MAY Spearfishing Report- May is the best month for spearfishing. True or false?

Big Permits are on the wrecks NOW

WOW is May already here?  It seems like it was just January…..Ahhh May the month when all romance is in the air as most of our reef denizens started mating, just finished or are getting ready for it…and May can very well be one of the best spearfishing months (and for us one of the busiest for spearfishing charters) around. Spearfishing in May has kicked off with a frenzy….not because of the romance (more in a minute) but because, well of course grouper spearfishing season opens up May 1….Mayo uno for us locals….exactly 4 days before cinco de mayo…but let’s not “freedive” off track lol.

Groupers are fair game now and big hogs are around to

If you haven’t already done your prescouting for the spearfishing grouper opener, then you have missed half the fun, but no worries any good Miami spearfishing charter company will have done it for you, so the other half (dropping on a trophy grouper should be covered).  It’s always difficult to shoot a grouper over 24” but let’s say that May 1 is less difficult- not easy, but just lets say that it’s in the 80 percentile doable range…so yes May is the highest payday month for a grouper and a trophy at that…after May the game on blacks, gags, and reds (well not really reds) wise’n up-PRONTO! For an in-depth summary on spearfishing grouper in our Miami- Haulover, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach wrecks and wreck graveyards, Elliot Key Soldier Key, Boca Chita waters, and all the areas in the vicinity together with the Florida Keys (including Key Largo, Duck key, Long Key, follow this link,  its full of spearfishing tips and tricks for black grouper, as well as the best spearfishing gear to get them.

Marathon, Islamorada, Big Pine and Key West) as well as other parts on the east and west coasts follow this link

Big Amberjacks congregating off wreck graveyard Miami Beach

Where were we, ahhh yes spear fishing report for one of the best spearfishing months of the year-MAY!  All types of offshore fish can be had as the water warms up, and oxygen is plentiful allowing for our bluewater pelagics to roam.  Big amberjack are showing up in the Marathon humps and in numbers on the wrecks if you’re up for an arse whooping, and smoked amberjack is to your liking this month is a great month to spear a

huge amberjack this May  on the humps off Marathon Key…once you find them on your bottom reader, go up current of the spots and plan a drift so you can drop over them….but keep an eye out as these brutes will be following the bait, and can quickly reposition themselves on another hump.  We have guys from around the world that book a spearfishing guided trip just for just a shot at one of these  spearfishing equipment busting brutes…keep in mind if this is your dream spearfishing trip, get the best quality spearfishing gear you can

Amberjack spearfishing gear test-pass

Black Fin Tuna Schooling of the humps

afford because any decent size amberjack will put your spearfishing gear to the test, and then some!  While we are talking about the great MarathonKey humps/coordinates keep in mind that now’s when springtime BlackFin Tuna start making their presence known as well so if you’re up for spearfishing some Black fin tuna, the marathon mounds might also be your ticket.  If you want to spear some Black fin tuna bring them up with some chum, pilchards, silversides and net full of live pilchards bring them up fast and all frenzied….and that’s when they drop their guard…theirs been more than one spearfishing  world record Black Fin tuna that’s been shot on those Marathon humps so keep an eye out.

Mahi…someone say spearfishing mahi?  Well if you are after trophy bull or cow mahi dolphin- now is a great time to book a spearfishing guided divig trip as the big’ems are starting to show up regularly and they will frequent shallower waters (100’).  Find some floating debris (logs, pallets, buoys), a large or small weed line, or birds-especially low flying frigates and terns- and your chances are high for bluewater spearfishing a

Super slammer Bull, going on ice

 record size super slammer mahi dolphin of a lifetime and who knows a big wahoo might be under there too…score big fish spearfishing in May.

Big Grin= Big Mah

And that’s not all within the same waters and shallower from 80’-150’ you will also find Kingfish, and your chances of spearfishing a trophy kingfish increase exponentially if you see bait sprays, which is usually accompanied by birds and big kings.  Good structure, like big sea mounds and humps or wrecks in the 100’ish depth will hold bait and   Any spearfishing captain offering charters in Miami will

Kingfish are in!

usually have some big kingfish waypoints worthy of going spearfishing on!
So if a guided spearfishing tours is on your list your Capt. should be able to put you on some solid kingfish in May.

Find the birds

Spearfishing Permit off Key Biscayne

 BEST BET: PERMIT PERMIT PERMIT Yes it’s that special time of the year, when your chance to spearfish a trophy permit in federal waters off of some wreck or hump is a real treat Permits are inshore flats fish and it is illegal to spear permits in state waters, but every year in May (and usually towards the beginning of May) they head out to the wrecks to spawn, and it’s the only time in the year to go spearfishing for them.  And guess what’s tagging along with them?  World record   African Pompano and your chance to spearfish one of these similar distant cousin to Permits is also increased…same rule and regulations apply  and so does having the right, the perfect, and the best spearfishing gear available.  If I had to pick the perfect spot to look for permits it would be a wreck in federal waters, with some reef structure nearby, and every year we take clients out on spearfishing charters to a spot just like this, and every year we score on trophy permit and African Pompano!  So if its big Permits you want we have the best spots/waypoints and spearfishing charter to get you one.

Shot placements important

Permits…these fish are really tough, so make sure your shot placement is solid (I like a gill or head shot) and make sure your spearfishing equipment is the best you can afford, and make sure you have it well rigged- that is replace old shooting line and bands, fine tune floppers, adjust your reel drag cause a trophy Permit will test your spearfishing gear to the max.

Muttons are starting the romance

Finally May, aside from monster spearfishing month, is also for romancing and during that first new May moon mutton start their spawn and mangrove snapper start moving in as well (getting ready for their June spawn which I have noticed has been starting earlier throughout the years).  Whether you are spearfishing the patch reefs off Biscayne Bay, the rumble piles off Haulover, even the plates, reefs, and humps around Elliot, including Pacific reef and/or Long reef be prepared to  It’s not uncommon to hit a patch reef and find 10-20 muttons all over ten pounds loafing around.  These guys are buzzing on love and approaching them might (just maybe) be easier than the rest of the year.  Here’s a spearfishing tip or  trick I use when spearfishing big willy muttons is to keep the sun on my back, and do a slow glide dive down on them….give it a try next time you go spearfishing for muttons!  And don’t forget to burley the reef up.  If you find the perfect mutton snapper and/or mangrove (grey or mango as they are also known) spot, or waypoint, a few handfuls of glass minnows or barracuda belly will keep them around for a few moments longer which might equate to another spearfishing opportunity to shoot a trophy fish mutton of a lifetime.find big mutton snapper and a great spearfishing opportunity to spear one of these delicious fish,May has it all so if its big fish you want to go spearing for, book your spearfishing tour for May, tell your spearfishing charter captain what you want to go spearing for…and let the best spearfishing of the year begin!

Everything is good in Monster May

 


Till next spearfishing report, tight bands, straight shafts, and smooooooooth triggers!

 Tone

 http://www.settingsteelspeargear.com