Pompano along beach or in Indian River Lagoon are an angler favorite as winter draws near

Few fish swimming in Florida's coastal waters energize anglers like pompano.

Many consider pompano among the finest fish to enjoy for dinner, but they're also fun to catch and can be caught in a number of ways in a number of spots.

Here are a few tips on how to catch pompano provided by local anglers who have pursued them a long time.

Surf fishing

Paul Sperco of Bass Pro Shops in Port St. Lucie, and maker of Capt. Paul's Pompano Rigs, prefers to fish for pompano from area beaches in St. Lucie and Martin counties.

This time of year, cold fronts and big swells can interrupt the surf fishing when large waves crash on the beach. But when the shorebreak lies down, look for the fast-swimming fish migrating south along the beaches to be in good supply.

"Over the weekend, there was a decent bite from South Hutchinson Island with a good number of keepers and more throwbacks bending rods," Sperco said.

The upcoming weekend is calling for sea conditions that should give surf anglers plenty of success.

More:Dolphin, pompano, snook and bonefish were biting over the weekend

Sperco prefers to use long, 12-foot surf rods and spinning reels since he takes charters and spinners are easier to cast. Many surf anglers prefer to use casting reels.

Sperco's typical tackle set up employs 15-pound test monofilament line tied to a 6-foot  stretch of 30-pound test shock leader. The terminal tackle consists of 30-pound test fluorocarbon leader with two dropper loops.

The loops have No. 1 or 1/0 circle hooks, and on the end is a snap swivel where the angler can attach a lead sinker.

A 4-ounce pyramid sinker generally does the job, Sperco said, but sometimes a 5-ounce one is needed if the waves are powerful. The idea is to use enough weight to keep the bait on the bottom. If needed, use the "Sputnik" sinker, which has four wires to help anchor the weight.

Sperco uses an artificial bait called Fishbites, which uses cheesecloth and a patented scented material that holds up well in the wash of the seawater. A piece of Fishbites can be used on several casts.

Sperco has been using the EZ Flea Fishbites this season with great success. They're available at many area bait shops.

Other baits to use include salted clams, blanched sand fleas and fresh, live sand fleas, which can be dug with a sand flea rake at the shoreline. Pieces of shrimp and squid also work well.

Lagoon pompano

In the Indian River Lagoon, there are three ways to catch pompano — drifting in a boat over the flats, anchoring in a boat along a channel edge or fishing from a bridge or catwalk.

Drift fishing

Capt. Carl Eby of Fintastic charters out of Billy Bones Tackle Shop in Port St. Lucie has been catching pompano as he drifts the grassflats and spoil islands of the lagoon between the Jensen Beach Causeway and the South Bridge in Fort Pierce.

Eby uses D.O.A. Cal jerk baits on light spinning gear, 8-10-pound test and 6.5- to 7-foot rods.

"When the salinity is above 15-20 parts per thousand" in the lagoon, Eby said, "it's really good for pompano fishing." 

Anglers drifting the flats in Grant, Sebastian, Wabasso, Vero Beach and northern Fort Pierce are catching lots of pompano while fishing for trout and redfish. Small lead jigs like Doc's Goofy Jigs or Gulfstream Lures pompano jig work very well.

Folks drifting the flats inside the St. Lucie Inlet this week have been catching a fair number of bonefish while targeting pompano, too.

Often, the incoming tide is best for drift fishing.

Anchored

Ever wonder what those boats anchored inside the inlets are fishing for? Pompano is a safe bet.

The set-up is similar to beach fishing, but with shorter rods. Many anglers looking for pompano will choose to fish the end of the incoming tide and the beginning of the outgoing tide along the edges of channels where the current flow is strong.

They'll use natural baits like sand fleas, pieces of shrimp or clam strips, or use Fishbites in various colors, like pink or orange, and flavors, like clam or sand flea. The rods will be 6.5- to 7-footers and will often use casting reels to prevent line twists. Monofilament line is preferred. Double-hook dropper loops with small circle hooks or Khale hooks and a pyramid sinker are used, too.

When the bite is good, the fish can be reeled in two at a time. Other catches include bonefish, sheepshead, black drum, jack crevalles, blue runners and, once in a while, a sawfish may get tangled up in the lines. 

Fishing from a bridge, pier or catwalk

Use a light spinning rod and reel, 10- to 12-pound test line and a 1/8-ounce to 1/4-ounce jig for the best results. Fish the incoming tide, and remember, the pompano will be feeding into the direction of the tide as they swim. 

Pompano regulations

• Season: Open year-round
• Minimum length: 11 inches to the fork of the tail
• Maximum length: None
• Recreational daily bag limit: 6 per person
• Other: Saltwater fishing license required
• Complete fishing regulations: https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/

Ed Killer is TCPalm's outdoors writer. Friend him on Facebook at Ed Killer, follow him on Twitter @tcpalmekiller or email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.