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.
*Florida Record: 8 lbs, 4
oz.
Remarks: spawns OFFSHORE
between March and September; feeds on mollusks and crustaceans, especially
sand fleas; local movements are influenced by the tide, and seasonal
movements are influenced by temperature.
* The Florida records
quoted are from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's
printed publication, Fishing
Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are
provided as only as a benchmark.
