It is here, that time of year we have all been waiting for, MAY FISHING! After a cold, windy, rough spring, May could not be more of a welcome treat. Look for stable, warm weather and simply incredible fishing. The bait shops all along the MS Gulf Coast should all be full of live shrimp and croakers. Early departures will help, as the air and water temperatures will climb rapidly every day. Carolina rigged live baits fished over the oyster reefs around the LA Marsh is where the trout fishing will be at its best. A close second would be drifting the grass beds and bars around Cat Island.
For those of you that don’t bring the live stuff, artificial baits will work well also. Early morning topwater bites will be thrilling all month long. Try to fish moving water around points, drop offs or in areas full of bait(shrimp, pogies, mullet, etc). Tight lined soft plastics or rigged under popping corks, should supply all of the action you can stand. For easier trout fishing, watch for diving gulls. Remember the shallower the water, usually the bigger the trout will be. If you find diving gulls in 4 foot of water or less, you will be in for a treat. Don’t run through the school, just fish around the perimeter, casting into the diving birds.
Red fishing in the marsh will be incredible with the usually light winds of May. Put the wind in your face and the sun at your back for some incredible sight fishing. Focus on abnormalities in the shorelines: pockets, cuts, points, and broken marsh. Throw spoons, spinners, soft plastics or topwater at cruising fish. If the water is murky, tip your hooks with live or dead shrimp.
If you can’t make the run to the LA Marsh or the barrier islands, don’t sweat it. The man made reefs along the MS Gulf Coast will be loaded with specks, white trout, red fish, black drum and more! Fish the points and breaks of the structures above water. On the submerged reefs, just drift over or around them, and quietly drop anchor when you find the fish. Look for more and more triple tail to be seen this month! Watch for anything floating and pitch live shrimp to any triple tail you see. The sharks will be showing up in both size and numbers this month, so break out the big rods! No matter where you fish, please be courteous to other boaters. Happy May to everyone! Have fun and be safe.
Capt Sonny Schindler
Shore Thing Fishing Charters
Bay St Louis, MS
www.shorethingcharters.com
228-342-2295