# Pompano on First Cast 4-4-15



## 69Viking (Oct 30, 2008)

Well Saturday morning me and 2 teenage boys head out to Navarre Beach late. After waiting out the short downpour we get down to the beach about 7:30. We get our PVC pipes setup and I make the first cast out and before I can set the pole down I have a Pompano on the line, nice 13" Pompano is landed. We're thinking awesome, going to be a good day but that was the first and last Pompano we caught that morning. Not sure but I think the cold front that past with the rain and change the wind from a SW to NW wind scared them all off. Not to mention 3-4' rollers were crashing on shore making finding sand fleas near impossible. The ones we did find were small. Regardless we had fun and will make it our mission to get out earlier next time!


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## 69Viking (Oct 30, 2008)

Wanted to add this hear too, it's on anther thread but the more input I can get from it the better!

I'm not sure the hooks on the rigs we bought at Walmart are very good. After the first Pompano like I said above we didn't hook another one the rest of the day. The rigs I had have gold circle hooks but they're really wide 1/0 and 2/0 circle hooks. I think I'll be making my own rigs next time with some better standard circle hooks. We lost quite a few sand fleas without catching another Pompano the rest of the morning so I'm seriously suspicious of the hooks that came with those rigs.


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## doggfish (Oct 30, 2009)

curious who made the rigs you were using?

doggfish

your best friend you have never met


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## coastie83 (Apr 20, 2014)

Nice pomp! Ditch those premade ones and make your own. I prefer one #2 kahle, and one #2 circle. The eagle claw ones work real good.


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## 69Viking (Oct 30, 2008)

coastie83 said:


> Nice pomp! Ditch those premade ones and make your own. I prefer one #2 khale, and one #2 circle. The eagle claw ones work real good.


 I assume you mean kahle hooks, what I previously referred to as wide circle hooks. The rigs I bought were equipped with 1/0 and 2/0 kahle hooks and seemed a little big. I think the #2's would definitely be better.


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Nice pompano ! I'm not a big kahle hook fan but some people swear by them. I use the eagle claw circle hooks


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

Usually the pre-made leaders have heavy leaders for pomps. If you don't want to make your own the get some that the tackle shops make themselves. GBBT usually has some home made one.


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## fishin for pompanos (May 10, 2012)

Time spent with the kids are the best...coming home with a pompano is the reward.
Nice catch there.


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## 69Viking (Oct 30, 2008)

Inn Deep said:


> Usually the pre-made leaders have heavy leaders for pomps. If you don't want to make your own the get some that the tackle shops make themselves. GBBT usually has some home made one.


 If I make my own what size line do you recommend? I'm all for making my own and saving some money. Also, how long do you think the drop loop should be? Seem like the ones on the pre-made ones I bought were kind of short.


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## coastie83 (Apr 20, 2014)

I use 20# flouro. Its worth the few extra bucks. It works. I always start with 4 feet. By the time you tie your swivels, and drop knots it will be about a foot shorter. More recently though since I'm using different length rods I like top swivel to come just under the tip and the weight half the length of my pole. Don't forget to put the line through the back of the hook so they stick outward. Million other ways to do it I'm sure, but this has been working great this year so far for me.


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## Boboe (Feb 4, 2013)

coastie83 said:


> Don't forget to put the line through the back of the hook so they stick outward. Million other ways to do it I'm sure, but this has been working great this year so far for me.


You're putting your hooks on backward.


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## coastie83 (Apr 20, 2014)

No, actually I'm not.


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

"I use 20# flouro. Its worth the few extra bucks. It works. I always start with 4 feet. By the time you tie your swivels, and drop knots it will be about a foot shorter. More recently though since I'm using different length rods I like top swivel to come just under the tip and the weight half the length of my pole. Don't forget to put the line through the back of the hook so they stick outward. Million other ways to do it I'm sure, but this has been working great this year so far for me".

I agree with all the above except I do try to step down to 15lb floro when possible.


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

"Quote:
Originally Posted by coastie83 View Post
Don't forget to put the line through the back of the hook so they stick outward. Million other ways to do it I'm sure, but this has been working great this year so far for me.
You're putting your hooks on backward."

I hate to say it but I too agree you are putting hooks backwards. But hey if it works for you carry on !!


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## coastie83 (Apr 20, 2014)

Symantics aside.....put the line through the "underside", bottom, back whatever have you, so the hook sticks outward. Its obvious if you're doing it right, especially when you can hook up on fish every time you're out.


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## Sailor50 (Nov 8, 2007)

I use the Mustad pompano rigs from walmart a lot but replace the hooks with a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook. Just bought a pack of Eagle Claw Lazer sharp hooks, 1/0 to use on them. One thing when buying the hooks is to look at their eyelets, some brands are too small to pass the thick line of the Mustad rigs through. You can use a sewing needle threader to help ( I use a small diameter mono line to do this). 

Makes sense to me that a fluoro rig would work better, have tied a few, just too lazy at times to tie them up. 

Good report, thanks


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## Russian (Jan 13, 2009)

Glad you caught one Scott!

Everyone has their system down. Ive always put the line through the eye, hook point side first. 25lb fluoro, im sure on crystal clear days 15lb might make a difference, each to their own on this one. I carry a few sizes of rigs in my bag for this occasion. I also dont like getting broke off. I have used eagle claw 2/0 circle sea hooks in the past, but prefer to spend the extra money on the 25 pack of Owner size 2 mutu light circle hooks as I find they stay sharp longer and are a lot thinner to easily hook in the fishes mouth, the eye is however small. I have tested this theory and when the bites hot they outperform the others. I buy these cheapest on Amazon.com. I like to use colored floats on the top hooks and have developed a variety of flies for tying on the hook in different colors, that is the fly fisherman in me. Bare hooks no jewelry work though most the time I think, its those days when the fish are finicky sometimes that special touch makes all the difference between no fish and king of the beach. Ive learned everything I know off this forum, a few old salts Ive met on the beach, google, and trial and error.


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## dorado74 (Oct 16, 2007)

I've spent 20 years trying to figure these fish out..... I've also caught 23 the last 3 days, so I have an idea. I use 17lb Fluro with 1/0 Owner light Mutu hooks. One orange bead per hook on a 2 hook rig....never more than 3oz pyramid unless conditions dictate. Watch your rods constantly because they will bite and you'll never see it unless you're all over them! The most important part is location in my opinion....I spend countless hours looking in the winter for good spots. Message me and I'll answer any questions you have!


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