May is tarpon month in Sarasota. The migration arrives in force along the beaches off Siesta, Casey Key, and Longboat, and Boca Grande Pass — the most famous tarpon hole in the world — fills with fish and fleets. Snook harvest closes May 1 as fish stack into the passes to spawn (release only from here to September), cobia ride the beach with the tarpon, and the spring mackerel and trout bites carry on. The tournament calendar goes wall-to-wall.
Twelve-month view: Sarasota fishing calendar. This week’s conditions: fishing report.
What’s biting in Sarasota in May?
| Target | Where | How | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarpon | Beaches (Siesta, Casey Key, Longboat), Big Pass, Longboat Pass, Boca Grande Pass | Sight-cast live crabs/threadfins; fly at first light; release only | Migration arrives in force — 80–150 lb fish |
| Snook (release only) | Big Sarasota Pass, New Pass, Longboat Pass, Venice jetties; beaches at first light | Live whitebait, flair-hawk jigs at night; fast fights, wet hands | Spawn aggregation — big females, closed May 1 |
| Cobia | Beaches with ray schools, markers, nearshore reefs | Sight-cast bucktails, live crabs | Strong — often mixed with tarpon schools |
| Spanish mackerel | Beaches, coastal Gulf, passes | Fast spoons and jigs under birds | Strong |
| King mackerel | Nearshore reefs, bait pods 30–90 ft | Slow-trolled live baits on stinger rigs | Good, tapering from April peak |
| Spotted seatrout | Deep grass edges at dawn; gators in potholes early | Popping cork + shrimp; topwater at gray light | Good — spawn continues |
| Pompano | Passes, beach troughs | Jigs, sand fleas | Good early, tapering past ~80°F |
| Tripletail | Channel markers after traps pull May 2 | Sight-cast shrimp | Scattered to markers |
| Redfish | Mangrove shorelines, docks, oyster bars | Cut bait, live shrimp, paddletails | Steady |
The tarpon program: run the beach in 6–20 ft at first light glassing for rolling fish and dark schools, set up ahead of the school’s path, and present a live crab or threadfin — or a fly — across the lead fish. Florida law makes every tarpon a release; fish over 40” stay in the water. Handling standards: Bonefish & Tarpon Trust catch-and-release guidelines.
How warm is the water in Sarasota in May?
Roughly 76–82°F, climbing through the month. The tarpon migration tracks this curve — fish push north as the Gulf crosses the mid-70s and the beach fishery strengthens week over week. For snook, warm water plus lengthening days trigger the spawn: fish gang into the passes on the new and full moons. Pompano fade as water passes ~80°F; the dawn bite becomes the quality window for trout.
Live temps: NOAA St. Petersburg station (bay), NDBC buoy 42013 (Gulf). Warm water also raises release-mortality stakes — fight fish hard and fast, especially tarpon and big snook.
What is May weather like for fishing?
Early summer: mornings calm and clear, highs upper 80s, humidity building, and the first afternoon thunderstorm cycles firing inland by late month. The fishing day compresses toward dawn — beach tarpon at first light, done by early afternoon before the sea breeze and storms. Flat-calm mornings are the norm, which is exactly what the sight fisheries need.
Wind check before any beach run: NWS Tampa Bay marine forecast. Storm radar habit starts now: KTBW radar.
Glass the beach at first light for rolling fish.
How do May tides work in Sarasota?
May introduces the “hill tides” — the big evening spring tides around the new and full moons that pour water out of the passes. At Boca Grande, hill tides flush crabs off the flats through the pass and trigger the famous evening crab-flush bites. At the Sarasota passes, the same strong outgoings position spawning snook on the bar edges and channel swings. Beach tarpon fish care less about tide stage than about light and bait, but pass fisheries this month are entirely tide-driven.
Predictions: Sarasota 8726083, Port Boca Grande 8725577. Mechanics: tides and currents guide.
What fishing tournaments run in May?
The busiest tournament month of the Sarasota year:
| Event | 2026 date | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Ladies’ Day Tarpon Tournament | May 9 | Boca Grande |
| World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament | May 13–14 | Boca Grande Pass |
| CCA Florida STAR opens (youth 6–17) | May 23 – Sep 7 | Statewide |
| Sarasota Slam kickoff party | May 29 (runs to Jun 6) | Marina Jack, Sarasota |
| Howl at the Moon Tarpon Tournament | May 30 | Boca Grande |
| Suncoast Tarpon Roundup (92nd) opens | 10-week season, May–Jul | Pasco → Sarasota counties |
Every SWFL tarpon event is release-only. Sources and entry links: Sarasota Slam, Suncoast Tarpon Roundup, Boca Beacon 2026 tarpon schedule, and our 2026 tournament calendar.
What should a visiting angler book in May?
- Tarpon charter: the trip most people book May for. May–June dates with proven tarpon captains go 2–3 months ahead — tournament weeks at Boca Grande even earlier. Start at tarpon charters and the captains directory.
- Night snook trip: the spawn stacks big fish on pass structure and bridge shadow lines — all release, all heavyweight. See night fishing.
- Nearshore mixed bag: cobia, mackerel, and the last spring kings for anglers who want bent rods over a hunt. Nearshore charters.
- Manage expectations: tarpon fishing is hunting — shots, not guarantees. A captain who pole-positions you for 5–10 good shots has done the job.
Where can you fish from shore in May?
- Venice jetties — pass snook arrive for the spawn (release only), mackerel and pompano continue: Venice jetty guide.
- Beach walking at first light — surf walkers sight-fish snook in a foot of water off Siesta, Lido, and Casey Key from now through August; a white paddletail and polarized glasses is the whole kit. Details: surf and shore guide.
- Bridge shadow lines at night — Ringling, Stickney Point, Siesta Drive: spawn-season snook for walk-on anglers.
- Skyway area piers — the north end of the coverage area starts producing pier tarpon at night: Skyway pier guide.
License notes for shore anglers: Florida fishing licenses.
FAQ
When do tarpon arrive in Sarasota? In force in May — scouts show late April in warm springs, numbers build through May, and the fishery peaks May through June before winding down in July.
Can you keep a tarpon? No. Tarpon are catch-and-release only statewide; fish over 40” must remain in the water. The $51.50 tag exists solely for IGFA record pursuit. Rules: FWC tarpon regulations.
Why did snook close May 1? The summer spawn. Fish aggregate in the passes May–August, making them easy to over-harvest; the Sarasota Bay Region closes harvest May 1 – August 31. Catch-and-release remains legal — fight fast, keep fish wet. FWC snook page.
Is Boca Grande worth the drive from Sarasota? For pass tarpon at peak, yes — about an hour south, with thousands of fish and a correspondingly heavy fleet in May. The Sarasota beach fishery offers fewer boats and sight-fishing instead; many anglers prefer it.
What else can I catch on a May tarpon day? Cobia (they shadow the same rays and bait), big jack crevalle, sharks behind the schools, and Spanish mackerel under birds on the run home.
Related
Previous month: Sarasota fishing in April. Next: June — peak tarpon, start to finish. Full year: Sarasota fishing calendar. This week: fishing report. Deep dives: tarpon, snook, cobia, sight fishing, Boca Grande.
