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May/June Fishing Forecast
Once again I’d like to say hello from the Florida Keys. I hope you have all
enjoyed some great fishing trips since our last forecast. It’s always nice
to predict how the fishing will be and actually get to go witness just that.
Unfortunately, we can’t take all the credit. I feel science deserves some
recognition. It’s true. Science has really helped fishermen over the years.
For example, by listing your daily catch records in a log and relating the
information to tides, wind, barometric pressure and moon phase, you can
almost pinpoint trends for targeting certain species. Advancements in
marine electronics have also increased our ability to locate and catch fish
in many different depths and ocean environments.
Let’s jump right into the action. May and June are pleasant months for
fishing throughout the Keys. Extended warming trends and gentle
breezes tend to revitalize fish activity as they recover from unpredictable
weather trends. By mid-May, air temperatures consistently
reach 85 degrees, nudging water temps closer and closer
to that magic 80 degree mark. Combined with the right wind
direction, warmer water generally means outstanding dolphin
action from Key Largo to the outskirts of the Dry Tortugas National
Park. May also marks the beginning of the ‘slammer’
migration in the Keys. For those unfamiliar with the term,
gaffer size dolphin are referred to as ‘slammers’. In
fact, tune in to just about any channel on your VHF
this month and you’ll hear crazed charter captains
bragging to no end once they’ve filled their boxes with half a dozen of
the brilliantly colored bulls.
Most visiting anglers consider dolphin to be the perfect all around game
fish. Calling the swift currents of the Gulf Stream their home, they seem
to have magical leaping abilities. Migrations of dolphin follow baitfish
populations north and south along the coast of Florida, the Keys and the
Caribbean, gorging themselves on whatever prey they might encounter.
As a result, anglers who pay close attention to bird activity, current rips
and color changes will find and catch more fish. Just another reason binoculars
are a must have tool for offshore fishermen.
Use the high powered glasses to scan the horizon for fl oating
debris and other structure where you might typically
fi nd dolphin and other blue water species seeking easy
prey. Spinning outfits and chunk baits are the way to
go. Another obvious dolphin hideout are well formed
Sargassum patches. Weed lines provide great cover for
juvenile jacks, runners, crabs, shrimp and juvenile dolphin,
which larger dolphin truly enjoy dining on.
When investigating fl oating objects during May
and June, remember wahoo may be lurking in the
shadows. These striped cheetahs readily take
live threadfi ns, ballyhoo and blue runners and
can often be persuaded to eat diamond jigs or
weighted plugs. My personal favorite is a
4-ounce pink bullet head Frenzie.
Another interesting query you
may encounter when fishing fl oating
structure is tripletail. They are
defi nitely not your typical offshore
game fish, but are actually quite
wary and great fun to sight fish.
They also make excellent table
fare. Be sure to stay far enough away from the structure and avoid spooking
these wide bodies with a delicate presentation such as peeled shrimp,
a small bonito chunk or a light jig on straight 20-pound mono. Make
sure your casts are accurate, as unrealistic presentations will turn a big
tripletail off like a light switch. The best technique is to cast past a laid
up fish and swim your bait into its peripheral view, hopefully to watch it
disappear into the fish’s mouth.
Here are a few more tricks that will make your dolphin fishing adventures
this early summer a bigger success. Always carry a variety of bait.
Squid, bonito, fl yingfish and ballyhoo all make great dead bait, but livies
will improve your chances of catching even the most fi nicky ‘phins. Pilchards,
cigar minnows, or my personal favorite, small blue runners, will
all work well when properly presented.
Here’s where sabiki rigs become your true saviors. In addition to the
above mentioned baits, a sabiki bait rig jigged along a weed line will
produce a variety of residing critters, all tasty morsels that dolphin consume
on a regular basis
Another helpful tip for trolling would be to consider pulling a teaser,
especially on the fl at calm days. Daisy chains and birds work well, while
large soft heads in the prop wash will draw big dolphin from a long way.
If you really want to stir things up while trolling, experiment with a Strip
Teaser. These holographic fish-like teasers resemble a fl uttering school
of baitfish. These dynamic devices work especially during tough conditions.
When pulling teasers, remember to position your bait right in the wake.
Game fish will target a stray, wounded fish from the school and almost
always attack their prey from behind.
Throughout the Keys, the dolphin and tarpon migration seem
to go hand and hand this time of year. As offshore water temperatures
rise our inshore fishery seems to follow suit. Tarpon meander
throughout the islands and along the Florida Keys coastlines from Key
Largo to Key West. These shallow water giants should be ripe for the
taking throughout the months of May and June. Fly rods rigged with intermediate
lines will do the trick on rolling fish while “laid ups” are best
targeted with big fl ies on fl oating lines.
Live baiters should seek out silver mullet and dollar crabs to catch their
‘poons in the passes and along channel edges. Both methods should produce
good action from these chrome dipped tail walkers. Throw your
light tackle out of the window, and while casting a 12-weight with a large
arbor reel may be tiring, I promise you’ll thank me once you’re hooked
up. Look for these ferocious fi ghters in water deeper than three feet. Live
baiters will also want to leave the bonefish rods under the gunnel and
reach for a 20-pound spinner.
In the early morning hours, tarpon usually enjoy milling, rolling and daisy
chaining along the bank edges and sloping fl ats. If you’re live baiting, create
a chum fi eld by scattering wounded pilchards in an area where you can
see tarpon activity. It’s awesome to witness a big tarpon blasting disoriented
baitfish completely out of the water. Use 4/0 and 5/0 Owner Mutu circles and
hook-ups are almost guaranteed. Fishing crabs under small corks works well
in these situations. If you really want to kick back and relax, throw a butterfl ied
mullet out and simply wait. Even shallower, bones and permit will be scouring the flats in search of
a shrimp cocktail or crab cake. Patience pays when stalking these ghosts
of the flats. Stealth is very important. Walk lightly and avoid slamming
cooler lids or hatches. Hank’s Hook Up jigs in hot pink or brown worked
quickly will entice quite a few strikes during summer months. Crab and
shrimp patterns work wonders for double haulers.
Back in the swamp, (Everglades National Park) look for snook action to
get hotter and hotter as summer progresses. Peppering shorelines with
jigs, jerkbaits and topwater plugs should be money for hungry linesiders.
Creek mouths are channel edges are hot spots too.
As May progresses, redfish will become more active as water temps continue
to climb. Incoming tides rolling over the flats will move food into
the holes where redfish hang during the lower tide stages. As the water
level rises, look for reds scooting around the flats grubbing on shrimp,
crabs, mullet and pinfish. In skinny water, tailing reds are considered one
of the most exciting fish to hunt and every angler should experience sight
fishing for the bullish battlers at least once. Gold spoons, skimmer jigs and
jerkbaits all work well. Try Berkley’s new line of Gulp products if you want
instant success. The natural shrimp and Gulp crabs are incredible. Florida Bay
will be ideal for catching specs, ladyfish and jacks over the next few weeks.
In the blue water, migratory tuna will travel through Florida Keys this month,
leaving little more than a few scraps of the flying fish in their path. These lightning
bolts can be found loitering around humps and wrecks gobbling squid
and sardines. AJ’s will also hang on these spots when bait supplies are plentiful.
You can bet the man in the grey suit isn’t far away either.
Keep your eyes peeled when there is a lot of activity in spots like this. It’s not
uncommon to bump into a hungry blue or white marlin. Here’s an idea! Troll
small ‘bullet’ blackfin or a skippy and sneak it back out on a heavy rig. This is
a sure fire way to engage a hungry billfish. Careful! This could be nasty. Stay
sharp when battling large billfish. During some point in the fight, leadering
may come into play, especially if your terminal tackle holds up. Heavy welding
gloves are a must while leadering big fish. Wind-on leaders work great while
targeting big game species. These pre-manufactured leaders attach to the main
line with a simple loop to loop connection.
In light winds, night owls will venture out looking for an evening sword
fight. These hardcore fish will make short work of large rigged squid
or live blue runners. Set a sea anchor and drift promising areas to your
heart’s content.
For all you fish heads who enjoy eating those flaky fillets but like to stay closer
to home, try snapper fishing for tenacious mangroves in 30-90 feet on the Atlantic
side. Cruise the bridges with shrimp or cut baits on basic bottom rigs.
10 or 12lb. line with 20lb. leader is sufficient for ‘mangs’. Pilchards, pinfish
and shrimp drifted around bridge pilings will get zapped frequently. Threadfins,
silver sides, mullet, squid and even ballyhoo will also get results. In this slow moving water, less weight is required. In
fact, free line your baits whenever possible. If you
find yourself fishing swifter current, try a jig head
with a small pinfish. While targeting snapper, you
may also encounter a pesky snook or ‘poon taking
your offering. Sorry! These things happen in
the Keys.
We have a lot to look forward to this summer.
Sunshine and light winds will surely bring a smile
to inshore and offshore fishermen alike. Whatever
type of angling you prefer, these next couple of
months should be great. Remember to have fun
while protecting our precious playgrounds. Only
take what you need and release the rest. It really
works! Be safe and keep those rods bent.
e-mail me your fishing reports;
CapGeorg@Terranova.net
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