Rich is a name that is well known in several Florida surf fishing circles. He is a long-time angler who has quite the story worth hearing and is expounded upon in his BIO. All of this combined has earned him the nickname “The Pompano Professor.”
I met Rich (virtually, as we haven’t had the chance to meet face to face yet) on a phone call through FishGum’s creator, Tony Faggioni, to get some information about surf fishing and tackle. I didn’t realize that I would be picking up information worth its weight in pompano in just the first minutes of our discussion about floats and rigs. I took his advice and applied it to what I was trying to accomplish, with the result being a true success at fishing on that trip. I still keep his information prevalent in my mind when I’m working on fishing, and it has helped me several times when I think I’m doing something off.
Over this talking time, I have seen and fished several varieties of Pompano Rich’s rigs and floats. All of them holding up to the beatings of my casting style and fish strikes with ease. His recent floats, however, were something I was surprised to see. They were bigger and had a new shape to them. Thus, his latest “Surfari Series” was brought to life just for the Fall pompano run.
The setup is two floats (colors to choose from are available) on 30 LBS fluorocarbon line, two 2/0 Circle hooks, a solid swivel, and finished with a duo sinker snap. The double drop loops are run at about 4.5 inches, and hooks are fastened through the loop. The construction is quality and set up for many different species, along with several solid hits to be taken. I like these setups because if the hook gets worn out before the rig does, it is effortless to take it off and throw another one on to continue fishing.
These newest floats are coated with an outer Lacquer shell that protects those pesky crabs that always seem to find a way to your bait when fishing. I have noticed that my floats come back beat up from their constant assault on my bait, and with these, they seem to hold up pretty well to that beating. My softer foam ones do not and get changed out at a faster rate than these.
On his packaging is a confidential tip depending on the color you get. When fishing, watercolor plays a role in how you’re going to attack the fish. It is one of the constant questions on social media besides the “what’s biting” one. In his orange package, it recommends use during “Green-Brown Conditions.” However, his white with pink dots suggests Bluewater conditions. That information comes from his years of fishing experience in our community after many years of experience. If that is some new knowledge for you, awesome! If it’s old news, as the saying goes: If you know, you know.
I have only had one break-off on this series, and that was due to a very angry Bluefish that chewed its way off the line. I know I can bring in Bluefish, shark, pompano, whiting, and the ever-present hard-head catfish on these, as I’ve done it several times before. Sadly, a bite off from a Bluefish is not uncommon, so I know it wasn’t the rig. I should have reeled a bit faster to prevent it, but that’s fishing for you. Lesson learned, put a new rig on, and get back at it.
If you’re looking for a quality set of Pompano Rigs, the Pompano Professors Pompano Catchers are a solid choice. The Surfari Series is a good lineup in his inventory that is well suited for your surf fishing adventure, and you can send it out with confidence.
For ordering, please check out PompanoRich.net and select the products tab (or click here). His shop also has quality rods, reels, and other tackle that is sure to help you get out there and fish!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Demo is an avid surf fisherman in the Florida panhandle. He has studied and fished with some of the most successful anglers in the field of saltwater fishing. Brian is a Veteran of the United States Marines where he served as an H-1 Helicopter Mechanic and Shooting Instructor. After he retired, he traveled the country full-time in his RV with his family in tow seeing some of the best places in America while homeschooling their daughter along the way. He currently lives in Navarre, FL where he works as a mobile RV technician. In his off time, he spends many hours salt water fishing, writing articles about fishing equipment & RV travel, and spending time with his family outdoors.
Related Article: https://outdoornewsamerica.com/uncategorized/introduction-to-surf-fishing/
