By: Capt. Dave Stephens
The month of May is probably one of the most diverse months to fish the Charlotte Harbor area, and there are so many options for anglers to target and one day of fishing just won’t be enough to experience all the different opportunities available. Snook will be moving to the outer islands and open bars feeding heavy for the summer spawn, and the areas with good tidal flow will be holding lots of hungry fish. Live bait is always the bait of choice, but artificial will always get you fish also, soft jerk baits rigged weedless are a great choice. Another fish that will be out in good numbers is sea trout, look for this species on the bars and open flats. I like areas with mixed sand and a grassy bottom. It’s hard to talk about May and not mention tarpon! The warming waters will have the silver kings moving into the Harbor in great numbers. The best advice I can give is get an early start to look for rolling fish. Deeper holes, river mouths and around schools of bait are great places to look. Bring the big rods out, I recommend 50-60lb braid with 60-80lb flouro leader. There are also other great species that will be around like spanish mackerel and cobia. So, plan your day or two and have a great time on the water.
If you would like to experience some of Southwest Florida’s finest fishing give us a call or send an email. All of our trips are private and customized to fit you and your party’s needs.
Capt. Dave Stephens
941-916-5769
www.backbayxtremes.com