure beach and within a few tries I was pulling up to 25 fleas just scooping with my hands!!!

quest4reds said:

Check out youtube for finding sandfleas. I watched a video from a guy who is a guide and uses A LOT of sandfleas for bait so he knows what to look for to find them. I followed his advice down around Kure beach and within a few tries I was pulling up to 25 fleas just scooping with my hands!!!

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Awesome! Thanks

Ditto on sand fleas, I think I watched the same YouTube. They were thick in Emerald Isle last weekend and I caught my biggest pomp to date.

Rig with fluorocarbon. I've been hand tying my bottom rigs this year with fluoro and I've noticed a definite improvement in number of fish and the quality of the fish.

Most serious pompano fisherman seem to use kahle or circle hooks. I used a red bead above each hook.

As far as finding them -,good luck. From what I understand you need clear water. If you've got limited fishing trips, try to time your trip for a wind direction that will clear up the surf- depends on the direction of the beach you fish


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Thanks I'll look at the videos!

Go to the top right search box, click Advnced search, then tgpe in sand flea, then type in my name. Several threads will pop up. C heck t hem out kn how to cat h and find fleas.