Pompano Water Temperature at Cape Hatteras Point
The OBX surf fish. Fast, finicky, and worth every second.
Water Now
Pompano Band
The water is about 2° above that band. That is an observation about temperature, not a report of fish. Bait, wind, structure and tide all move a bite that a thermometer cannot see.
Water at Cape Hatteras Point, Last 60 Days
Where they hold
Pompano run the first trough along the surf line — the depression between the shoreline and the first sandbar. Look for cuts and holes in the sandbar where tidal water pushes through and concentrates bait.
Tide
Incoming to high tide is the money window. Pompano move in with the tide to feed in the shallower wash zone. The hour before and after high water is consistently best.
How to fish them
- Sand fleas (mole crabs) are the top natural bait — dig them from the wash zone at low tide.
- Fishbites orange crab and shrimp strips produce when natural bait is unavailable.
- Hi-lo rigs with small foam floats keep the bait off the bottom and in the feeding zone.
- Keep your bait in the trough — cast just beyond the first wave break.
- Small pyramid sinkers (1–2oz) in mild surf; step up to 3–4oz in heavy chop.
- Light 10–15lb leader. Pompano have decent eyesight and clear water calls for light tackle.
Pro Tip
Walk the beach until you see the trough. It looks like a darker strip of water running parallel to the shore. That is where your bait needs to be — not right at the waterline, not past the bar.
Rigged for pompano
Pompano Hi-Lo Rig · Sand Flea Rig