By Marco Pompano, Surf Fishing Guide
Sneak attack on Wilbur by the Sea! But, don’t worry, it’s the pompano. They just snuck up on us, and it’s one of my favorite times of the year.
This is when the big Scout pompanos finally show up. They’re eating everything. I have crab knuckles and live sand fleas I just dug up as bait. I have three flavors of fish gum. I mix everything all up. Fish gum with crab, fish gum with fleas, fish gum by itself. Yum-yum!!
After a trial this year using the fish gum in different capacities on my hook, I like it. I’m pretty sure it puts out a wonderful scent and attracts the pompano. I’ve also caught black drum, whiting, and red fish on the Pompo-licious flavor.
When the Pompano show up like that, it’s time to Bamba. I have four poles set up, and my end one is moving from side to side with three major head shakes: my pole just bent down 2 feet. I know it’s a quality pompano, one of the scouts I always talk about. They come in first. It’s making a few huge runs, but I can see it very clearly in the wave. A big flap onto the beach. Ya, mon!
Right now, for at least the last week and a half, the King tides and the Northeaster that doesn’t seem to end have eaten off the beach where we are in Wilbur By the Sea. There’s a 6-foot cliff dug into the sand all the way up to the sea walls. I call it the White Cliffs of Wilbur.
Because of the Northeaster and the tides, the ocean is as dirty as I’ve ever seen it, with seaweed debris and things I’d rather not mention. From what I know, it’ll all come back clean.
We’re waiting for the pompano to show up in the Fall. The sea is resilient, but right now it’s definitely in charge. Anyway, it’s still really beautiful here. I got a few nice fish, playing some nice local music from the Brothers Within, and me and these fish are heading to the smoker.
