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Saltwater Β· Year-round over deep wrecks; best spring and summer off Florida's Atlantic coast

African Pompano

Alectis ciliaris

A mirror-bright wreck trophy and one of the most striking jacks in the Atlantic. Adults have a blunt, steep head profile and a deep, compressed diamond-shaped body β€” and they lose the very long trailing fin filaments that make juveniles look like drifting pennants.

Seasons Β· Peak

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
African Pompano
Photo: γ‚Šγͺべる, CC BY 4.0 β€” Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

  • Blunt, steep, mirror-bright head profile, almost vertical at the front
  • Deep, strongly compressed diamond-shaped silvery body
  • Adults have short dorsal and anal fin lobes β€” the juveniles' long trailing filaments are lost with age
  • Dark bars on juveniles that fade completely in adults
  • Deeply forked tail on a narrow tail base

Habits

  • Holds tight to deep wrecks, ledges and platform structure
  • Feeds on crabs, shrimp, squid and small fish near the bottom
  • Often swims in small groups or pairs over structure
  • Juveniles drift in open water with their long filaments trailing
  • Powerful, deep-bodied fighter that dives for the wreck when hooked

Distribution

Daytona Beach, FL Β· Floridaβ˜… Primary
Galveston, TX Β· TexasCommon
Venice, LA Β· Louisiana & Gulf ShoreCommon
Tampa, FL Β· FloridaCommon
Florida Keys, FL Β· FloridaCommon
Charleston, SC Β· North & South CarolinaOccasional

Where to find them

  • Deep wrecks off Florida's Atlantic coast
  • Wrecks and reefs off the Florida Keys
  • Gulf oil platforms and wrecks off Louisiana and Texas

Where they live

Deep wrecks and reef structure in 80-200 ft (24-61 m) of waterOffshore ledges, oil platforms and artificial reefsOpen water over deep bottom structure

How to catch them

Vertical jigging over deep wrecks Boat

Rig: Heavy spinning or conventional outfit, 4-8 oz vertical jig dropped to wreck and reef structure in 80-200 ft (24-61 m)

Bait/lure: Vertical jigs

Key tip: Drop to just above the wreck and jig with long lifts β€” stay tight, as hooked fish dive straight back into the structure.

Live bait fished deep over wrecks Boat

Rig: Conventional outfit, live threadfin or crab on a weighted rig lowered deep over wrecks and platforms

Bait/lure: Threadfin herring, live crabs

Key tip: Anchor or drift slowly up-current of the wreck so the bait hangs naturally just above the structure.

Best baits & lures

Live threadfin herring and other baitfishLive crabs fished deep over wrecksHeavy vertical jigs worked near the bottom

Techniques for African Pompano β†’

Baseline setup

  • Rod: Heavy 6.5-7 ft jigging rod
  • Line: 50-65 lb braid with a 60-80 lb fluorocarbon leader
  • Terminal: 4-8 oz vertical jigs, 6/0-8/0 hooks, heavy sinkers

Recommended gear for this species

Rod Β· Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

β‰ˆ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies Β· Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

β‰ˆ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library β€” never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 24-36 in (61-91 cm), 10-25 lb (4.5-11 kg); large fish to about 42 in (107 cm) and 50 lb (23 kg)

On the table

Good to excellent β€” firm white flesh, highly rated fresh.

Similar species

PermitPermitPermit has a darker, more rounded body, a deeply forked tail and no mirror-bright blunt head; African pompano is taller, brighter and more diamond-shaped with a steep foreheadFlorida PompanoFlorida PompanoFlorida pompano is far smaller, surf-and-pier sized with a yellowish belly; African pompano is a large offshore wreck fish many times its size

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season β€” always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide β†’

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