By: Capt. Chris Johnson
May is a most bountiful time of year for fishing in the Marathon area. Let’s start on the reef, where May 1 heralds the opening of grouper season. Black, gag and red grouper will hit the docks in great numbers this month. Black grouper is typically the primary target for anglers on the reef. They’re found in the same areas we fish for yellowtail snapper, which are beginning their spawn. Of the three primary grouper varieties, blacks are probably the toughest, so heavy tackle is necessary to land them.
The SeaSquared captains use Penn Torque Lever Drag reels in the 30-pound class, matched with a 30- to 50-pound Star conventional rod. On the reef, our leaders are typically 60-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, matched to an 8/0 Owner AKI hook. The grouper are big so, 
naturally, the baits are big. Grunts, bluerunners with their tails trimmed and legal-size snappers, preferably 12- to 14-inch yellowtails. These baits usually don’t last long when dropped to the bottom in 50 to 70 feet of water.
The Atlantic wrecks also hold large black grouper plus gags at 20-plus pounds and good size reds going 10 to 15 pounds. Use the same setup and baits here as you would on the reef. As for the snapper action on the reef, the primary players are yellowtail and mangrove.
This is the best time of year to get your biggest flag yellowtail, with fish upward of six pounds and more hitting the docks on a regular basis. Again, the deeper areas in 60 to 100 feet are most consistent for the flags. You may also find mangrove snapper mixed in. These are also forming their annual congregation on the reef, and most are large, mature fish in the four- to seven-pound category.
The action on the wrecks also heats up in May, with lots of mutton snapper, amberjack, African pompano and, as mentioned above, grouper. Pinfish, pilchards or live ballyhoo are the preferred baits for all but the grouper.
We’re still catching permit up to 30 pounds on the artificial reefs. Use small crabs on a jighead.
Offshore, the dolphin (mahi mahi) bite kicks into gear steadily at this point. You can expect larger fish this month, with the smaller schoolies arriving in June. Now is the time for the gaffers and slammers. Look for birds, especially frigates, working the water surface or weed lines to indicate the presence of the dolphin. The usual assortment of lures and rigged ballyhoo do the trick.
The true reason for the season is found nearshore around the bridges. This is where we fish for tarpon, the Silver King, and they’re at the peak of their run during May. On an average four-hour outing, you’ll see a couple hundred tarpon rolling, and the chances of landing the fish of a lifetime are very good.
In the Marathon area, we have the Long Key Bridge, the Seven Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda Bridge. The preferred baits vary bridge-to-bridge, with mullet and pinfish the choice at Long Key and Seven Mile, while Bahia Honda is all about crabs. Talk to your local tackle shop to see what the tarpon are biting best and what rigs to use.
— Capt. Chris Johnson specializes in offshore, reef/wreck, gulf/bay, sailfish, shark and tarpon fishing with SeaSquared Charters, docked at Faro Blanco Resort and Yacht Club in Marathon. You can reach him at 305-743-5305, http://SeaSquaredCharters.com.
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