Pompano fishing Florida’s Central East Coast remains the hot topic for this month’s surf fishing report. Substantially favorable weather patterns have taken hold providing surf fishing anglers with plenty of excuses to hit the beach. With conditions like this, it behooves anybody who’s been waiting for the right opportunity to hit the surf now. Minimal swell and ideal winds have persisted throughout our Space Coast region, creating clean water and light current. In response to the weather patterns and water temps, the fish have responded positively. Consistent catches of pompano and whiting are being reported throughout the entire region, with southern Brevard County beaches having more consistency on a day-to-day basis.
Depending on the day and location, it’s been common to find high numbers of short pompano coinciding with the keeper size fish. If you’re engaged in the above-mentioned scenario, you have two options to pursue. Option one is to change location and try to locate larger size fish or, two, you can weed through the shorts as bigger fish will roam through at periods throughout the day. Whichever method suits you best depends on the duration of your surf fishing day, tides—and ambition. It’s always encouraged to make a move if you’re seeing little to no activity. With that being said, if there’s enough activity to keep you hopeful, then it may pay off to stick it out. Tide changes will be critical this month, with their ability to turn on and off like a light switch. Be sure to fish through these tide changes to realize what opportunities await for those surf fishing anglers willing to endure.
Surf fishing charters have had clients reeling in pompano, large bull whiting, and Spanish mackerel. The highlight species, being pompano, reigned in attention, while larger bull whiting exceeding 1.5 lbs didn’t go unnoticed. Commonly, these multiple species are caught around a mass of fish feeding in schools. Once located, it’s very common to have pompano and whiting hitting the beach in rhythm, one after another. These “hot” bites may diminish with a specific tide and then fire back up when the water reaches suitable depths. If you find these larger bull whiting and mackerel around, be sure that you are in a good position to capitalize on the pompano that mix in together.
Surf fishing tactics for February would be to hit the beach early for that first light bite, which has proven to be particularly effective as of late. Second, have live or blanched sand fleas, as it seems to be the most productive option for preferred species. As mentioned before in prior articles, be sure to fish multiple zones from the shore, especially at a higher tide. Surf fishing equipment built to send pompano rigs past the breakers need to be reined in and disciplined to cover the troughs closer to shore. I, personally, have a tendency to overcast fish before I have a strategy talk with myself.
Proportionally larger numbers of pompano are running the outer zones of casting, but plenty of days have produced well in the short and medium range casts.
Good luck and tight lines!
Capt. Lukas Brickweg
Cocoa Beach Surf Fishing Charters
cocoabeachsurffishingcharters@gmail.com
www.cocoabeachsurffishingcharters.com
(321) 205-4672