The Florida Pompano

The Florida Pompano belongs to the Carangidae Family. They weigh less than 1.4 kg and are less than 43 cm long, although the largest individuals weigh between 3.6 and 4.1 kg and reach lengths of up to 66 cm. They have an average life span of 4 years. They breed from March to September. They are abundant and can be fished from October to January.
Florida Pompano has an extended, oblong and flattened body with similar upper and lower profiles. They are generally silvery and turn ventrally yellow without any distinctive marks. Their fins are yellow except for their dorsal fin, which is dark. Their head has a very rounded and extensible snout. Their mouth reaches the eyes and has small conical teeth that disappear in large fish. Their anal fin has 2 detached spines, followed by a spine and 20 to 24 rays; their caudal fin has a fine base and is deeply forked; their dorsal fin has 6 strong and short spines and 22 to 27 rays; and, their pectoral fins are short. Their anal fin and soft dorsal fin have similar bases with raised but not very elongated frontal lobes. They have 5 to 7 gills on the upper part of the arch and 8 to 14 gills on the lower part of the arch. Their lateral line is straight and has no scutes. Their bodies are covered with oval scales.