...
Southern Boating
  • Boats
    • Center Consoles
    • Dual Consoles
    • Motoryachts
    • Power Cats
    • Sport Cruisers
    • Tenders & Ribs
  • Destinations
    • Bahamas
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • U.S. Atlantic
    • U.S. Gulf
  • Engines
  • Maintenance
    • DIY
  • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • News
    • Fishing
    • Food
      • Menus
      • Drinks
      • Appetizers
      • Entrées
      • Dessert
      • Holiday
  • Gear
  • Shop
  • Digital Edition
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • Boats
    • Center Consoles
    • Dual Consoles
    • Motoryachts
    • Power Cats
    • Sport Cruisers
    • Tenders & Ribs
  • Destinations
    • Bahamas
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • U.S. Atlantic
    • U.S. Gulf
  • Engines
  • Maintenance
    • DIY
  • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • News
    • Fishing
    • Food
      • Menus
      • Drinks
      • Appetizers
      • Entrées
      • Dessert
      • Holiday
  • Gear
  • Shop
  • Digital Edition
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Southern Boating
No Result
View All Result
Home Destinations U.S. Atlantic
winter fishing during breakout month

May is Breakout Month

April 26, 2019
in U.S. Atlantic
0
589
SHARES
3.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare via Email

May is Breakout Month

For boaters, May is breakout month across the Northeast.

While some serious anglers have probably had their vessels in the water for several weeks by this point, especially along the southern New Jersey coast where stripers are already hot on the bunker schools, it’s now when most pleasure boaters make a splash and get their seasons underway.

Bundle Up

One point that sticks out in my mind about early season boating along the New England coast is that it can still be quite chilly. With water temperatures hovering somewhere around the 50-degree mark, it’s still too cold to take a serious dip or enjoy water sports without slipping into a wetsuit until after Memorial Day. Further, air temperatures on the water can be 5 to 10 degrees cooler than inland, so don’t be fooled by a sunny day. Winter is behind us, at least on the calendar, so there’s nothing wrong with dipping in your toes or trudging through calf-deep water to do a little hiking or exploring along a quiet stretch of beach.

If cruising this breakout month, you’ll want to pack along some extra clothes including a heavy sweatshirt, long pants, and a long-sleeve shirt. It’s also a good idea to carry a knit hat and pair of gloves if you boat in Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine. The extra clothing is especially important should you count youngsters amongst your crew. Right now, before the season gets rolling, is also a good time to place an extra pair or two of sunglasses in the glove box along with a spare tube or squeeze bottle of sunblock rated SPF 30 or higher.

First Up

Where to head first? My wife, Felicia, and I always enjoy checking out new boats in their slips, getting out to do a little beach combing, and trying a new dock-and-dine experience. We’ve noticed over the years that early spring generally finds some of the more popular waterfront eateries uncrowded at lunchtime with the service especially upbeat since the staffs aren’t burned out from summer’s inevitable waterfront crush.

Fishing, of course, is always an option, and May can be a barn burner. The better catches early in the month tend to come from the most southern ports. Stripers, blues, porgy, and fluke, for example, work their way up the Jersey Coast, spread along Long Island’s South Shore and wrap back into Long Island Sound around Memorial Day.

By early June, action will have spread to Rhode Island, Cape Cod and beyond. Often, the first fish of the new year are big ones because they are better able to withstand cool water temperatures than smaller fish. That’s not a hard and fast rule, of course, but it’s one more justification for getting your boat in the water as soon as possible.

By Tom Schlichter, Southern Boating

Subscribe to the print magazine | $29.95 for 12 issues
May 2019
Tags: fishingmay boatingspring boating
Previous Post

Shallow Water Blackout and Electric Shock Drowning

Next Post

Optis Opportunity

Next Post
a fleet of optis sailing on the water

Optis Opportunity

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

an image of Hog Island

Hog Island

August 1, 2018
3.4k
Green Beans Amandine

Green Beans Amandine

November 1, 2018
3.3k

Don't miss it

Bermuda island aerial view with a lighthouse in the foreground and the ocean skyline in the background
Caribbean

Is Bermuda Worth the Crossing? Here’s the Boater’s Take

July 2, 2025
3.6k
Dometic’s DG3 gyrostabilizer
Engines

Smooth Ride With The New DG3 Gyro by Dometic: Fast Spin-Up, All Electric

July 1, 2025
3.7k
Bertram Sportfisherman Yacht 2025
Boats

11 New Sportfishing Boats Built for Speed & Style in 2025

July 1, 2025
3.8k
New Rules Cruising Bahamas
Featured

Increased Cruising Permit Fees – Bahamas’ New Rules Take Effect July 1

June 25, 2025
13.9k
Jack plate control used during shallow-water fishing
DIY

Is This The Best Anchoring Gear for Shallow-Water Fishing?

June 24, 2025
3.4k
Maritimo M75 running shot
Boats

M75 by Maritimo: Luxury Motor Yachts Built for Distance and Comfort

June 23, 2025
3.4k
Facebook Instagram TikTok Youtube LinkedIn

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Terms Of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage My Subscription
logo

1591 E. Atlantic Blvd, 2nd Floor
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
Office: +1 (954) 522-5515
Fax: +1 (954) 522-2260
Contact us: info@southernboating.com


Newsletter

* indicates required

© 2024 Southern Boating Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Boats
    • Center Consoles
    • Dual Consoles
    • Motoryachts
    • Power Cats
    • Sport Cruisers
    • Tenders & Ribs
  • Destinations
    • Bahamas
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • U.S. Atlantic
    • U.S. Gulf
  • Engines
    • Engine Buyers Guide
  • Maintenance
    • DIY
  • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • News
    • Fishing
    • Food
    • Drinks
    • Appetizers
    • Entrées
    • Dessert
    • Holiday
  • Gear
  • Shop
  • Digital Edition
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

© 2024 Southern Boating Media

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Terms Of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage My Subscription
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Terms Of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage My Subscription