Updated: Thursday, May 14, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, May 21, 2026
This Stuart fishing report covers mid-May on the Treasure Coast, when water warms into the upper 70s and the spring patterns lock in. Tarpon are the lead target, rolling through the Crossroads at first light and pushing up the St. Lucie River along Sewall’s Point. Plan around the May 16 new moon: soft tides, but dawn and dusk are the strongest windows of the day, and the evening incoming tides through the weekend should fire.
What’s Hitting
Boats running the river at sunrise get shots at tarpon in the 60–100 lb range, and the St. Lucie Inlet holds fish on the outgoing. Snook switch to a strong night pattern, with dock lights from Stuart up through the Indian River south of Jensen loaded with linesiders. By day, look for them tucked into the docks and seawalls along the Manatee Pocket. Trout stay on the grass flats at dawn.
Offshore, mahi-mahi are at full peak, with scattered schoolies and the occasional bull. Sailfish season winds down, but expect a few late releases on the kite spread in 120–180 feet. Kingfish stack on the color change inshore of the mahi grounds.
Where to Find Them
The St. Lucie Inlet on the outgoing tide offers the best tarpon shots. Fish stack just inside the rocks at first light, then push out to the Crossroads as the tide builds. For dock-light snook, focus on the residential canals off Sewall’s Point and the docks along Hutchinson Island just south of the Stuart Causeway, and favor bigger lights with stronger current. Trout use the grass flats around Hell’s Gate and the Sailfish Flats.
Offshore, run east-southeast 18–28 miles to the color change and weedlines. The 100-fathom curve east of Push Button holds the best concentrations of mahi; look for floating sargassum lines and birds working. The inshore wrecks in 60–90 feet still hold kingfish.
Tides & Conditions
Expect water temperatures of 78–80°F. The new moon on Saturday, May 16, means soft tides this weekend but a strong dawn and evening pattern. Light easterly winds are forecast through Saturday, picking up Sunday. The best inshore windows are 6:00–8:30 AM and 7:00–8:30 PM. Offshore, plan on mid-morning to early afternoon once the wind lays down.
Tackle & Tactics
- Tarpon: live mullet, threadfin herring and crabs on the falling tide are the proven baits.
- Dock-light snook: free-line live shrimp or small pilchards, or work a DOA Shrimp slowly against the current.
- Trout: topwater plugs for the first 90 minutes of light, then soft plastics on a 1/4-ounce jighead as the sun climbs.
- Mahi: troll ballyhoo on light wire, naked or skirted or throw bucktails at floaters.
- Kingfish: slow-trolled live blue runners.
Local Intel This Week
The south-end jetty rocks at the St. Lucie Inlet give up oversized snook on the outgoing tide; fish them with 50 lb leader. The dock lights from Sewall’s Point south to the Stuart Causeway load up after 9 PM, and the Manatee Pocket holds tarpon and snook in the channel mouths. Sandsprit Park and Leighton Park are public launches for this water: use Sandsprit for quick runs to the inlet and the Crossroads, and Leighton for the river docks. Check current FWC and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Move with the outgoing tide. Set up just inside the St. Lucie Inlet rocks at first light, where tarpon stack early, then follow the fish toward the Crossroads as the tide builds. Drifting with the school keeps live baits in front of rolling fish.
Planning a trip to Stuart?
This report tells you what happened. ReelAI tells you what to do about it — a briefing for your date, your target species and how you're fishing, built from our reports plus live NOAA and USGS data.
Powered by ReelAI — fishing.digital's intelligence layer. Answers are generated from fishing.digital reports and public NOAA, NWS and USGS data, and may be incomplete or out of date. Regulations and marine safety information are summaries only; always confirm with the responsible authority before you fish.