Fishing in May
By May the water has properly turned. Weed growth thickens fast, invertebrate life is everywhere, and fish are feeding hard and spread through the water column rather than packed into deep holding ground. A session can start at five and still finish in daylight.
Last reviewed 26 September 2026 · Editorial policy
What the water is doing
Plenty of food, plenty of oxygen in the upper layers, and fish with no reason to hold still. The consequence is that May fishing is about finding fish in a large amount of water - weed edges, inlets, shallow bays - rather than persuading a fish to move, which is the winter problem.
On the bank, look for
- Cover matters more than depth now. Where weed is thickening, fish are; look for the edge of it, the clear patch in it, the channel through it.
- Hatches of aquatic insects bring fish to the surface in the evenings. Where fish are rising, they are choosing something - look before you cast.
- Warmer surface water means deeper water is beginning to hold less oxygen. In a deep lake, fish move up off the bottom in the warmer parts of the day.
What to change this month
Match the hatch, roughly
You do not need an exact imitation. Noting whether fish are taking something small and dark or something larger and pale narrows the choice enormously.
Start early
Long daylight tempts people into midday sessions, but the fish are feeding at first light and in the long evening. The middle of a bright May day is the weakest hour.
Expect weed
Snags become routine. A weedless rig or a shorter leader keeps you fishing instead of retying, and a spare rig tied and ready saves the session.
Fish worth chasing in may
Photos from Wikimedia Commons under free licences - credits on each species page.
Techniques that suit this month
Conditions that decide the day
Where this shows up
Guides worth reading first
Watch out for
- Weed beds are nursery ground. Where you can see young fish, that is exactly where you should not be fishing.
- Sandflies and midges can make an evening session miserable. A long sleeve and a head net solve it more cheaply than any tackle.
- Water at depth has not reached its summer temperature, so a fish landed in May can still be in poor condition. Handle carefully and release fast.
Questions about fishing in may
What is the best time of day in May?
First light and the last two hours of daylight. Long days make midday fishing possible, but bright sun over warm water is the least productive hour for most species.
Do I need different tackle for spring than for winter?
Usually, yes. Fish are shallower, hungrier and more visible, so a lighter, more delicate outfit catches more than the heavier winter rig does - and it is more enjoyable to use.
Is May good for carp?
Very. Water temperature is rising through the range carp feed hardest in, and they move into warming shallows to feed and breed. Watch the water and give breeding fish room.