Pompano in the Wash: A Guide to Surf Fishing St. Augustine Beaches

Last Updated on April 15, 2025 by Eric Bonneman

St. Augustine’s beaches offer one of the most rewarding surf fishing experiences on Florida’s northeast coast, especially in early summer when pompano are actively feeding close to shore. These golden-sided fish are prized for their fight, flavor, and accessibility to fishermen who prefer the rhythm of the surf to the confines of a boat. This guide provides a detailed, experience-based look at targeting pompano along St. Augustine’s beaches, with supporting tips for location selection, gear setup, bait options, and secondary species.

Understanding Pompano Behavior in Early Summer

Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) begin to appear in stronger numbers in St. Augustine’s surf during the late spring transition and remain active through early summer. By May, water temperatures have usually crossed into the low to mid-70s, which triggers more consistent feeding along the beach zone. Pompano often travel in small schools and are constantly on the move, searching for sand fleas, coquina clams, and other small prey churned up by wave action.

Their feeding lanes typically form just outside the first trough or between successive sandbars. Unlike some surf species that hold tight to structure, pompano are drawn to areas where food is most abundant, and that food is almost always being moved by water. This makes current seams, washouts, and sloped beaches highly productive, especially on rising or falling tides.

Choosing the Right Beaches in St. Augustine

The coastline around St. Augustine is long, varied, and largely accessible. From wide public beaches to more secluded state park shorelines, fishermen have multiple entry points to reach productive surf zones. Some of the most reliable stretches for pompano include:

• Anastasia State Park – This stretch features clean sand, well-defined sandbars, and relatively light development. The beach naturally forms strong troughs during early summer tides, creating ideal ambush points for pompano.

• Vilano Beach – Accessible and often overlooked, this beach can produce well, especially during mid-morning incoming tides when bait activity picks up.

• Butler Beach – Offers solid structure at low tide, revealing cuts and holes that trap prey. Once the tide moves in, pompano will move into these lanes to feed.

• South Ponte Vedra Beach – Less pressured than city beaches, it features steeper slopes that form deeper troughs just off the shoreline.

Rotating between these beaches depending on tide cycle, water clarity, and recent activity can help maintain consistent success. If you arrive and find dirty water or a lack of current, moving even a mile up or down the beach can make a difference.

Optimal Conditions for Targeting Pompano

While pompano can be caught throughout the day, certain conditions significantly improve your chances:

• Incoming Tide: Especially the last two hours before high tide. Pompano often push in with the rising water, using it to reach bait-rich zones near the shoreline.

• Clear to Slightly Green Water: Clean surf is ideal. Avoid days when the water is stained brown by storm runoff or excessive wind chop.

• Moderate Wave Action: A light to moderate surf stirs up food without making presentation difficult. If waves are too calm, bait disperses too far; if they’re too heavy, fish struggle to find your offering.

• Wind Direction: Light onshore or southeast wind is often productive. Strong northeast winds can push too much dirty water into the surf.

Cloud cover can help extend feeding windows, but bright, sunny conditions don’t shut things down if the tide and water quality are good.

Rods, Reels, and Rigging

Successful pompano fishing requires gear that casts well, holds bait in the strike zone, and provides enough sensitivity to detect light bites in a moving surf.

Rod and Reel Setup

• Rod Length: 10 to 12 feet is ideal. This provides the casting distance needed to reach deeper troughs while allowing for good line control.

• Rod Power: Medium to medium-heavy power with a fast tip helps detect bites without losing the ability to hold in current.

• Reel: A spinning reel in the 4000 to 6000 class spooled with 15–20 lb braided line gives both casting distance and strong hook-setting ability.

Rigs

• Double-Drop Pompano Rig: This is the most common and effective rig. Use 20–30 lb fluorocarbon or mono for the drops and a pyramid sinker for hold. Two hooks allow you to test bait options and increase your chances with schooling fish.

• Float Beads: Small colored floats (orange, pink, yellow) above each hook can help lift your bait and catch the eye of passing pompano.

• Sinker Weight: 3 to 4 ounces typically holds bottom unless conditions are especially calm or rough.

Best Baits for Early Summer

Pompano are opportunistic feeders with a strong preference for crustaceans. Matching what’s naturally present on St. Augustine’s beaches gives the best results.

• Live Sand Fleas (Mole Crabs): Collected right at the surf line with a rake. These are the top bait for pompano when available.

• Fresh Shrimp: Peeled and cut into small chunks. Avoid frozen shrimp unless extremely fresh.

• Fishbites® and Fishgum®: These synthetic baits hold well in the surf and are effective when used with real bait or alone. They’re especially useful when live bait is unavailable.

• Clam Strips: Another natural option that works well, particularly when combined with shrimp or synthetic baits.

Changing baits every 15–20 minutes helps keep scent fresh in the water. When pompano are around, they typically hit quickly. Long waits without action may mean it’s time to move down the beach or adjust bait presentation.

Locating the Bite: How to Read the Surf

Identifying the right casting lanes is essential. Pompano don’t just roam aimlessly; they move through areas that hold food. A few key features to watch for:

• Troughs and Cuts: These are the darker, deeper sections between sandbars or between the shore and the first bar. Fish patrol these to feed on dislodged prey.

• Foam Lines and Rip Currents: Areas where water churns or funnels back out can carry small food items with it. These spots often hold active fish.

• Shell Pockets: If you see crushed shells being pulled in and out of the wash, it often signals a food-rich area where pompano will feed.

Casting at a slight angle across troughs rather than straight out can help your bait hold longer in the strike zone. Try to stagger multiple rods across different depths to locate the school.

Managing Multiple Rods

Fishing for pompano from the beach often involves running two or three rods at once. This can be effective, but it also requires discipline. Avoid overextending your spread if the surf is active or if you’re fishing with limited help. Key tips include:

• Use sand spikes to keep rods secure and at an angle that maximizes bite detection.

• Label each rig with slightly different bait combinations or float colors to track what’s working.

• Keep rigs pre-tied and ready to swap out if your line gets cut or tangled.

Pay close attention to subtle rod tip movements. Pompano don’t always hit hard. Quick taps, line slack, or a sudden bend can all signal a fish.

Additional Species in the Mix

While pompano are the focus, early summer in St. Augustine’s surf brings other species into play:

• Whiting – Often caught on the same rigs and baits. Smaller but consistent.

• Bluefish – Tend to strike with speed and force, especially during higher tides. Can cut rigs, so monitor your line.

• Spanish Mackerel – Occasionally caught from the surf with long casts using spoons or Got-Cha plugs.

• Ladyfish – Abundant in warm water and will strike pompano rigs. Not favored as table fare but can be fun to catch.

These species can keep rods bending between pompano bites, but they may also require occasional rig adjustments if you begin losing bait or terminal tackle.

Keeping Your Catch: Handling and Storage

Pompano are best kept fresh and eaten the same day or soon after. Their meat is firm, white, and delicate. For the best quality:

• Bleed the fish immediately after catching by cutting the gills.

• Place them in a cooler with ice and drain water regularly to keep the fish cold, not submerged.

• If you plan to release them, handle with wet hands and avoid excessive contact with the body to preserve the protective slime layer.

Florida regulations for pompano change over time, so check current size and bag limits through FWC before harvesting.

Bring the Surf Within Reach This Summer

Targeting pompano along St. Augustine’s coastline in early summer offers more than just a productive day on the water. It is a pursuit built on timing, awareness, and consistent decision-making. When you pay close attention to water movement, structure, and bait presentation, results tend to follow. These fish respond to deliberate effort and well-placed casts, not guesswork.

One of the strongest aspects of this fishery is how approachable it is. You do not need specialized offshore gear or a boat to succeed. A solid surf rod, clean rigging, and well-chosen bait are all you need to fish effectively. That said, success is rarely accidental. Minor adjustments can make a major difference—how you place your lines, how often you reposition, and how you respond to shifts in tide or current will all affect your outcome.

Stay mobile, stay alert, and trust what the water is showing you. Look for foam lines, bait movement, or breaks in the sandbar. Let the conditions guide your positioning, not habit. A well-prepared fisherman who reads the surf and keeps fresh bait in the water will always have a better chance at connecting with fish moving through.

If you are preparing to fish the St. Augustine surf this season, make sure your setup is dialed in before you hit the beach. Visit us at Avid Angler, a local fishing and sporting goods store in St. Augustine, and let us help you get the gear you need to make the most of your time on the water.