Kingfish will continue to do well this month. Best bait is going to be the bunker (menhaden shad). If not use frozen minnows. Use a good cast net for bait, heavy and fast sinking. Now that the water is warming up, live bait is much more consistent. Some days you may have to ride south to get it and some days it’s right there in the port but at least it’s around. Beach fishing is really starting to heat up as well. Port Canaveral has already seen some nice buoy line kings and tarpons. If the bait is around chances are there will be larger fish feeding. Start with 60# mono till you start getting cut off then switch to #4 wire for kingfish.
Cobia – this is also the time frame we start seeing them free swimming out on the reefs. While you’re out there slow trolling for kings, keep an eye out the back of the boat for that cobia trailing you. If your bottom fishing, keep an eye on what follows your fish up to the boat.
Good numbers of dolphin fish have been caught in the last few weeks and should only increase this month. Start looking in the 90–120-foot range as many seem to think you must go to 300 to start. Unless someone is out there on the radio telling you to go deep, start shallow. Start looking for color changes and temp breaks. Also look for weed lines and currents, as that is a good place to start. I like to use smaller islander lure with small ballyhoo or strip baits. On bright sunny days go with the yellows, pinks, and bright blues. On darker days go with black, red and purple colors.
The sandbar sharks have been steady. Shark fishing is on fire! I know many say I don’t want to deal with sharks, or you can’t eat them – completely wrong. On light tackle they are so much fun, and blacktips are great to eat.
