Southeast NC fishing in May, when the fishing really gets cranked up! Many different species of fish start to show up and it is when I feel like summer fishing is really getting started. Spring has been pretty good fishing so far, now if we can just get the weather to cooperate a little more!
As the weather stabilizes and the temps go up in May I see more days where I can get out in the ocean. I love to look for those high speed, good eating and so much fun to catch Atlantic bonito in earlier/mid-May and Spanish mackerel all month long. These fish are a lot of fun to see busting the surface of the water and even more fun to see on the end of your line! Casting spoons (Big Nic Spanish Candy lures) in sizes 1/2oz up to the 1.5oz (Capt. Jot edition), using high-speed spinning reels has really got my clients more bites! *See here https://linktr.ee/capt_jot_owens I have really become a fan myself of casting a high-speed low-profile bait-caster reels when casting to Bonito and Spanish. I use a PENN Fathom high-speed 300 reel. *See here https://alnk.to/gVMHXSX You can also use fly gear in weights seven to nine, this can make for a great challenge on fly tackle. Look for these fish to be hanging around near shore artificial reefs, ledges, and inlets. You might come over a few false albacore and bluefish mixed in with the bonito and Spanish from time to time; sometimes too many bluefish are mixed in! *We have already seen a good number of small King mackerel mixed in this year. Check your fish carefully for undersize Kings!!
Redfish and May go hand and hand, this month is a favorite for casting artificial lures to Reds. Redfish really start to settle down in their summer spots by early/mid-May. I prefer inshore water temps of 70 degrees or higher for the shallow water bite to start. Casting Berkley Gulp Turbo shrimp in three-inch size on light jig heads is my go-to lures for May redfish. *See here: https://alnk.to/fSi93CW My go to colors are pearl white, pink belly, flamingo chrome and molting. Another Redfish lure I like is the Berkley Powerbait CullShad in 5” in colors Cold beer, silver flash and Dark night (stained waters) fishing shallow waters of one to five foot. *See here: https://alnk.to/44Vxvaq I rig the CullShad on Eagle Claw 1/8oz & 1/4oz swimbait hooks. Catching redfish on top water lures is so much fun; casting plugs like MirrOlure’s top pup or top dog jr. You can also cast popping or rattling corks in these shallow areas with a Berkley Gulp four-inch turbo shrimp on a 1/8oz jig head which will catch the Redfish in shallow waters. If you would rather go the bait route; try some fresh cut or live Mullet or Menhaden on a light Carolina rig. Using Eagle Claw L42 1/0 hooks to make up a Carolina rig. Try fishing fresh cut bait around docks on the ICW or along creek mouths when the tide is moving, in five to ten feet of water.
By mid-May the cobia start to show up around southeast NC; one of my favorites! I forecast that the cobia will be here early this season. I look for cobia around inlets, shoals, and bait schools; near shore/offshore reefs and ledges are all good places to look. When the water is clear it will be easier to see those brown logs in the water. I throw big jigs like (Berkley Fusion 19 bucktails) *See here: https://alnk.to/cHMQmfL or live bait to the Cobia. Color really does not seem to matter but go bright; I always put a Gulp six-inch grub on the bucktail for Cobia. *See here: https://alnk.to/6TBItPv If I am casting live bait to Cobia, I use a TroKar TK5 AP 8/0 or 9/0 bait saver series circle hook with at least three feet of sixty-pound Pro Spec fluorocarbon leader. *See here: https://alnk.to/aLJ9PR2 When I am not sight casting for Cobia we are fishing around inlets, shoals and near shore artificial reefs. I float fish, bottom fish, and kite fish in these areas with live menhaden, pinfish, or mullet as bait. Sometimes a great bonus fish when fishing for Cobia that would be a nice bull Redfish or later in the season a Tarpon (And yes, the Tarpon will be early again this season!) You can chum for Cobia if you like, but the sharks and rays will come, and they will come in numbers!
Another fish that really starts to show up around the inshore creeks, inlets and near shore reefs of Southeast North Carolina is the good’ole Bluefish. During later April through May, you can catch some bigger Bluefish too; like ten pounds plus big! These blues will hit Berkley Gulp six-inch jerkshad *See here: https://alnk.to/gKQ67Wp and Berkley CullShad *See here: https://alnk.to/44Vxvaq lures in bright colors, I rig both of these lures on TroKar 1/4oz swim bait hooks TK170. Hard baits like big poppers and MirrOlure Top Dog’s work well too for the big Blues. Do not forget the steal leaders for these fish or they will get a free lure from you every time! Try light single strand wire in sizes #2, #3 or #4 will keep your lure on the end of your line and not in a bluefish’s pocket! I catch Blues in the one-to-fifteen-pound range during April, (some years there are more than others and sometimes only a few of the bigger ones show up.
Tackle run down: Reels PENN Slammer IV https://alnk.to/aWD5L7j & Battle IV https://alnk.to/dAnHgs1 series Spinning reels 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000 sizes. High spinning reels *see here https://linktr.ee/capt_jot_owens & Authority spinning reels in the High-Speed series 2500 or Fathom 300 high-speed low-profile bait-casters https://alnk.to/gVMHXSX for Bonito & Spanish mackerel casting. Rods: Fenwick HMG Inshore series rods https://alnk.to/biuF0uB 7’ Medium class 8-to-17-pound test rods for Redfish, Inshore flounder, Bonito etc. Ocean Flounder 7’ Med/Hvy class 12-to-25-pound test. Line Spiderwire Ultra-cast in ten and fifth-teen pound braid. Cobia Reels PENN Fathom II 20LW *See here: https://alnk.to/gKQ67P2 casting, Slammer IV or SpinFisher VI spinning 5500 or 6500 spinning reels, with a PENN Rampage or Carnage III Jigging rods 50-to-100-pound class. Tackle Bags/storage I prefer the Plano Guide series (3700) size *See here: https://alnk.to/cwTYwWT and Z-series (3600 or 3700) size tackle bags *See here: https://alnk.to/d3Eftpw with NEW, much lighter in weight and waterproof StowAway’s!! https://alnk.to/2QA3HPH
Thanks for reading, Happy Summer, Get outside and good fishing to you!
Capt. Jot Owens
www.captainjot.com