I actually went back and re-read the first post - I think the prob was that 'none were close to 11" - did you mean they were LARGER? That's some big pompano. Hmmm, ok, oh well, enjoy your impressively large fishes and I apologize if I misunderstood. Try to be more specific next time since I'ze from Mississippi these days and assume you catch normal distribution sized fish.
New rules (beach is considered a vessel)
http://myfwc.com/marine/lines.htm:
Effective July 1, 2005, new vessel regulations were implemented in state and federal waters. The new regulation limits the number of pompano and permit exceeding 20 inches fork length to two of these species, in any combination, per vessel per day.
Restricting the number of permit and pompano larger than 20 inches harvested aboard a vessel is intended to protect spawning permit. Large schools of permit aggregate in late spring offshore near reefs and wrecks to spawn, making them vulnerable to local overfishing. The duration of the spawning season extends from March to August, and peaks in May, June, and July. However, spawning may extend through December in south Florida waters.
The daily bag limit for permit and pompano allows recreational fisherman to harvest an aggregate of up to six pompano and permit 11 ? 20 inches fork length daily. One fish within the daily bag limit is allowed to exceed 20 inches fork length per person per day.
Permit and pompano are members of the jack family (Carangidae). Fishermen often have trouble differentiating Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) and permit (Trachinotus falcatus) due to their similar appearance. Since correctly identifying these species at smaller sizes is difficult, they are managed together. Adult pompano and permit can be distinguished from each other by their size ? permit are common to 40 pounds but pompano greater than 6 pounds are rare. An angler can verify smaller permit or pompano by checking the fish?s tongue. Small permit have teeth on their tongue while pompano do not.
Permit are most abundant in south Florida and are found offshore over wrecks and artificial reefs. Inshore, permit can be found on grass and sand flats and in deep channels and holes. They are targeted by anglers due to the challenge of enticing a strike as well as the fight once hooked up.
Pompano are coastal fish and are generally found in schools along sandy beaches, around inlets and in brackish bays and estuaries, where they inhabit oyster bars and seagrass beds. Recreational anglers actively seek pompano because of the species? fighting ability on light tackle and because of their excellent food quality.
Both fish species are migratory. Pompano move north in the spring and south in the winter while permit inhabit the waters of South Florida throughout the year, in addition to north and central Florida during the warmer months.
Pompano rarely grow larger than 20 inches, so the impact of the new vessel rule is expected to have a minimal effect on pompano anglers.
Permit and pompano provide recreational anglers with a first-rate sport fishing experience. Thank you for your help in conserving and protecting these hard fighting, good-tasting fish.
A Biannual Publication of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
New Regulations at a Glance:
Permit & Pompano
No more than two pompano or permit, in any combination, larger than 20 inches fork length
may be possessed aboard a vessel at any time.