Local seafood is just one of the many perks enjoyed by Floridians, and from a culinary standpoint, there are a few local fish that stand out during the height of our season. One selection that always sits near the top of that list? The Florida pompano.
The pompano has established elite status among seafood lovers in our area. The high price—upwards of $35 per pound for a whole fish—has made enjoying a dinner of fresh pompano too cost-prohibitive for most to enjoy regularly. One notable exception to this dilemma is the fact that fresh pompano is readily available to anyone armed with a light spinning rod willing to take a walk on the beach.
From January to April, Florida’s east coast beaches are teeming with migratory pompano traveling north and south with the changing weather. Commonly caught by anglers on boats, these fish are just as accessible from shore (if done right). The ability to walk up a few for dinner transforms the Florida pompano from exclusive to every man’s fare.
A glance at the shoreline during low tide reveals the likeliest spots to fish. Finding the deeper-cut “trough” that runs parallel to shore is easiest when it’s not covered by water. Just a few steps from dry land, these deep trenches provide pompano a safe spot to cruise the shore waiting for the tumbling backwash to expose sand fleas and crabs in the surf. Locate these trough lines at low water and return to fish at high tide.
Be sure to pick a calm day with an offshore wind. For tackle, you won’t need anything too fancy. A light, 8- to 12-pound spinning outfit along with a handful of brightly colored goofy jigs and a small spool of 20- to 30-pound mono leader will get you in the game. Attach the main line from your reel to a 24-inch length of the mono leader with a line-to-line connection (a double uni or Albright knot are reliable connections for this), then tie a loop knot to your goofy jig (a ¼- to ½-ounce jig, depending on conditions; rougher water requires a bit more weight to get the jig to the bottom). Working the jig slowly through the deeper trough, parallel to shore and along the bottom, will produce bites all winter.
Catch ’N Cook
A perfect Florida-style recipe to complement your catch at its freshest is very simple. Light a charcoal fire before you begin prepping the fish (gas grill is okay). Rub the fileted pompano with olive oil and season both sides with Montreal chicken seasoning. In a saucepan, melt one stick of butter, add the juice of five Key limes, then slowly stir in a few spoonfuls of sugar until the butter tastes like sweet lime. Place fish on the grill, flipping only once (just a couple of minutes per side.) Plate and pour melted butter mixture over fish.
 these tasty but pricey fish yourself.){kind=link}
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