Season calendar

Fishing in Islamorada in May

Peak month for mahi, blackfin tuna, yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, hogfish, amberjack, tarpon, bonefish, permit, snook. Harvest is closed for permit, snook: catch and release them. Today's conditions and bite scores are on the conditions page.

Regulations change.Always verify at MyFWC.com / NOAA Fisheries before you fish.

Peak this month

Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Offshore
1. January: slow
2. February: slow
3. March: good
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: slow
10. October: slow
11. November: slow
12. December: slow
Peak month: big schools along the weed lines and under birds.
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Blackfin tuna
Offshore
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: good
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
The Islamorada Hump and other offshore humps. Live-chum and drift live baits or jigs at first and last light.
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Yellowtail snapper
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Reef edge in 40–100 ft. Anchor up-current, chum and float a lightly weighted bait back in the slick.
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Mangrove (gray) snapper
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Patch reefs, wrecks and bridges; the summer spawn around the full moon is the best night bite.
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Mutton snapper
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Full-moon spawning aggregations; fish the edges.
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Hogfish
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: peak
11. November: good
12. December: good
Season opens; shallow patch reefs with shrimp.
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Greater amberjack
Reef & wrecks
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: peak
Deep wrecks and humps. Live bait or vertical jigs.
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Tarpon
Flats & backcountry
1. January: slow
2. February: slow
3. March: good
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: slow
12. December: slow
Peak; bridges at night on the outgoing tide.
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Bonefish
Flats & backcountry
1. January: slow
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: peak
11. November: good
12. December: slow
Ocean- and bay-side flats on a rising tide. Shrimp or small crab flies; they like water in the 70s and 80s.
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Permit
Flats & backcountry
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Peak on the ocean flats.
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Snook
Flats & backcountry
1. January: slow
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: slow
Peak around the bridges and passes; harvest closed for the summer.
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Good this month

Swordfish
Offshore
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Daytime deep-dropping in 1,200–1,800 ft on calm days.
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Grouper (black & red)
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: peak
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Season opens May 1 on the reef (check the rule card).
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Barracuda
Reef & wrecks
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: peak
Winter flats and wrecks; tube lures and fast-moving plugs.
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Redfish
Flats & backcountry
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: peak
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Florida Bay and the backcountry: tailing on shallow mud and grass flats and along mangrove shorelines.
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Spotted seatrout
Flats & backcountry
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Florida Bay grass flats and potholes; a popping cork with live shrimp.
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Slow this month

Sailfish
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: good
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Reef edge out to about 200 ft. Kite-fish or slow-troll live ballyhoo and pilchards, especially on a fresh north to northeast breeze after a cold front.
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Wahoo
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: good
3. March: slow
4. April: slow
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: good
10. October: peak
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
High-speed trolling along the drop-off and humps, best around the full moon on cooler days.
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Kingfish (king mackerel)
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: good
4. April: slow
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: slow
11. November: good
12. December: peak
Slow-troll live baits along the reef edge and over wrecks in winter, especially after fronts.
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Cobia
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: slow
11. November: good
12. December: good
Sight-cast to fish riding rays and sharks on the patch reefs and in Hawk Channel, or chum them up on the reef.
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Closed to harvest in May

Permit — closed through July 31; the rule card has the exact dates and source.
Snook — closed through September 30; the rule card has the exact dates and source.

Fish Islamorada in May

A local captain knows which of these fish are on this week. Tell us your dates and how you like to fish.

Book a May trip Call 305-916-9130