Texas Pompano texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout With its silvery sides, bright yellow chin and deeply-forked black tail, the Florida pompano is one of the more tropical looking species found in the Gulf of Mexico. And, despite its name, anglers don't need to travel to the Sunshine State in order to tie into this popular light-tackle quarry. However, relatively few Texas anglers take advantage of the well-established pompano fishery along the state's southernmost stretch of beach. “Most of the pompano we see come in are caught by Winter Texans,” said Al Salazar, who sponsors a weekly pompano tournament through the winter and early spring based out of his Dirty Al's Bait Stand and Seafood Kitchen on South Padre Island. “We have a few local folks who fish for them, but mostly, it's the visitors.” Although this tasty tropical pan fish goes largely ignored, the aforementioned winter visitors, as well as a few long-time locals in the Laguna Madre area realize the light-tackle thrills pompano can provide. “There's nothing like catching pompano with light-tackle in the Island surf at sunrise,” said Capt. Rolando Gonzalez. “About the only thing better than catching pompano is grilling them over a mesquite fire at sunset.” Gonzalez, a Port Isabel native and local fishing guide, spends many of his “off days” fishing the surf - often specifically targeting pompano. Like most pompano aficionados, Gonzalez using a combination of artificial lures and natural baits when targeting “pomps.” “You can catch `em on little jigs and spoons,” Gonzalez offered. “Or, you can use a number of different baits - shrimp, squid, sand fleas - so long as they are small.” Among the top artificial offerings are 2-inch YUM swimbaits, 2-inch Stanley Wedgetail Minnows, DOA Tiny Terroreyz, and Mr. Pompano Sand Fleas. Small silver spoons will also produce good results, so long as the water clarity allows. However, if the surf happens to dirty up - as it will after a front - that doesn't necessarily put an end to the pompano action. “Although most pompano are caught in clear water, they don't shy away from hitting bait in murky water,” Gonzalez offered. “When the surf is murky, you want to go with something they will leave quite a bit of scent. Small chunks of shrimp or squid seem to work best.” One of the keys to fully enjoying a day chasing pompano is not overpowering the fish. Although they are spirited fighter, most pompano weigh in around the two-pound mark. A 7 or 7 ½-foot, medium light rod paired with a spinning reel loaded with 10-pound test is a perfect pompano outfit. Because they fight-hard, bite readily and are found right along the beachfront, pompano are also great targets for kids. “Pompano are great fish for kids to target,” said Shane Wilson, a fishing instructor with Fish Across Texas. “You don't need complicated equipment or techniques to catch them. And, because they are so exotic and tropical looking, the kids really feel like they've accomplished something when they catch one.” texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout