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Florida pompano: size, bag and season

As of / last verified: against official sources · Source: FWC: Florida pompano

Florida pompano limit: 11 inches fork length, 6 per harvester, open year-round. Legal gear is hook and line, cast net, and beach or haul seine. African pompano, on the same FWC page, are 24 inches fork length, 2 per harvester, and no more than 2 per vessel, also open year-round.

Quick answer

Size
11" fork length
Bag
6 per harvester
Season
Open year-round
Gear
Hook and line, cast net, beach or haul seine
African pompano
24" fork length, 2 per harvester, no more than 2 per vessel
Florida pompano: side view for identification
Florida pompano. Illustration: H. L. Todd, U.S. Fish Commission. Credit: NOAA. Public domain
Total length vs fork lengthTotal length runs from the tip of the closed mouth to the tip of the squeezed tail. Fork length runs from the tip of the snout to the center of the tail fork.How FWC measures fishTOTAL LENGTH: mouth closed → tip of squeezed tailFORK LENGTH: snout → center of tail forkTL species include: red drum, snook, spotted seatrout, weakfish, snappers, groupers, flounder, sheepsheadFL species include: pompano, permit, Spanish & king mackerel, cobia, amberjacks, hogfish, dolphin
Measure in a straight line with the fish on its side; don't follow its curve. Florida pompano are measured in fork length. Source: FWC Fish Measurement. Original graphic.

Florida pompano limits

WatersSizeBagSeason
Florida pompano, state and federal11" fork length6 per harvesterOpen year-round
African pompano, state and federal24" fork length2 per harvester. No more than 2 per vesselOpen year-round

Special regulations apply in Biscayne National Park. Multiple hooks with live or dead natural bait, and snatching, are prohibited. African pompano gear is hook and line only in state waters, and hook and line or spearing in federal waters. The Pompano Endorsement Zone is a commercial gill-net zone in federal waters between 25°09' N (Cape Sable) and 26°00' N (Hurricane Pass) and is not a recreational bag-limit zone.

How do you identify Florida pompano?

Look-alikes

Where and when to catch Florida pompano in Florida?

Florida pompano use inshore and nearshore water, especially sandy beaches, oyster bars and seagrass, often in turbid water, and FWC says they are found as deep as 130 feet. They spawn offshore from March to September and eat mollusks and crustaceans, especially sand fleas. Local movement follows the tide, and seasonal movement follows temperature. Beach piers match that sandy-beach habitat. Measure fork length, not total length.

Piers and bridges

Regions

Related rules on this site

Frequently asked questions

What is the Florida pompano size limit?

11 inches fork length, and the bag is 6 per harvester. The season is open year-round.

What gear can you use for pompano?

Hook and line, cast net, and beach or haul seine. Harvest with a multiple hook and live or dead natural bait is prohibited, and snatching is prohibited.

What is the African pompano limit?

24 inches fork length, 2 per harvester, and no more than 2 per vessel. The season is open year-round. State waters allow hook and line only. Federal waters allow hook and line and spearing.

How do you tell a pompano from a permit?

On a Florida pompano the dorsal fin begins in front of the anal fin, and the fins are short and upright. On a permit the dorsal fin begins over the anal fin, and the dorsal and anal fins are long and swept back.

Official sources

Last verified: October 14, 2026.

Related guides

Disclaimer: This page is a plain-English summary for general information. It is not legal advice. Rules, seasons and boundaries can change at short notice, including by emergency order. Always check the current regulations on MyFWC.com before you fish.