UTERPompano fishing in The Treasure Coast
In The Treasure Coast, pompano peak December–March and are around November–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Peak winter pompano — Hobe Sound, Jupiter, Stuart and Fort Pierce beaches. Fish pile in when the water north of here drops below the mid-60s.
Not in The Treasure Coast this month.
Pompano in The Treasure Coast, month by month
- JanuaryPeakPeak winter pompano — Hobe Sound, Jupiter, Stuart and Fort Pierce beaches. Fish pile in when the water north of here drops below the mid-60s.
- FebruaryPeakStill peak: sand fleas, clam and Fishbites in the first trough on the incoming; pier fish at Juno and Fort Pierce.
- MarchPeakSpring — the fish start drifting north.
- AprilLeavingLeaving north.
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberArrivingThe fall run arrives from the north after the first fronts.
- DecemberPeakBuilding toward the winter peak.
Where to fish pompano near Boca Raton, Jupiter, Stuart
The inlets and the Intracoastal behind them, the southern Indian River Lagoon's grass flats and spoil islands, the St. Lucie and Loxahatchee rivers, the beaches, and a reef line that comes within a mile of the sand from Jupiter south.
Fish Scouter charts 260 grass flat, 48 beach / surf, 7 pass / inlet spots in the Palm Beach & the Treasure Coast map area — the kinds pompano hold on.
What to use for pompano
- Sand fleas (mole crabs)On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Leader15–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–1/0
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 62–82°F water, best at 66–76°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch pompano in The Treasure Coast?
Peak season is December–March. Pompano are in The Treasure Coast November–April. January: Peak winter pompano — Hobe Sound, Jupiter, Stuart and Fort Pierce beaches. Fish pile in when the water north of here drops below the mid-60s.
Where do pompano hold in The Treasure Coast?
Look on beach / surf, pass / inlet, grass flat, channel edge — around Boca Raton, Jupiter, Stuart, Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Sebastian.
What is the best bait for pompano in The Treasure Coast?
Live bait: sand fleas (mole crabs), live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Sand fleas (mole crabs): On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait. Tackle: leader 15–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–1/0, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for pompano in The Treasure Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
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