Florida Freshwater Fishing Forecast for May 3-10, 2026
Sunday's Comprehensive Fishing Article for Florida's Freshwater Anglers
Good Fishing During Daily Solar Periods After Full Moon Phase
The Florida Freshwater Fishing Forecast for May 3-10, 2026, gives anglers the last two days of the full moon phase and ideal spring weather conditions which will make for some good midafternoon fishing and a fair-to-good early morning bite over the next four days.
During the second half of the week the sunset bite picks up as the underfoot moon adds its minor influence, and the overhead moon will give the sunrise bite another rating point which is typical during the last quarter moon which will occur Saturday.
Currently the moon is moving into its weakest monthly phase which means daily solar period and changing weather factors will become the major influences as to when fish feed. The lunar orbit apogee occurs tomorrow, and the lunar low the day after, so today’s underfoot moon will add very little influence on the afternoon feeding bite currently happening as a result of the recent full moon 12 hr. feeding cycle—underfoot-overhead periods.
Over the next four days fish will transition from a weak lunar influence and to the stronger solar influence, causing the majority of fish populations to feed during the solar noon period. Minor feeding will also occur during the sunrise period, which will also have the minor influence of the moonset for the next two to three days.
The weather factors which matter, according to the weather forecast, will be wind direction change, the sun-to-cloud ratio and ideal water temperatures. But this morning atmospheric pressure is currently finishing a rapid rise of 0.24 in hg which will peak late this morning. Fish therefore are adjusting upward into the shallows, opportunistically feeding as they do so. I predict the sunrise-moonset period to be very good as a result.
After today’s 10 mph north wind, a 10 mph est wind will occur Monday through Wednesday. But Wednesday afternoon pre-front conditions will begin signaled by a south wind which should improve the solar noon and sunset periods. A 60-40 sun-to-cloud ratio will also add some fish adjustment activity each day but there will be no pressure changes which matter after today.
So, expect daily solar periods to become the driving force behind feeding activity as the full moon affect diminishes over the next two days. And according to the extended weather forecast a rainy season pattern is predicted for Friday through next Sunday when a southerly 10 mph wind follows a weak northerly wind and continues for four days producing some thunderstorm activity during the afternoons. Heavy cloud cover is forecasted so plan for fish to be away from protective cover.
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Fish are currently feeding aggressive and often due to ideal dissolved oxygen rates and temperatures which enable high digestion rates. Growth rates are currently at the annual high mark. It is therefore imperative that artificial bait anglers get their bait presentation perfected. When the bait enters the water of a ‘rich food-chain environment’ it must appear completely natural to the feeding fish. Anything abnormal will be ignored in most cases because of the abundance of thriving food sources.
And conversely, in lakes where the food chain is weak, any bait which enters the water like a brick, will attract the attention of the feeding fish which will investigate it for a potential meal. This is the characteristic that northerners are unfamiliar with, which is the reason they experience tough days on the water of Florida’s rich food chain lakes known for giant Florida Largemouth Bass.
And ‘where’ the bait presentation must be perfected is just as important. The feeding bass are in protective cover vegetation in most rich food chain lakes and don’t swim out in the open water when the entire food chain is actively feeding. This characteristic is especially true with the larger bass.
Therefore, the successful artificial bait angler must learn what it takes to present their baits into the water naturally and within the exact area of the protective cover where hungry fish are attempting to safely feed without becoming a meal for a larger hungry fish or gator in the process.
Being able to pitch a very large 1 oz double brush guard black jig with a very large green/brown trailer 50-80 feet without making a splash when it softly enters the water in a small opening within thick bulrush, cattails, lily pads or hydrilla, greatly increases the odds of that bait being eaten as it falls to the lake bottom.
Next challenge is…...determining if in fact, the bait was eaten. It’s not easily achieved. The bigger the bass the more you won’t ‘feel it take the bait’. Setting the hook solidly and fighting the fish within the thick environment is also very challenging, a challenge which many fail to overcome but, it does provide great “Ones That Got Away” stories—painfully entertaining.
If you want to learn how I mastered the natural bait presentation required for success and what techniques I use to put the big trophy bass in the boat, contact me, I’ll be happy to provide what you need to up your game in your quest for the trophy Florida bass.
Major Solar-Lunar Period: Today the moon is underfoot at 2:53 p.m. producing a 6-feed rating from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Daily the underfoot moon occurs later by an average of 50 min with a gradual decline to a 4-5-feed rating by Tuesday which will occur during the 3-6 p.m. hours and remain at that rating for the remainder of the week.
Minor Solar Lunar Periods: Today the moonset occurs at 7:39 a.m. producing a 4-5 feed rating from 6-9 a.m. Daily the moonset occurs later by an average of 50 min and gradually improves to a 5-6 rating during the second half of the week when it harmonizes with the solar noon period and becomes a major period.
A second minor period happens today when the moonrise occurs at 10:09 p.m. producing a 3-feed rating from 9-11 p.m. Daily the moonrise occurs later by an average of 50 min and remains at the same feed rating.
A third minor period happens today when the moon is overhead at 2:28 a.m. producing a 3-feed rating from 1:30-3:30 a.m. Daily the overhead moon occurs later by an average of 50 min and remains at the same feed rating until the second half of the week when it harmonizes with the sunrise period and produces a 5-rating.
Best Fishing Days: Of the next four days today and Monday will produce the best due to having some full moon affect improving the underfoot period during the afternoon hours. Yesterday pre-front conditions elevated the feeding bite and fish have and still are moving up into the shoreline shallows due to high pressure, so I believe the bite will remain above average as a result.
Lake Istokpoga S68 Spillway and Lake Level Status: Lake level average is currently at 36.75 NAVD88 with four S68 spillway gates closed. The NAVD88 Offset to NGVD29 is + 1.16 feet = 37.91NGVD29. Current maximum high level is 38.75’ NGVD and the low level is 37.50’ NVGD.
Prime Monthly Periods: May 13-20 strong super new moon, May 28-June 2 weak full moon, June 10-17 strongest super new moon possible-solid 10 rating for 4 of the 7-day phase due to the orbit perigee and lunar high occurring within the same 24 hours of the new moon. July 11-17 very strong super new moon phase, 26-31very weak full moon phase, August 9-15new moon phase, 25-30 full moon phase.
Dave Douglass has been an artificial bait only bass fishing guide since 2005, and the writer of the Highlands News-Sun fishing forecast article since Oct. 2016 and previously the writer of the Highlands Today fishing forecast article which began in Nov. 2005. Contact email DavidPDouglass@hotmail.com or phone 863-381-8474.