How a local fisherman caught his first African pompano while fishing in the Gulf

Angler Danny Trevino loves to fish for some of the Gulf’s so-called “exotic” species.

“I’ve had mutton snapper on the brain,” said Trevino, who ventured offshore in his 22-foot bay boat last weekend. “At first I said we’re going to do 40 miles, but the weather was so nice and we were buddy boating, so we ended up going almost 60 miles. We were going to fish for red snapper, but it was an area where I’ve caught a variety of fish.”

Trevino rigged up with a 1/4-ounce jig head and shrimp. In the warm summer water, most of their shrimp had died, so fresh dead was his next best option. On the second drop of the day, he noticed a weird hit.

“There was just a little tug,” Trevino described. “I got the line tight and started reeling, it was fighting funny, running weird. It didn’t feel like a bonita, but thought it might be one. I kept fighting it and I looked down and all of the sudden I saw flashes that looked like a mirror. When it was about 20 feet below the boat I said get the net and saw it was an African pompano!”

Trevino had never caught an African pompano and it’s been a fish he has long desired to catch. It was landed and in the boat he noticed the hook barely hanging on. After a few quick adrenaline-filled pictures, Trevino dropped again.

Fishing flat, natural bottom was different from where African pompano are normally found.

“I thought it was kind of odd to catch one there. The next drop and again felt the same kind of tug, but this one didn’t feel as heavy. I said, ‘No way it is another one.’ Using an 8000 Saragosa, it came up pretty easy and it was another African pompano,” Trevino said. “I couldn’t believe it and my wife was jealous.”

After the two exotic African pompano hit the fish box, the group started catching yellowtail snapper on the light jig heads. When they caught their fill of yellowtails, Trevino ran back toward shore 8 miles to a red snapper hole. But soon another pelagic species made an appearance.

“We got a 24-inch red snapper then another 21 inches, so decided to stay in that area. My buddy Mike hooked up on something that was fighting like a shark while coming up,” said Trevino. “He keeps on fighting it and we see it’s a cobia. It gets hectic and we start running around trying to get out of the way, moving rods. I have a gaff, but it’s small. He got it close to the boat, but I couldn’t quite reach it.”

“He reels it up again and it was just out of my reach,” he added. “On the next turn, the leader popped off right there. The cobia just sat there for a second and we saw it slowly swim off with the chartreuse jig head in its mouth.”

But they soon had their revenge when they got back to fishing.

“My wife then hooked up and it’s a big bend like Mike had. I said she’s got another one. It came up real fast and then started fighting around the boat. It was another cobia, but she had heavier leader for this one. We get the fish close and gaff it green. It was thrashing everywhere and I’m dancing around clearing out of its way!”

During the cobia madness, a school of mahi also showed up, but left shortly after.

Trevino brought their exotic bounty home. At the dinner table, he said African pompano was “the most excellent fish I’ve ever had.” He also gave advice for targeting some different species.

“I think the big thing is using light jigs. All the little stuff likes to sit on the bottom. The big stuff comes up in the water column.”

For those who like to fish light tackle and slow-pitch jig, there is a unique tournament returning to Bradenton next weekend. The 2nd IJCA International Jigging Tournament will be held out of Tarpon Point Marina. For more information visit www.InternationalJiggingCasting.org .

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