Snook peak at Boca Grande as jacks and redfish light up Sarasota Bay

What's Biting

What's Next

Water temperatures sitting at 79–80°F (NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013) point to continued excellent inshore action through the coming days. Snook are the headline act: CB's Saltwater Outfitters has documented that May is when Boca Grande Pass turns into one of the most productive Snook fisheries on the Gulf Coast, with fish pushing through on pre-spawn migrations. That pattern typically holds well into June, so anglers targeting the pass over the next several weekends should find consistent action — live pinfish, pilchards, and cut baits work well along the tidal flow through the pass.

Jack Crevalle are likely to remain aggressive in Sarasota Bay as long as surface bait schools hold in the shallows. Per CB's Saltwater Outfitters, the fish are keying on oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets — diving birds are the primary locator. Topwater poppers and fast-retrieved surface lures work best in the first hour of daylight; once the sun climbs, shift to subsurface jigs in the same zones.

Redfish described by Capt. Chuck Cress at CB's Saltwater Outfitters are working upper-slot ranges on the flats. Tailing and cruising fish become accessible on lower tides that expose the grass edges. With a Waxing Crescent moon phase producing moderate tidal movement, fish the moving water 1–2 hours either side of each tide change for best results.

Spotted Seatrout should hold in the same flat areas producing Redfish. The warm water pushes Trout toward deeper grass edges and potholes by midday, so early morning over shallow grass is the most productive window. Soft plastics on light jigheads work well in this temperature range.

Coastal Angler Magazine flags May as prime time for Gag Grouper and Scamp over nearshore structure — when cigar minnows and sardines are stacked on ledges and rock piles, grouper are right behind them. Anglers willing to make a short offshore run should find productive action over the 20-to-40-foot shelf structure west of Tampa Bay.

Conditions look favorable for the near term: light winds (under 2 m/s per NOAA buoy 42036) and 2.3-foot swells indicate comfortable sea states for both inshore skiffs and small center consoles. Watch for afternoon sea-breeze development, which typically builds from the southwest by early afternoon in May — plan runs to be back at the dock before noon.

Context

May is historically one of the strongest months of the year for inshore anglers in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota corridor. Water temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s represent the seasonal transition between spring's recovery and summer's heat — a sweet spot that activates nearly every resident inshore species simultaneously.

Snook fishing in May is a well-established highlight of the Florida Gulf Coast calendar. The species congregates at tidal passes like Boca Grande ahead of summer full-moon spawning aggregations, making late May and June the traditional peak for trophy-class fish. The 34-pound, 4-ounce boat record logged by CB's Saltwater Outfitters on May 9th is consistent with the caliber of fish this area typically produces in this window — on schedule, not an outlier.

Jack Crevalle schooling in Sarasota Bay through April and May is a recognized seasonal pattern. CB's Saltwater Outfitters explicitly documents this timing in their weekly reports, with fish chasing baitfish to the surface around structure. Mid-May activity appears to be right on cue.

Redfish and Seatrout are year-round residents of the Tampa Bay estuary system, and May typically sees both species spread across the grass flats as bait abundance rises with warming water. Capt. Chuck Cress's reports of upper-slot Reds being caught and released is consistent with what flats anglers expect at this point in the season.

For broader Florida context, the Snook Nook (Stuart, FL) describes May as 'historically one of the best months for inshore fishing,' noting that warmer water temperatures bring more baitfish and more active species across Florida inshore zones. While Stuart sits on the Treasure Coast rather than the Gulf, the assessment reflects a statewide late-spring pattern that aligns with what CB's Saltwater Outfitters is reporting in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota area.

No comparative historical deviation is apparent from the available intel. Conditions appear to be running on a typical seasonal schedule, with inshore species transitioning into their warm-season patterns on track. The 80°F reading from NOAA buoy 42013 is right in the expected range for mid-to-late May in the eastern Gulf.