May was a fantastic month for fishing around the Port Canaveral area. The tarpon bite was solid on the few days that the winds let us outside of the inlet. Big jack crevalle and tons of sharks rounded out the trio of big game opportunities that our charter customers pulled on. If this June is like most others, this action will only get better for these and other hard fighting fish that we target.
Snook, (which are out of season this month, but still fun to catch), will be gathering in their spawning groups and will usually strike size 12 Rapala X-Rap lures in the green or black back models near docks and rocky areas at night. Live shrimp or baitfish cast near shadow lines can be extremely effective at targeting these fish as well. In the daytime, live baitfish are hard to beat. Big snook can be finicky at times, but a lively pilchard, croaker or pogie will usually get blasted if placed near these fish.
The big jacks will crush a topwater plug or live baitfish. We like plugs that can be worked very fast because the jacks will literally fight to get to one that they think is trying to get away from them.
King mackerel are another great fighting fish that will be patrolling the near-shore waters this month. Large kings often mix in with the jacks, sharks and tarpon to feed on the baitfish schools just outside of the surf break. Speaking of tarpon, this is the best month of the year to target the silver kings as they invade our local waters in huge numbers in the month of June.
Flounder are possible in the middle and west basins for anglers dragging mud minnows or fingerling mullet along the bottom. Schools of redfish (big bulls) are usually roaming the near-shore waters outside of the Port.
Overall, this is by far the best month to pull on something big, so if you’re ready to do battle with any of these species give Capt. Justin or me a phone call and let’s go catch your next memory!
Capt. Jim Ross
Fineline Fishing Charters
www.FinelineFishingCharters.com
(321) 636-3728