Fishing Report & Forecast Nassau Sound

By Capt. Tony Bozzella

May is a great month for a variety of species! Over the years, my clients and I have targeted Tarpon, Jacks, Spanish Mackerel, Trout, Redfish, Flounder and mangrove snappers. I often fish for Reds and trout, picking up other species while doing so. My records show many of the bigger trout that myself and clients have caught. One that comes to mind is Will Felner’s 34 inch 9 1/2 lb trout! Fish of a life time, caught May 2nd, Congrats to Will!!

You will often hear me talk about the right time of year to target certain species. May is a good time to target large trout. I like to fish early morning, incoming tide, low light, conditions help when you were throwing top waters and lipped divers, and any other bait that imitates a mullet, pogies or bait fish which many larger Trout are targeting in their diet at this time. I look for points, shorelines with structures, jetty’s, or shell / oyster bars, etc. Any water that has a rip (water flowing around structure) flowing around it has potential. Fish are usually facing into the current just outside the rip line in the Eddie where they wait for baitfish to get “washed through” where it’s easier for them to ambush. Because bait fish get disorientated through this rip of current, often times other species will be in the mix. We also catch many other species this way. Throw up Current 5 to 10 feet passed your target, so by the time you work the lure back with the current into the fishes face everything is as natural as it can be so you can get the strike. This method applies for float fishing as well.

During the hot months, I try to fish early or late. If the tide is falling or low in the early hours, I like to target species that is conducive to the tide we’re on.

For example, if the tide is low at 8 o’clock in the morning, I will try to look for backing reds or set up for a Redfish spots on that low water. Methods are very much the same as I explained in the Trout world. I look for oyster bars in the back country that have rips coming around them on the falling tide and I cast my quarter ounce TBS Jig with a shrimp or mudminnow up into that rip adjacent to the eddie, where a fish would be sitting. If I’m working artificial lures, I will cast up ahead of the rip and work my lure through the rip coming around the oyster bar. I try and use shrimp in the backcountry, because, you can pick up a black drum & other species which normally do not take mud minnows. Stay far from your target, use a rod that can cast 40 yds and make far accurate casts so the fish don’t detect your presence!! Many times when redfish do not eat, it is because they know you were there, keep that in mind. Until next time get out and enjoy the great outdoors!