Gray triggerfish fishing out of Pompano Beach centers on reef edges and hardbottom in roughly 80-140 ft, a short run from Hillsboro Inlet. This guide covers when the fish are here, where boats run, the named structure with map grids, the local method, and who else works the water. Species biology and general technique are in the gray triggerfish fishing guide, and inlet and port context are in the Pompano Beach port guide. Use this page to decide where to drop a line. It doesn’t promise fish. For the wider coast, see the gray triggerfish fishing in the Atlantic Southeast and the Atlantic Southeast offshore fishing guide.
When Gray Triggerfish Are Around Pompano Beach
RingMaster lists gray triggerfish as year-round, with open seasons that vary. Captain Sunshine also lists triggerfish year-round.
Fish being on the grounds all year is a separate question from whether you can keep one on a given day, which depends on the open season. Check the rules before you leave the dock, using the Regulations section below.
Where Boats Run From Hillsboro Inlet
RingMaster fishes reef edges and hardbottom in 80-140 ft. Use that band as a filter when reading the next section.
Sailfish Alley, also called the Edge, is the shelf drop-off that frames the reef-edge fishery. Hillsboro Inlet Fishing Center’s drift trips also catch triggerfish. The same edges hold other bottom species, covered in our reef fish guides.
Named Grounds and Structure Off Pompano Beach
These are named structure sites off Pompano Beach. Not every one is a confirmed triggerfish spot, so use the list to build your own drops. The map grids come from the Pompano Beach visitor dive map. Chart layers are not for navigation.
| Site | Type | Depth | Map grid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Luck (Shipwreck Park) | Wreck | 126 ft | K-7 |
| Okinawa (Shipwreck Park) | Wreck | 70 ft | K-7 |
| Pompano Drop Off | K-8 | ||
| Sailfish Alley / the Edge | Shelf drop-off |
Shipwreck Park: Lady Luck and Okinawa
Lady Luck sits in 126 ft, about 1 mile SE of Hillsboro Inlet, at map grid K-7. That puts it inside the 80-140 ft band. Okinawa is also at grid K-7 but in 70 ft, shallower than the band RingMaster fishes.
Pompano Drop Off
The Pompano Drop Off is at map grid K-8 on the Pompano Beach visitor dive map.
Reefs and Ledges
These named reef and ledge sites are listed off Pompano Beach:
- Pompano Trench
- Lost Ledge
- Suzzane’s Ledge
- Pompano 3rd Reef Ridge
- Steve’s Twin Ledges
- Shark Reef
- Touchdown Reef
- Grouper Bend
- Nursery
Hillsboro Ledge, Lighthouse Ledge and Horseshoe Reef are also listed as Pompano Beach dive sites.
Wrecks
These named wrecks are listed off Pompano Beach:
- Sucre
- Miller Lite
- Mariner II Tug
- Union Express
- Mary St. Philip
- Rodeo 25
- Quallman Tugs
- RSB-1
- RBJ
- Chris Corey
- Renegade
- Lowrance
- Captain Dan
- Guy Harvey
- SS Copenhagen
- Caicos Express
Check the list against the 80-140 ft band on your own chart.
How Gray Triggerfish Are Fished Out of Pompano Beach
RingMaster fishes small natural baits on lighter tackle. That is the local method, and it suits the grounds above.
Who Fishes Them From This Port
Two local operators list gray triggerfish:
- Hillsboro Inlet Fishing Center: its Hillsboro Inlet Fishing Center drift trips catch triggerfish. Its listing page names the Crowd Pleaser, a 45′ Hatteras run by Capt. Rob Archibald.
- Captain Sunshine: Captain Sunshine Fishing Charters is run by Captains Jade and Zoli and lists triggerfish year-round.
Fishing with an operator who already works these edges is one way to learn the grounds before running your own boat.
FAQ
Are gray triggerfish around Pompano Beach year-round?
Yes. RingMaster and Captain Sunshine both list them year-round. Open seasons vary, so check the rules before keeping fish.
What depth do boats fish for triggerfish off Pompano Beach?
About 80-140 ft on reef edges and hardbottom, per RingMaster.
How far is Lady Luck from Hillsboro Inlet?
About 1 mile SE of the inlet, in 126 ft, at map grid K-7 in Shipwreck Park.
What bait and tackle do local anglers use?
Small natural baits on lighter tackle, per RingMaster.
Which charters target gray triggerfish from this port?
Hillsboro Inlet Fishing Center lists triggerfish on its drift trips, and its listing page names the Crowd Pleaser with Capt. Rob Archibald. Captain Sunshine Fishing Charters, with Captains Jade and Zoli, lists triggerfish year-round.
Where are the triggerfish rules for Pompano Beach?
On the Florida regulations page linked in the regulations section above. Gulf federal reef fish rules do not apply to this Atlantic port. We give no figures here because open seasons vary.
