CRYSTAL RIVER
May Madness
The magical month of May, is often heralded as the start of the summer fishing season and that couldn’t be closer to the truth. Both the inshore and offshore fisheries begin to crank up as the water temps reach the optimal 75 degree mark. Many species such as cobia, tripletail and tarpon will begin to arrive as the baitfish migrate north, and settle into their summer locations. On the inshore side of things, we are targeting the trout on the deeper grass flats from 4 to 6 feet deep, over patchy grass and sand bottom. Typically, we fish soft plastic jigs, both on the bottom and under a popping cork with a DOA C.A.L series paddle tail on a 1/8th ounce jig head, being a favorite option in colors glow and alewife. This same set-up also works well for Spanish mackerel and pompano that inhabit these same flats. The redfish and snook bite will continue to stay strong, both in the backcountry and around the outside islands, with both live pinfish and live shrimp being good options to tempt these awesome fish. With such a wide variety of inshore species available this time of year, it can be difficult to be prepared for everything that you may encounter, but having a set of 10, 20, and 40lb class set-ups, you will be able to handle anything from a 12 ounce trout, to 150 pound sharks.
On the offshore front, the snapper and grouper bite should be firing on all cylinders, as we all anticipate the June 1st opening day, for the mighty gag grouper and red snapper. Mangrove snapper, grunts, kingfish and cobia, will all try their best to fill the void in the fish box, between now and then. Hard bottom and rock piles will be the best areas to start your hunt with live shrimp and frozen squid being top bait choices for bottom fish. Hang a chum block over the side to help attract other species in the area with a live pinfish or ballyhoo being a great choice to freeline back to hook up a big dawg.