# 4 Pompano and a Big Ugly



## SurfFishingMeister (Aug 18, 2015)

Here's the action from the day after Christmas at Navarre Beach.


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## sbrettphill (Aug 21, 2016)

Nice catch! Interesting idea about the pomps not migrating, but obviously some are still around. Do you think you would’ve been unsuccessful had you used bigger hooks and a heavier leader as normal? Sooner or later I’ll have to give the gum a try.


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Nice ! I definitely believe in the migration, but I also believe that some pompano don't migrate with the mass schools. Like ducks , most migrate....but not all of them. It's awesome to see your success with fish gum !


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## SurfFishingMeister (Aug 18, 2015)

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sbrettphill said:


> Nice catch! Interesting idea about the pomps not migrating, but obviously some are still around. Do you think you would’ve been unsuccessful had you used bigger hooks and a heavier leader as normal? Sooner or later I’ll have to give the gum a try.


brett,

the other anglers beside me had 25-30lb standard fluoro double rigs. they did not hook a pompano. they were also fishing with fishgum. So I do think it helped vs. what other anglers were doing.


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## SurfFishingMeister (Aug 18, 2015)

THE POMPANO KING said:


> Nice ! I definitely believe in the migration, but I also believe that some pompano don't migrate with the mass schools. Like ducks , most migrate....but not all of them. It's awesome to see your success with fish gum !


Thanks Russ! I know and respect you a whole lot! The reason I do not believe in a large migration is because of the size of the Pompano. The species is too small to make a large journey from Navarre all the way around the tip of Miami and into the waters of the east coast of Florida. There is a similar species in size and anatomy that lives in the waters of Africa. It's migration is north-south and back south-north an average of only 134 miles. If Pompano do migrate, then it would be a smaller migration zone.

My background is Diabetes and Metabolism in my profession. So I lean on a Metabolism triggered feeding in Pompano which moves them into the surf from pockets of deeper waters off our coasts. Pompano metabolism is triggered by water temperature (as most fish). Fish are unable to regulate their body temperature and cold water profoundly affects their metabolism. They do not need to eat as much or hardly at all when the water temperature reaches a certain point. Their desire for food slows down and even their movements. 

I think most people believe that Pompano start showing up in schools on our coast when the water gets into the 66-70 degree mark. So in some way those temperatures may reflect the optimal movement and metabolism triggers for food. 

I think Pompano are around in larger numbers than we may think during water temps below the 66 mark, but just are not as hungry and more picky at what they see or need to eat. I tried lighter leader in this video to see if it would make a difference when pompano are picky eaters. At least in this video it helped.

Either way you fall on this, even my beliefs are only presumptions. No one has done research on what exactly is their migration or is not. Crazy such an amazing species and we do not know much facts about them.

We all may be wrong......when someone decides to research them extensively. 

No matter what the science truly is get you tackle to the beach in the SPRING! Pompano are HUNGRY!

By the way I am in the minority on not believing in the Large Pompano Migration but I do want to make sure you know that I believe that the earth is round! I am not in the minority on that belief! lol


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

It would be very cool to tag some and see where they are retrieved


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Fish swim every day, whether they choose to swim left , right or in a circle. The same amount of energy is used. I think that they choose left or right based on comfort and food availability. As temperatures begin to get uncomfortable here I believe that they look at our beaches and say let's a hang a right today boys. I think that they just slowly ease that way until the water temperatures behind them begin to get comfortable again. But I do believe that a decent amount of them just say no way hosaa , I ain't doing it !.....Have ya'll seen all those sharks on the beach down in south Florida ?? I'm just going to hang out around here and bounce off shore when the cold fronts blow down and just pop back in to the beach a few days after they pass. Also a migration based on the size of something can leave you scratching your head ,when you look at the tiniest of all birds....the hummingbird. Just something to think about. Tight lines , pretty beaches and big fish to you Tony. Maybe we'll bump into one another out there this spring.


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## seejay (May 10, 2009)

Great to see two experts with differing opinions still want to get together and fish.


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