Sarasota Fishing Report — May 2026: Tarpon Active in the Passes, Cobia Winding Down, Snook Pre-Spawn
Sarasota’s May fishing calendar is anchored by tarpon. Fish are pushing through Big Pass and New Pass on every tidal cycle, with the best action on the incoming tide from midnight through early morning. Cobia are finishing their run along the barrier island beaches — late fish are still being caught following rays off Siesta Key and Casey Key through mid-May. Snook are aggressively pre-spawn feeding along the mangrove shorelines of Little Sarasota Bay and Roberts Bay. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are blitzing near the passes on incoming tides, providing fast action for anglers with lighter tackle. Redfish are active on the grass flats throughout Sarasota Bay on the first two hours of both incoming and outgoing tides.
What’s Biting in Sarasota — May 2026
May is one of the strongest fishing months of the year for Sarasota. Water temperatures are in the ideal seasonal range and pre-summer feeding activity is aggressive across all target species. See our complete Sarasota fishing guide for full year-round seasonal detail. Updated every Thursday.
Tarpon Active in the Passes — Peak Window
May in Sarasota is when tarpon season hits full stride. New Pass and Big Sarasota Pass are both holding solid schools of fish throughout the month. Schools roll on the surface at dawn and dusk and light up on live crabs drifted through the cuts on outgoing tide. Some boats are doing well sight-casting to laid-up fish along the beach in calm water just south of Lido Key. The best window is the last hour of outgoing into the slack — let the boat drift quietly and listen for rolls before pitching baits.
Snook Pre-Spawn on the Flats
Snook have moved out of the back bays and onto the flats and into the passes ahead of the spawn. Live pinfish or whitebait drifted along the seawalls inside the passes is producing slot fish steadily. The dock lights along the Intracoastal from Siesta Key north to St. Armand’s are firing at night — slow-rolled live shrimp or a D.O.A. Shrimp on a slow retrieve is murder on linesiders. The bigger fish (28–32 inches and up) are at the pass mouths on outgoing tide — live pinfish on a 4/0 circle.
Trout, Redfish, and Cobia
Spotted seatrout are still on the grass flats off Bird Key, Stephens Point, and Roberts Bay at first light. Topwater plugs the first hour, then soft plastics on a jighead. Redfish are scattered on shallow flats — sight-casting at low tide around the islands in Roberts Bay is the play. Tailing fish are showing on calm mornings. Cobia are winding down but a few are still working stingrays on the flats — keep eyes peeled while running for tarpon.
Local Hotspots
New Pass on outgoing tide is THE spot this week for tarpon — the cut south of the rocks specifically. Big Sarasota Pass on the falling tide as well. For snook, the seawalls inside the passes on a high incoming are loaded. Roberts Bay back of Bird Key for tailing redfish at low tide. Dock lights along Bird Key and Siesta Key at night for the snook concentrations.
Conditions, Ramps, Regs
Water temps 77–79°F. Florida saltwater license required. Tarpon over 40 inches release-only without tarpon tag. Snook stamp required, slot 28–32 inches, 1-fish bag (season closing June 1, catch-and-release through August). Redfish slot 18–27 inches, 1-fish bag. Trout slot 15–19 inches, 5-fish bag. Top ramps: Centennial Park (downtown), Ken Thompson Park (New Pass area), Turtle Beach (Siesta). Tight lines.