May is finally here and there’s more to celebrate than Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day. Grouper season is open! Big dolphin are migrating through just off the coast. The tuna bite is Off the chain on our long-range trips. The mutton snapper are chewing. And it’s finally calm!
Traditionally, May was the peek dolphin month, but with grouper season opening May 1, there will be a lot of attention focused towards them. If this May is anything like the last, expect good grouper fishing all month long with your best chance of catching a grey in the 40-plus pound range towards the end of the month. Don’t under estimate the strength of these fish. Use 7 foot long Blackfin or Star bottom rods in the 50-100 lb. class, with a 6/0 FinNor Sportfisher spooled with 50 to 80 lb. Power Pro. Use a lead heavy enough to hold bottom whether you are drifting or anchored and rig it in line above a 150 lb. swivel attached to a 6 to 10 foot piece of 60 lb. to 80 lb. Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon leader. A heavy duty Eagle Claw circle hook works great when used with live baits like blue runner, threadfin herring, grunts, and sardines. Another great way to target these big grouper is to slow troll live baits or Yo-Zuri plugs off down riggers just above the bottom along reefs, wrecks, and ledges. I troll with two Cannon TS 10’s while scouting out new areas then switch to the rod in hand method.
Mutton snapper make a great showing this month with fish in the high teens hitting the docks on a regular basis. Fish the sand just off the reef in 50 to 80 feet, anchor up, and use long leaders for your best shot at them. Squid, ballyhoo, live baits and chunks of bonito work well.
After having such great dolphin fishing for the last two months I don’t think that this May will be as good as years past, but steady action should continue and expect to see the biggest fish of the year this month and next.
The tuna fishing is going off right now just 60 miles to the northeast. When the weather allows, a two-hour ride to the other side of the Gulf Stream can provide the trip of a lifetime along with more yellowfin tuna than you know what to do with. There are also good shots over there at catching big dolphin, wahoo, and marlin. Use your radar, find the birds and troll ballyhoo with seawitchs for best results. A 60 foot long 80 to 100 lb. fluorocarbon leader with spro swivels to keep line twist at bay and 50 to 80 lb tackle works best.
Whichever style of fishing you try this month, I hope it’s Off the Chain!