Yep May is definitly the best bet onwards for Mackeral off local piers etc but its whether the weather sea is settled and calm normally spinners and daylites take plenty of fish but i have found floats take the bigger fish at the back end of August epecially of Roker pier, usually from May until october you can catch mackeral of the piers etc but i have found August/september are good months to target mackeral,coalfish on the floats. This season I am going to float fish for macky and have a big rod out with crab to see if theres any red codlings about. Hope this information helps you mate.