Florida Fishing Reports

NOAA buoy 42012 is reading 76°F in the Gulf off the Panhandle, with 2–3 foot seas and light winds — near-ideal conditions for inshore and nearshore runs. Coastal Angler Magazine makes the case that May is 'one of the most underrated windows of the year' for trophy speckled trout, with big fish remaining active before summer heat sets in. The same source spotlights gag grouper and scamp as the month's offshore headliners: find cigar minnows or sardines stacked on ledges, wrecks, or rock outcrops, and a live sardine or cigar minnow will last 'under ten seconds around any kind of fish.' Salt Strong includes the Florida Panhandle among its active mid-May inshore game plan regions, signaling that the flats bite is on. The waxing crescent moon is building tidal exchange, and the current sea state makes structure-fishing runs feasible for most boats heading offshore this week.

May 20

Capt. Brandon Naeve's crew out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters set a new boat record on May 9th — a 34-pound, 4-ounce snook boated on a Boca Grande charter — and that fish captures exactly where the calendar stands. Water temperatures are reading 80°F across both NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013, with light-to-moderate Gulf swells keeping conditions fishable across the region. Capt. Chuck Cress (CB's Saltwater Outfitters) is reporting upper-slot redfish and solid speckled trout action on the Sarasota flats. Jack crevalle are schooling aggressively in Sarasota Bay through early morning, per CB's latest report, hitting fast-retrieved topwater lures and poppers near oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets. Coastal Angler Magazine calls May an often-overlooked window for trophy speckled trout — fish that haven't fully shifted to summer patterns yet — and local captain reports support that read. Multiple target species are active and cooperative right now, with the snook pre-spawn push setting the headline bite.

May 20

ALL IN Key West charters reports mutton snappers 'chewing like crazy' during May's full moon spawn window, with yellowtail snapper running nearly as hot — described as 'practically jumping in the boat.' May is delivering across the board: a recent Gulf-side run logged grouper, cobia, barracuda, and kingfish in a single session per ALL IN Key West. Sport Fishing Mag notes that May through July is prime blackfin tuna season, with fish flooding offshore from the Keys north to Palm Beach — making this a genuine multi-species window. Wind readings at NOAA buoys SMKF1 and SANF1 show 13–16 knots easterly with air temperatures near 81°F. The waxing crescent moon is building toward the next lunar peak, which should keep snapper stacked on traditional reef structure. Coastal Angler Magazine adds that gag and scamp grouper are also prime this month when cigar minnows and sardines are schooling on ledges and wrecks. Plan offshore runs early to beat afternoon sea breezes.

May 20

Tactical Bassin (blog) reports the bluegill spawn is in full swing, and largemouth bass across Florida's freshwater systems are capitalizing — frogs and topwater presentations over heavy cover have been producing aggressive strikes with fish stacked shallow. On the St. Johns, USGS gauge 02232000 logged 119 cfs as of Tuesday evening, a moderate and stable flow that keeps backwater access open along much of the corridor. Water temperature data is unavailable from current gauge readings; mid-May surface temps in both Okeechobee and the St. Johns system typically run upper 70s to low 80s°F. Catfish anglers have extra motivation: Field & Stream recently highlighted a new Florida state-record blue catfish, 73.6 pounds, caught on live bream — a reminder that Okeechobee's deeper basin holds trophy-class fish. The waxing crescent moon sets up solid pre-dawn and dusk feeding windows, prime timing to work frog gear over pad edges before the mid-morning sun pushes fish to deeper structure.

May 20

Per Snook Nook out of Stuart, May is historically one of the best inshore months on the Treasure Coast — and the 2026 pre-spawn push is delivering. Slot-sized and over-slot snook are appearing with increasing frequency along the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers as fish stage ahead of the June spawn. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports that blackfin tuna have flooded South Florida Atlantic waters from the Keys up to Palm Beach — their annual May arrival kicking off a multi-month run for these hard-fighting fish. Fort Lauderdale charters reporting through Tidal Fish found active sailfish action and productive natural-reef bottom fishing under 2–3 foot seas. Adding to the excitement, federally approved state Exempted Fishing Permits — tracked by CCA Florida and covered by Sport Fishing Mag — will give Florida's Atlantic-coast anglers a significantly expanded red snapper season in 2026. Winds are running 9–13 mph with 3-foot offshore swells per NOAA buoys 41009 and 41008.

May 19

Water temps at 80°F (NOAA buoy 42036) signal peak late-spring conditions on Florida's Gulf Coast. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters confirms the tarpon migration is fully underway, with boats intercepting silver kings as they push through the Naples area — mornings devoted to sight-casting and jumping quality fish before afternoons pivot to permit, which have been responding to sight-fishing presentations consistently. The same captain also reports cobia, kingfish, and amberjacks rounding out a highly varied offshore spread. Inshore, Coastal Angler Magazine highlights May as an underrated window for trophy speckled trout, while the same source flags gag and scamp grouper stacked on ledges, wrecks, and rocky structure wherever cigar minnows and sardines are concentrated. Light winds of 7–9 mph and 2–3 foot seas across both Gulf buoys (42036 and 42039) make for comfortable running, and the waxing crescent moon sets up productive tidal transitions on the flats.

May 19

Water temps at 76°F (NOAA buoy 42012) have the Destin–Pensacola corridor in prime late-spring shape. Coastal Angler Magazine calls May the peak window for gag grouper and scamp, urging anglers to target ledges, rock outcrops, and wrecks wherever cigar minnows and sardines are stacked — when bait and structure converge, grouper action is immediate. Tarpon are also fully in play: Captain Rick Murphy's Florida Insider Fishing Report flags big Silver King action across Florida, signaling the Panhandle's pass-and-beach tarpon run is well underway. Inshore, Coastal Angler Magazine labels May an underrated stretch for trophy speckled trout, with a narrow but productive window remaining before summer heat disperses bigger fish off the flats. Light winds of 4–5 m/s (NOAA buoys 42039 and 42012) are keeping offshore access clean, and a waxing crescent moon supports moderate tidal movement — favorable conditions across multiple fisheries this week.

May 19

Water temps holding at 79–80°F across the Gulf, confirmed by NOAA buoys 42036 and 42013, have pushed the Tampa Bay and Sarasota inshore bite into high gear. Capt. Brandon Naeve out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters notched a new boat record on May 9th — a 34-pound-4-ounce Snook at Boca Grande — and notes that May is flat-out prime time for the species as fish move toward pre-spawn staging areas. Capt. Chuck Cress of CB's is reporting consistent Redfish action, with multiple upper-slot fish landed and released alongside Trout on a recent outing. Jack Crevalle have flooded Sarasota Bay, per CB's Saltwater Outfitters, schooling near the surface around oyster bars, seawalls, and inlets — early morning topwater poppers and fast-retrieved jigs are the ticket. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) is flagging big Tarpon action across Florida, right on schedule for the late-May migration window building through the region.

May 19

ALL IN Key West reports mutton snappers 'chewing like crazy' around the recent full moon, with yellowtail snappers described as 'practically jumping in the boat' — a clear signal the annual snapper spawn cycle is firing across the reef. On the Gulf side, the same charter logged grouper, cobia, kingfish, and barracuda, reporting the bite 'was bananas.' Sport Fishing Mag confirms May through July is peak blackfin tuna season off South Florida, with fish flooding offshore waters from the Keys to Palm Beach, reachable on live bait, kite rigs, or trolling. Current winds at NOAA buoys SMKF1 (Sombrero Key) and SANF1 (Sand Key) are running 15–16 mph with air temps near 78–81°F. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) is flagging big tarpon action across Florida, right on cue for the May migration. With the waxing crescent moon building toward next month's full moon, we're seeing conditions that should keep both the flats and offshore highly productive in the weeks ahead.

May 19

Field & Stream's report of a new Florida state-record blue catfish — 73.6 pounds taken on a live hand-sized bream — signals that the state's freshwater systems are producing exceptional fish this season. On the St. Johns, USGS gauge 02232000 recorded a flow of 189 cfs on May 19, a low-moderate stage consistent with the tail end of the dry season. The bluegill spawn is in full swing across Southern freshwater fisheries, per Tactical Bassin, and that bed activity is drawing big largemouth into predictable shallow ambush zones. Post-spawn bass on both Lake Okeechobee and the St. Johns are transitioning toward early-summer patterns — expect fish holding tight to lily pad edges, hydrilla mats, and dock structure. Topwater frogs and punching rigs are the go-to presentations in heavy cover right now, and the waxing crescent moon will reinforce low-light feeding flurries through dawn and dusk windows this week.

May 19

Snook Nook's May 2026 report out of Stuart calls this 'one of the best months of the year' for inshore fishing on the Treasure Coast, with snook heating up ahead of their spawn in the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers — slot and over-slot fish showing with increasing regularity as bait grows more abundant. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag reports blackfin tuna flooding South Florida's Atlantic waters from the Keys to Palm Beach, rating May through July as the prime season; fish are responding to live bait, kite rigs, trolling, and anchoring over wrecks. Captain Rick Murphy's Florida Insider Fishing Report confirms big tarpon action rolling statewide, squarely on schedule for the late-May migration window. Coastal Angler Magazine notes May as an underrated month for trophy speckled trout along Florida's inshore waters. Adding to the region's momentum, CCA Florida and Saltwater Sportsman report federal approval of expanded red snapper Exempted Fishing Permits for the South Atlantic, opening a significantly longer 2026 recreational season for Florida anglers.

May 19

Water temps registering 79°F at NOAA buoy 42036 have Florida's Gulf Coast in peak late-spring form. Naples Offshore Fishing Charters reports the tarpon migration is "fully underway," with captains intercepting fish on the move and jumping quality silver kings through morning sessions. The same fleet pairs afternoons on sight-fishing large permit, calling the two-species combination "spectacular." Kingfish on plugs and flies, cobia, and amberjacks are rounding out offshore spreads. Captain Rick Murphy (FL Insider) corroborates the tarpon picture with reports of big tarpon action across the state. Inshore, Coastal Angler Magazine flags May as one of the most underrated windows of the year for trophy speckled trout — a species getting overlooked while pressure shifts offshore. Seas are running 3 feet with winds near 11 mph per NOAA buoys 42036 and 42039, keeping conditions manageable for most offshore departures.

May 19