Flordia Pompano
Description: greenish gray on back, shading to
silvery sides; fish in dark waters showing gold on throat, pelvic,
and anal fins; deep flattened body with small mouth; no scutes; 22
to 27 soft dorsal rays; 20 to 23 soft anal rays; origin of anal fin
slightly behind origin of second dorsal.
Similar Fish: permit, T. falcatus, palometa,
T. goodei. The permit is deeper bodied; dorsal body profile not strongly
angled at insertion of second dorsal fin; pompano rarely grow larger
than 6 pounds, permit common to 40 pounds.
Where found: INSHORE and NEARSHORE waters, especially
along sandy beaches, along oyster banks, and over grassbeds, often
in turbid water; may be found in water as deep as 130 feet.
Size: usually less than 3 pounds.