Saltwater · Year-round in Florida and the Caribbean; surf schools peak in warm months
Palometa
Trachinotus goodei
A small, deep-bodied pompano of surf and clear bays, famous for the long black streamers on its dorsal and anal fins. It schools in the wash, feeds on sand-dwelling prey and is a favourite light-tackle beach fish.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Greatly elongated dorsal and anal fins with dark/black anterior lobes trailing like streamers
- Deep, compressed silvery body with 3-5 faint dark vertical bars in juveniles
- Blunt, steep forehead typical of Trachinotus pompanos
- No teeth on the tongue; small mouth for picking invertebrates
- Much smaller than the permit and Florida pompano it schools near — adults stay under about 50 cm
Habits
- Schools in the surf zone and over sand in clear, tropical water
- Also schools above coral reefs in small groups
- Feeds on worms, insect pupae, small molluscs, crustaceans and smaller fish
- Juveniles use surf and estuary edges as nurseries
Distribution
Where to find them
- Surf troughs and sandbar edges on clear beaches
- Inlets, passes and channels with clean sand
- Shallow reef tops and the sand beside them
Where they live
How to catch them
Surf fishing with sand fleas Shore
Rig: Light surf/spinning outfit, small pompano rig with floats and size 1-2 circle hooks
Bait/lure: Sand fleas or shrimp pieces
Key tip: Fish the first trough and sandbar edges in clear surf; palometa schools move with the wash, so recast often and keep baits small.
Sight-casting small jigs over sand and reef Boat
Rig: Light spinning outfit, small bucktail or jig
Bait/lure: Small jigs, spoons and shrimp imitations
Key tip: Cast ahead of cruising schools over white sand beside reefs; a fast, skipping retrieve draws strikes from the whole group.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Light 7-8' surf/spinning rod
- Line: 10-15 lb braid or mono
- Terminal: Pompano rigs with floats, size 1-2 circle hooks, small jigs
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
9' medium-heavy surf spinning rod
≈ US$110-170
Casts plugs and bait past the breakers and handles stripers, drum and bluefish in the wash.
Reel · Best value
5000 size sealed spinning reel
≈ US$120-180
Salt spray and dunkings kill cheap reels — a sealed body and 30 lb braid capacity are the surf standard.
Terminal · Budget
Topwater plugs, soft-plastic jigs and fish-finder rigs
≈ US$25-40
Plugs for blitzes, jigs for the trough, bait on a fish-finder rig when they won't chase — the inshore trio.
Picks are never paid placements. Prices are guides; price links are coming soon and none is an affiliate link yet.
Typical size
Common about 35 cm; maximum 50 cm and 0.56 kg
On the table
Good for its size — firm white flesh like other pompanos, best fresh; most fish are small pan-size.
Similar species
Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
Plan a trip for Palometa
Build today's plan⚠ Heads-up: Palometa doesn't occur around Vancouver, BC (or is very rare there), so it's not a sensible local target. Your plan stays in Vancouver, BC and is built around the fish that actually live there.