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Photo: Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble, CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Trachinotus goodei
How to catch Palometa in Florida
Palometa feed in 70–90°F water and bite best at 76–86°F.
20 pts · trophy at 16"Feeds 70–90°FBest 76–86°FIn season nowBeach / surfGrass flatPass / inlet
About
The pompano's long-finned Keys cousin: a small silver fish with black-edged fins that hunts the surf line and the flats' edges in South Florida and the islands. Hard-fighting on a fly or a tiny jig.
How to fish it
Light tackle along the beach in the Keys; a small jig or a shrimp bounced through the wash where they follow the wave.
What it eats
sand fleastiny jigsshrimpsmall flies
Live bait for it
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.What to fish it with
the sizes that fish itLeader15–30 lb fluorocarbon
Hook#2–2/0
Braid10–20 lb
The rule
not confirmed hereManaged with pompano; minimum size and bag limit apply — confirm at MyFWC.
The current rule at MyFWC →Month by month, water by water
When palometa is the story
The Ten Thousand Islands & Everglades
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The Florida Keys
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Miami & Biscayne Bay
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Palm Beach & the Treasure Coast
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