By Capt. Dave Stephens
Without a doubt, May is probably one of my favorite months to fish Charlotte Harbor. Our fishery is at its peak for spring fishing.
Every species that is catchable is swimming in the harbor at this time. On top of most anglers’ lists will be snook. These guys will be moving to spawn areas. Look for schools of fish around areas with sandy bottoms and moving currents. The bars with sandy and oyster bottoms will hold good numbers of fish, and the outer islands will start loading up. Live bait is the bait of choice, but many different artificial baits will also work.
Tarpon are another top-targeted fish this time of year. Everyone knows Boca Grande Pass will be loaded up. Also, the beaches will be holding good numbers of pods to toss a crab into. The deeper holes in the harbor will have some fish cruising around in them. Getting out early is key to locating fish; look for tarpon rolling on the surface.
Trout fishing should also start to pick up on the local flats and bars. Look for a marble bottom, a mix of grass with sand holes. For the anglers who want some fish for dinner? The mangrove snapper are moving in good, deeper points, and mangrove shorelines will be holding good numbers. These guys have really good eyesight so you might need to downsize your leader, and I do recommend fluorocarbon.
The hardest part about May is deciding what to fish for, so you may want to plan multiple days out.
— Capt. Dave Stephens 941-916-5769
www.backbayxtremes.com
