KEY WEST  -  Mid May holds a lot of potential for great fishing action in the Lower Keys. Nearly every fish in our versatile palette of species is available someplace. Whether it is in shallow water or deep, anglers can find their quarry here.
 This week even the Key West area had a tinge of smoke in the air. Wafts of burning cinder came and went with our variable winds. Navigating during the early morning hours was more difficult with these smoky conditions and sight fishing was also more difficult.
 Tarpon are still moving in and out of the Lower Keys in large numbers. Captain Mike Bartlett out of Garrison Bight Marina in Key West gave me a few precious hours on the bow of his skiff this week. Bartlett took me to a few ocean side flats in the Lakes Passage for a quick lesson in tarpon fishing.
 I do not fish for tarpon all that much but know the basics on leading the fish and putting the bait or fly where it needs to be. On this particular day these fish were just not eating for me.
 “Many times you learn through the course of the day what these fish are going to react to; strip fast, strip slow,” Bartlett said. “Putting the fly in front of the fish is what it’s all about,” he added.
 Each day is different. The following afternoon Bartlett took his wife Sandy fishing and she put three tarpon in the air. Go figure.
 Bonefish have really started to show up on the flats this week. Several guides have reported good numbers of bonefish in the backcountry near Marvin Key and the Barracuda Keys. Others have just been fishing west of Key West and have had similar luck in the shallows.
 Targeting bonefish during tarpon season can yield many advantages. One is that you will most likely have plenty of spots to yourself. With tarpon fishing being the main attraction on the flats through June, bonefishing is a great option for anglers not wanting to get in the thick of boats to get their grip on a tarpon.
 Another great option for self-guided anglers is to fish the shallows for bonefish and permit during the day and try tarpon at night under Bahia Honda Bridge or in Key West Harbor.
 Night fishing for tarpon can be an absolute blast with a spinning outfit or fly rod. Conditions should be fairly calm. Calm enough to hear tarpon busting the surface of the water.
 A sinking plug on light tackle is about the most fun you can have during a session of tarpon fishing at night. Bagley’s Finger Mullet or a Rebel Windcheater plug work great.
 Captain Mike Bartlett offers night tarpon trips out of Key West. For more information contact him at 305-797-2452.
 The offshore waters have produced a mixed bag of fish this week.
 Captain Jake Perry on Mean Green out of Murray Marina reports some activity in close for schoolie dolphin. Although Perry had made the trek out 18 miles to the Wall, he found much of the action in closer to Sand Key and the reef.
 Perry found some hearty blackfin tuna busting on a bait ball a few days ago and picked off three nice fish out of the school. Perry also reported working the reef edge for grouper. His anglers landed nine red grouper up to 20- pounds plus one black grouper and a king mackerel.
 Captain Alex Canalejo on Showtime has spent his week inshore fishing for sailfish. Canalejo has been fishing the waters directly south of Key West and to the east near Pelican Shoal. He’s been using a kite for sailfish but says he’s had some great bites from blackfin tuna and has landed several in the 30- pound range.
 May also marks the best time to fish for mutton snapper in the Florida Keys. Mutton Snapper spawn on the deeper sand bars outside the reef during the full moon in May and June.
 Although these fish spawn during different times of the year throughout the Caribbean, now is the time to fish for them in the Lower Keys. Since mutton snapper are both nocturnal and diurnal feeders, it is not uncommon to catch good numbers of them during both the evening and daylight hours.
 Canalejo predicts the mutton snapper fishing to be better on this next full moon on May 31st.
 “It’s got to be good this next moon, or if the water is real dirty we’ll even catch them during the daytime,” Canalejo said.
 For more information on fishing with Captain Alex Canalejo contact him at 305-797-5146.