central Florida Surf Fishing Report

Capt. Lukas gets into some whiting on the beach with his surf fishing clients.

Surf fishing during the month of May has offered some much needed family fun experiences with the opening of beach accesses across Florida. Getting to the beach has been one of the top things to do outside on the Space Coast. Incredible weather and social distancing measures are a few factors that make beach fishing Central East Coast of Florida a top choice for individuals and family looking for some outside recreation.

The cooler weather patterns that graced us during early May made mornings crisp and clear. Look for that to become a thing of the past as we steadily creep towards the dog days of summer, accompanied by high temps and humidity. Surf fishing conditions from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian Inlet for the first weeks of May were challenging due to the wind, waves and onslaught of seaweed that blitzed our coastline. Water clarity was one of the few positives that kept things interesting amongst the myriad negatively contributing factors.

Pompano fishing has continued to remain consistent. Moreover, fish that have stuck around are providing beach fishing anglers with the perfect chance at catching, cleaning, and cooking this Florida delicacy. Catching your limit of six fish has proved more difficult compared to months prior when the water temperatures were more conducive. With the surf fishing water temps currently holding in the 75-76 degree range, anglers have been reporting fewer fish. To catch Florida Pompano, use pompano rigs with a variety of colored floats and no floats, baited with Fishbites (sandflea, crab, clam) and a live or frozen sand flea. Try casting various distances from shore to ensure you’re targeting areas of concentration.

Meanwhile, snook fishing has steadily increased in the surf as the water temperatures continue to climb. Focus your efforts on area beaches around Sebastian Inlet and Melbourne Beach. Beach fishing for snook around a high tide with live mullet or croakers have produced the best results. Note, however, that catching snook in the surf requires slightly different equipment than traditional surf fishing. Make sure to beef up your tackle with braided line, 30-50lb fluorocarbon leaders and hook sizes that match the bait size accordingly. Snook fishing will continue to heat up on our local beaches, so get out there and dialed in for the rest of the season!