Pompano usually arrive on the Outer Banks in June, as soon as the surf temperature consistently climbs to the high sixties, but the best of the action for them is August through September. The first cool northeast blow of the late summer or early fall sends a signal to the pompano that it is time to head south, and most of them are gone by the middle of October.

Most of the pompano we catch along the Outer Banks are small fish, with the average size being less than one pound, probably closer to twelve ounces. However, every summer some real giants are beached. These huge, slab-sided, silver and yellow, four pounders will be the envy of every pompano fan. These big fish are rogues; rarely will more than one of these trophies be caught at one time.

Pompano range along the entire length of the Outer Banks from Ocracoke to Duck, and the northern most range of these fish along the Atlantic Coast is the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. But the most consistent place to fish for them on the Outer Banks is usually from Buxton, along the South Beach of Hatteras, and the entire length of Ocracoke Island.

The key to successfully catching pompano in the surf is location. They may bite in dingy, dirty water, but the best conditions are clear water, and a fairly calm surf. A moderate chop on the ocean, kicked up by a brisk easterly or northeasterly wind is okay, but as soon as the ocean becomes rough and dirty the pompano get out of town.

Anglers who can read the beach and locate the narrow, deep sloughs have a distinct advantage. Look for beaches with a sandbar that can be reached with a moderate to long cast. Ideally, there will be a break in the bar, or a distinct opening at one end. Most of my success with pompano has come on beaches where I can easily cast to, or sometimes past, the bar. I've caught fish on both sides of the bar, frequently in the deep edge than can be found along the beach side of most sand bars.

One section that is easy to over look is something we call the "drop", the edge of deep water where the waves break on shore. Not only pompano, but also many species of fish including sea mullet, speckled trout, and puppy drum will trace along these edges, looking for food such as sandworms and mole crabs kicked up by the breaking waves.

Depending on where I am and the number of anglers on the beach, I may fish with two rods. One is a stiff-tipped, nine-foot spinning rod that will easily cast up to 4 ounces of weight. I'll throw a long cast to, or beyond the sand bar, let the bottom rig settle and dig in, tighten my line and set the rod in a sand spike. Before I walk away from the rod, I'll be sure to back the drag off enough so a smashing strike from a big fish will strip line from the reel. I might not get many pompano bites from this rod, but most of the big pompano I've caught in the surf have come from the long cast.

The second rod I use is a lightweight seven-foot spinning rod, mated to a reel filled with eight-pound line. I'll cast my bottom rig and bait out toward, and maybe on the beach side of the bar, and work the bait slowly, until the bottom rig is right at my feet. If the beach isn't crowded I might make an occasional cast parallel to the beach, either north or south of me, slowly working the rig back to where I'm standing. Rather then use the typical pyramid sinker that is preferred in the surf, I often opt for a rounded or pancake weight on the light outfit. These smooth edges allow me to move the rig slowly across the sandy bottom and cover more territory.

Terminal tackle is simple, with most folks using the proven two-hook bottom rigs, and light wire, gold finish hooks, sized from #4 up to #2. Many locals, myself included, like the pre-snelled hooks with fluorescent beads and gold spinners. On days when the water is very clear, the keen-eyed pompano may shy away from too much hardware in the water. I'll put together a homemade bottom rig, tied from a 36-inch piece of 20-pound test clear monofilament. Hook sizes remain the same, and I might add a plastic fluorescent bead just in front of the hook eye.

While pompano may occasionally be caught on small jigs and bucktails in the surf, most of the time they are captured on pieces of fresh bait. Fresh shrimp and mole crabs head the lineup. Mole crabs, also called "sand fleas", are small crustaceans that live in the damp sand between the high and low tide marks on the beach. They can be dug by hand or with a wire mesh scoop. The scoops are available at many Outer Banks tackle shops, and they are the only way to go for catching a number of fleas in a short time. The fleas will die if put in a bucket of water, but will last for a day or two in a few inches of damp sand.

When I buy shrimp for pompano bait it must be fresh enough for me to eat. Most tackle shops sell fresh shrimp during the summer, and shrimp may be available either with the heads on or off. Either will work fine, because the head is discarded anyway. Some folks prefer to peel the shrimp, others don't, and I'm not sure it matters one way or the other. Use small pieces of shrimp and check your baits frequently, since small crabs and miniature fish also love the taste of shrimp.