catalog Carangidae · predator

blackblotch pompano

Trachinotus kennedyi

EstuarySea

Silvery pompano, with a blunt snout and a black blotch at the base of the pectoral, common over shallow bottoms and in estuaries of the eastern Pacific. Takes shrimp, sand crab and light jigs.

Also called: pampo-de-mancha-negra, blackblotch pompano, silver pompano

forecast for blackblotch pompano where found

Scientific illustration of Blackblotch pompano

common size: 30–45 cm
maximum: 90 cm
common weight: 0.3–1 kg
record/max.: — kg
depth: 0–72 m
ideal water: 24–30 °C

overview

who is the blackblotch pompano

Pompano of the eastern Pacific, from central Baja California and the Gulf of California to Ecuador, with records as far as Peru. Lives near the bottom in shallow coastal waters, and juveniles are common in estuaries, where they eat bottom invertebrates; adults prefer mollusks but also take crustaceans and small fish. Sold fresh, salted or dried, and FishBase classifies it as a sport fish. For beach and boat anglers it is a medium-sized pompano, caught with natural bait on the bottom (shrimp, sand crab, shellfish) and light jigs; like the other pompanos, it fetches a good price at the table and fights with fast runs.

fun facts

The English name, blackblotch, comes from the large black blotch at the base of the pectoral.
Juveniles are common in estuaries, where they eat a variety of bottom invertebrates.

how to recognize it

identification

Very deep, compressed body with a very blunt, rounded snout and a pronounced forehead in adults. Silvery, sometimes with a golden or bronzed tone, with the top of the head and back darker and a large black blotch at the inner base of the pectoral. Six short, sturdy spines free in front of the main dorsal fin, short pointed lobes on the dorsal and anal fins, and no scutes on the lateral line. The fine pompano (Trachinotus rhodopus) has long lobes and yellowish bars on the flanks.

how blackblotch pompano fishing looks

Loading the next 7 days…

Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific: from central Baja California and the Gulf of California to Ecuador, with records as far as Peru.

Habitat: Shallow sandy bottoms near the coast, beaches, bays and estuaries, from 0 to about 70 m.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Apr–Oct

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fished all year. Clear water in the surf and a rising tide matter more than the month.

best time of day

Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Feeds by day, near the bottom; tidal movement in the surf and in estuary channels usually helps.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the blackblotch pompano
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Cold upwelling water drives fish away from the beaches.

atmospheric pressure

Little direct effect.

moon

New and full moon tides move more water in the surf.

rain

Heavy rain muddies the water in estuaries and bays and pushes fish away from the river mouth.

water level

Not applicable at sea.

noise

Not very sensitive in rough surf; sensitive in calm, shallow water.

wind

A light swell helps; very rough sea makes casting hard.

tide

A rising and falling tide in channels and the surf concentrates fish.

depth

From 0 to 10 m, near the sandy bottom.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Beach fishing Natural bait on the bottom Bottom casting Jigging

rod: 9' to 12' for beach (20 to 40 lb); 6'6" to 7', 12 to 25 lb for boat
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 4000 to 6000
line: monofilament 0.30 to 0.40 mm or braid 20 to 30 lb
leader: fluorocarbon 20 to 40 lb, 60 cm to 1 m
hook: circle 1/0 to 3/0, or short hook no. 1/0 to 2/0

lures

metal jig 20 to 50 g
jig head with silicone shrimp bait

natural baits

shrimp
caranguejinho-de-areia
clam or mussel
sea worm

accessories

rod holder (beach)
sinker, 60 to 120 g
alicate

tip from an angler

Fish the bait right on the bottom, along the line where the wave breaks, and let the fish take it before you set the hook. The pompano runs in short, strong bursts, so adjust the drag carefully.

what the law says

rules for the blackblotch pompano

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

Mexico: up to 5 per species and 10 saltwater fish per day

5 specimens of the species per angler per day, within the limit of 10 saltwater fish

In federal waters of Mexico, recreational sport fishing allows each angler to keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The blackblotch pompano is not among the species reserved for sport fishing (marlins, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon (sábalo), roosterfish and dorado, up to 50 nautical miles from shore, item 0.3 of the standard) and has no quota of its own. Fish over the quota must go back alive, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. Anyone fishing from a boat needs an individual permit; from shore, no.

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), published in the DOF on Nov 25, 2013, items 0.3, 4.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5, 4.11 and 4.14 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

Colombia: AUNAP license and catch-and-release in sport fishing

Individual AUNAP license; catch-and-release guidanceconfirm with the agency

AUNAP Resolution 0549 of 2022 sets the guidelines for recreational sport fishing in Colombia. Anglers need a permit: for an individual, Colombian or foreign, it is a personal, non-transferable card. The rule makes "catch and release" the guidance and admits keeping only part of the catch for personal consumption, respecting the minimum sizes it sets. We did not confirm the daily limit or the minimum sizes by species: check with AUNAP before keeping fish.

Source: Resolución AUNAP 0549 of 2022 (fishing management guidelines for sport fishing for recreational purposes), arts. 6 and 8; Official Gazette of Mar 25, 2022

catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.

Wet your hands, remove the hook with pliers and release it quickly; avoid leaving the fish on dry, hot sand.

in the kitchen

Sold fresh, salted or dried. Like the other pompanos, it has white, firm flesh; good fried whole, grilled or in ceviche.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.01445, b = 2.93; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

—

sources and references

The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.

scientific FishBase: Trachinotus kennedyi (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Trachinotus kennedyiNames by country and language.
scientific Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2024). Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system, versão 3.0. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Trachinotus kennedyiDescription, colors, size, depth and distribution in the eastern Pacific. Page checked Oct 13, 2026. It cites a length of up to 73 cm (common up to 40 cm) and depth of 0 to 72 m; we kept FishBase's 90 cm as the maximum published.
official DOF: Modificação da NOM-017-PESC-1994, para regular a pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do México (publicada em 25/11/2013)Reserves species for sport fishing (item 0.3), permits (4.3 and 4.14), rods and hooks (4.6), bait (4.7), daily limits at sea (4.9.1) and in fresh water (4.9.2), catch and release (4.9.5), closed zones and seasons (4.10), and a ban on selling the catch (4.11). Text checked on Oct 13, 2026; the publication date (Nov 25, 2013) comes from Secretaría de Economía rules that cite the amendment.
official AUNAP (Colômbia): Resolução 0549 de 2022, lineamientos de ordenación pesquera para la pesca deportiva con fines recreativosWe reviewed, in a partial transcript of the text, what the rule says about the personal license (art. 6) and the catch-and-release guidance (arts. 8 to 10). We could not read the articles on the daily bag limit and minimum sizes; the draft rule provided for a personal-consumption limit that AUNAP said it would revise, so those figures are left out.

don't confuse

similar species

Carangidae

Gafftopsail pompano

Trachinotus rhodopus

Diamond-shaped pompano, with long dorsal and anal lobes and yellowish bars on the flanks. Appears near the surface around islets and rocks; takes natural bait and light jigs.

Sea

time of yearbest: Apr–Oct