After somewhat of a late spring we can look for the topwater bite to be on fire this May. The water will be warm, the mullet plentiful, and tossing a floating plug like the Ghost Walker by Sebile at first and last light will produce great topwater strikes. May is one of my favorite times of year for trout. We usually get some of the biggest trout of the year this month on my boat and they’re usually caught on a topwater or subsurface plug. During the day when the sun is high switch to a soft plastic like a Fishbites jerkbait or paddle tail. Both those lures will be perfect at imitating an injured baitfish and the scent allows the fish to find the bait even in the murkier water we’ll have this month.
On the really low tides fish the ICW banks and look for concentrations of finger mullet. Fish those areas hard as the redfish, trout, and flounder will be there chasing the bait.A sure sign things are heating up will be the return of the jacks crushing baitfish at the inlets, seawalls, and shell banks along the ICW. Ladyfish as well as bluefish will be caught in the same areas as long as the current is moving. Using a plug or a free-lined finger mullet are both very effective ways to target these fish.Speaking of fast-hitting fish, look for spanish mackerel to be chasing bait pods in and just outside all area inlets. A Gotcha type plug or a spoon is your best bet at taming these toothy critters.
Flounder should really start to show up in good numbers this month. A mud minnow on a 1/4oz. Slayer Inc. Destroyer jighead will be deadly. When flounder fishing the inlets or deeper, faster moving water, switch to a fish-finder rig with enough weight to hold the bottom.
With water temps warming up look for cobia, giant jacks, kingfish, and tarpon along the beaches and around the pogy pods. Let the madness begin!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Tommy Derringer
www.InshoreAdventures.net
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