FLORIDA POMPANO - Trachinotus carolinus Family Carangidae, JACKS AND POMPANOS

Description: greenish gray on back, shading to silvery sides; fish in dark waters showing yellow on throat, pelvic, and anal fins; deep flattened body with small mouth; no scutes; 22 to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays; origin of anal fin slightly behind origin of second dorsal.

Similar fish: permit, T falcatus; palometa, T goodei; the permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile not strongly angled at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds.

Where found: INSHORE and NEARSHORE waters, especially along sandy beaches, along oyster A bars, and over grassbeds, often in turbid water; may be found in water as deep as 130 feet.

Size: usually less than 3 pounds.

Remarks: spawns OFFSHORE between March and September; feeds on mollusks and crustaceans, especially sand fleas; local movements are influenced by the tide, and seasonal movements are influenced by temperature.

Florida record: 8 lbs., 1 oz.

Amberjack | Black Drum | Bluefish | Bonito | Cobia | Dolphin | Flounder | Grouper | King Mackerel | Marlin | Pompano | Redfish | Red Snapper | Sailfish | Sheepshead | Spanish Mackerel | Spotted Sea Trout | Tarpon | Triggerfish | Tuna | Vermilion Snapper | Wahoo | Weakfish |