The Daily Catch | Fishing Report – May 2026

May has been a nice mix of fishing, boat projects, and gearing up for what we know will be a busy summer season offshore. With kids still finishing up school and summer vacations just around the corner, things have been a little calmer on the charter side which honestly gave us the perfect opportunity to knock out some important maintenance and upgrades on the boats before the summer fun begins.

Earlier this month, we had the Legend up at the yard for some much needed TLC. We completely redid the bottom paint, installed a brand new transducer, repainted the topside deck, and tackled several other beauty projects to get her looking and running her best heading into summer. Boat maintenance is never the glamorous side of fishing, but it is one of the most important parts of keeping trips safe, comfortable, and productive for our customers. We take a lot of pride in making sure the fleet is always ready to go.

One of the coolest moments this month was getting to take members of Kane Brown’s band offshore fishing with us. They were an awesome group to have onboard, and they even treated our crew to VIP tickets to Country Thunder afterward. Definitely not something we expected when the month started, but it turned into a really fun experience and a great reminder of how many awesome people fishing allows us to meet!

Barracuda, Kingfish & Plenty of Bait

Fishing wise, things have stayed pretty solid for May. The barracuda bite has been one of the more consistent bites for us lately, especially on some of the nearshore wrecks. They have been aggressive, fun to catch, and honestly just an exciting fish to top off the day with.

We have also started seeing kingfish show up here and there which is always exciting this time of year. Tons of bait has been moving through the area, and usually that means the big guys are not far behind. One thing that has been a little strange this year though is the lack of Spanish mackerel along the beaches. Last year around this time we were catching them pretty consistently, but so far this season they really have not shown up in the numbers we expected.

That is fishing though, every year is a little different, and so much can change quickly offshore.

Great Action on Shorter Trips

Our shorter half-day trips have continued producing a really fun mixed bag of fish. Bottom fishing has been steady with plenty of Key West snapper, porgies, mangrove snapper, and all kinds of other panfish making their way into the cooler. These trips are perfect for families, kids, or anyone just wanting consistent action and fresh fish to bring home.

Gag grouper have also been extremely fired up lately. We have been catching them on most trips, and they have definitely been keeping anglers busy once they get hooked up. Red grouper are mixed in as well on many of the shorter trips, although finding keeper-sized fish can sometimes be a little tougher close to shore since they need to be at least 20 inches to keep. Landing a keeper red grouper on a shorter trip is always a nice bonus.

Longer Offshore Trips = Bigger Grouper Opportunities

If you are looking for bigger fish and heavier tackle action, our longer 8, 10, and especially 12-hour trips are where things really start opening up this time of year. Those extra hours allow us to run farther offshore where the larger red grouper tend to live, giving anglers an opportunity at bigger fish and full coolers.

With red snapper season opening June 1st, we are expecting things to get busy quickly. For anyone wanting to specifically target red snapper, we strongly recommend booking a 12-hour trip. The longer trips simply give us more time to reach productive bottom spots, work through fish, and maximize opportunities throughout the day.

NOAA also recently announced that gag grouper season will reopen for the entire month of September, which lines up alongside both red snapper and red grouper season. That combination should make for some absolutely incredible offshore fishing later this year. If September fishing is on your radar already, we highly recommend planning a 12-hour trip so we have enough time to really dial in multiple species and make the most of the day offshore.

Looking Ahead to Summer

Overall, May has been a great month for us. Between preparing the boats, enjoying some trips before summer rush hits, and seeing solid fishing across the board, it feels like everything is lining up for an exciting season ahead.

Summer dates are already starting to fill quickly, especially for our longer offshore trips during red snapper season. If you have been thinking about getting out on the water with us this summer, now is definitely the time to start planning your trip.

We are excited for the long days, early mornings, bent rods, and busy docks ahead. See you offshore soon! Click HERE or give us a call at (727) 496-3474 to lock in your trip!