Species guide

Pompano Fishing

Florida pompano live in inshore and nearshore waters, especially along sandy beaches, oyster bars and over seagrass beds. FWC sets an 11-inch fork length minimum and a daily bag limit of 6 per harvester.

Find pompano charters Explore destinations

Pompano

Every charter here names pompano on its own website, checked on the captain's own site

Check before you keep a fish. Seasons and limits change, sometimes in the middle of a season, and a court or an agency can change them overnight. Seasons and limits are set state by state. The ones on this page are Florida's, copied from FWC in Sep 2026 and listed with their source at the foot of the page. We are not a regulatory authority. Confirm the rule for the water you will fish with your captain or with that state's wildlife agency.

Where to fish for pompano

365 charters name pompano on their own website, across 133 towns in 2 states.

State records for pompano

The heaviest pompano each state has certified, biggest first.

StateWeightWhereYearAngler
Florida 50.5 lb Daytona Beach 1990 Tom Sargentsource
North Carolina 46 lb Off Atlantic Beach 2014 Toby Granthamsource
South Carolina 44.19 lb Hilton Head Island 2011 C. T. Babcock IIIsource
Texas 43.1 lb Gulf of Mexico 2003 Hank Cramsource
Louisiana 40.6 lb South Timbalier Block 139 2003 Michael Phillipssource
Georgia 40.03 lb — 2021 Richard Bjornebysource
Alabama 39.44 lb — 1989 Rodney Michael Duttonsource
Mississippi 37.09 lb — 2020 Harley J. Havardsource
Maryland 6.4 lb Bloodsworth Island 2023 Bobby Gravessource

Each from that state's own records page, linked on every row. A location links to its town only where the agency named that town — a record logged to "Gulf of Mexico" or an offshore block belongs to no city. Weights are printed as the agency prints them. Records are certified by the state and can be broken at any time.

How big pompano run

Federal interviewers measured 113 of them on charter trips between 2022–2024. The middle half ran 11.3–15.4 inches, with a median of 12.6 inches.

Separately, MRIP's catch records for those trips count 112 kept against 61 released. That is a different tally from the fish that were measured, not a breakdown of them.

NOAA Fisheries MRIP dockside interviews, 2022–2024. A sample of the fish boats brought in, not a total, and not a forecast for any one trip.

About the fish

SizeUp to 24 inches and 8 pounds
Where it livesBeaches, oyster bars and seagrass beds, often in murky water, as deep as 130 feet
What it eatsMollusks and crustaceans, especially sand fleas

FWC says pompano spawn offshore from March to September.

From FWC's species profile, checked Sep 2026.

Which rules apply to your trip

  • FWC's pompano rules apply in state and federal waters. Special regulations apply when fishing in Biscayne National Park.
  • Only hook and line, cast nets and beach or haul seines are allowed, and snatching is prohibited.
  • FWC prohibits harvest with multiple hooks used with live or dead natural bait.

Harvest rules

When can you keep one in Florida?

Seasons and limits are set state by state, and these are Florida's. Pompano is caught by charters in 2 states on this page; ask your captain which rules apply where you are fishing.

Florida pompano, statewide

State and federal waters. Special regulations apply in Biscayne National Park.

  • All anglersOpen year roundFWC.
11 inches fork lengthSize limit
6 per person per dayDaily limit. Hook and line, cast net and beach or haul seine only.

Questions about pompano

How big does a pompano have to be?

11 inches fork length.

How many pompano can I keep?

6 per person per day.

Is there a closed season?

No. FWC lists pompano as open year round.

Seasons, sizes and bag limits on this page were copied from FWC, permit and pompano regulations and FWC, Florida pompano profile in Sep 2026. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. Check the current rule with your captain or FWC before you keep a fish.