Fishing Report - Tampa Bay to Sarasota, Florida. Saltwater flats and backcountry fishing guide Capt. Matt Ercoli.

Hello from Anna Maria! The weather is starting to warm up around here and the water is climbing into the mid 70’s. Flats fishing has been really good the past couple of weeks since my last report. Lots of snook including more keeper size fish. Mixed in with them are some really nice redfish. Pretty much most of the reds are nice keeper size, 24 to 27 inches, with a few over 30 inches. Today I ran a half day charter; we were done at noon and had caught about 30 snook and 10 redfish. The redfish where all nice 7 to 8 pounders except for one short and one 10 plus pound 30 incher. It was a very typical day for this time of year and for what it’s been like the last few weeks. We have had some nice snook as well, no monsters lately, but that’s because I have been targeting a few schools that have hundreds of small to medium snook with lots of perfect size eating redfish. It’s a lot of fun, really shallow water and you can see snook everywhere. They are biting like crazy so that keeps it action packed while we wait for the larger redfish to move in. Although a lot of the snook are not keepers they are exciting to catch and we still have had some nice ones this past week in the shallow water that would go 32 inches. If trophy snook are what you are looking for and have more patience’s they too are really starting to heat up is Sarasota bay.

So what else is going on? Well the trout have been really good as well. On the day I have guys who are looking for fish to eat I have some great trout spots that have been good producers. We have been hitting them the last hour or so of the fishing day and filling the box with some nice fat 17 to 22 inchers.

Tarpon, everyone’s been asking about tarpon. I know they are out there and we can catch them right now, but so far they haven’t really been strong in what I consider fishable numbers. Until we start hitting those days when at least 3 to 6 hook ups are the norm it’s hard to make a charter out of them. I will say though that the water is warming quickly and the bay tarpon fishing could explode any day. There are lots of nice grouper biting in the bay where we tarpon fish though.

As for offshore fishing, I have not been partly because the flats fishing is so good, but mostly because the wind has been strong out of the southwest this past week, fine for flats fishing but not so good for offshore. I can about guarantee the kings, tunny and grouper should be tearing it up, the water temp is getting right for them.

Well that’s what we have going on in these parts. I hope you have enjoyed the fishing report. I have some tarpon days still available for the peek migration, May thru July, if anyone interested. Last year my boat was 100% on tarpon hook ups, let’s see if we can do it again.

Matt, I tell you what...On a day when every boat in Tampa was on the beach spooking fish, we were still able to create quite a crowd of enthralled weekend warriors with the leaps of an illusive silver king! This was our second trip with Captain Matt and just as he put us onto some of the best snook holes in the Bay, our hunt was successful in finding our target fish once again. The tarpon were more leader shy than they were at the beginning of the summer but with Matt's pin point accuracy and knowledge, we were still able to get our bites out there! I have been a saltwater fisherman for 19 years and every time I go out with Matt, I am able to learn something new that improves my overall fishing performance, and increases my love for the sport. This was the first acceptable full-size tarpon I have ever landed and just three days following our trip, I landed my second good tarpon, a 70 pounder, over on my coast! Matt, your professionalism and character have shown to be top notch. We will continue to be strictly your clients, just as the many other true saltwater anglers that use your service. Here are pictures of the great fish that we landed and a picture of the one that I caught by the residual good luck that everyone gets when they step foot out on your Sheaffer. Thanks again for the memories, our summer was great and I hope your video of the jumps turned out well!

Matt, both Mike and I were once again blown away with the fish you got us into! In the five or six years I have been coming up to fish with you we have never had a bad day! The offshore fishing this year for the kingfish was incredible and the day on snook was just about the best day fishing I have ever had (I won't even guess at how many we had on)! You can plan on us being back next year, and for that matter, every year! I have had the good luck to fish all over the world, and your area is at the top of my list for great saltwater fishing! Thanks and tight lines until next time.
Sincerely, Steve Brugger

Matt, Hope all is well and the bite is still on! Just wanted to thank you again for a great time on the water. We had a blast! Also, wanted to see if you'd mind forwarding on the pic's your father took at your dock (FYI: trip was on May 2nd, caught several large kingfish). Anyway, Caroline, her father (especially), and I are all anxious to see if we made this month's fishing report. We'll keep checking, but we realize that your much busier fishing than advertising this time of year. Take care and we're hoping to plan another trip soon. I've already given your info to a friend that'll be in the Tampa area next month.

WOW!!! What a trip I had with Captain Matt!!! I went fishing with Captain Matt to catch a tarpon. Not only did I catch a tarpon but a wide variety of fish from grouper to snook. Captain Matt is very experienced at what he does and when I go back to sunny Florida I will fish with him again!!!! Captain Matt, Thanks for filling a dream with the tarpon I caught!!!

Just wanted to thank you for the WORLD CLASS fishing trip you guided my son Justin and I to on April 30, 2002! I have fished all over America including guiding and tournament fishing at senior levels and have never found a more professional guide. Your equipment, boat, bait, and knowledge are all SUPERIOR. After many "flats" trips in the Tampa Bay Area with other guides you are now my permanent yearly choice!

This was the 1st time I was able to bring my son along and contacted you in advance with one request, "keep my son hooked up and don't worry about size". I cannot describe the trill of watching Justin land 76 Snook. And we had size to go with the numbers. And as you described in your 5/6 fishing report we only fished one rod at a time. As soon as we cast the 2nd rod( usually before) we were hooked up on the 1st rod and I just reeled in the 2nd rod to watch Justin have the time of his life. I do want to differ a bit from your report stating we could have caught 100 fish. I honestly believe if we would have fished both rods hard we would have caught 200.

I am very grateful for your efforts. I have personally guided for bass, crappie and stripers and know what it takes to keep equipment in first class shape. I was especially impressed with the quality of your bait(Greenbacks) and the amount you had to chum and fish with. I am already looking forward to fishing with you next year and please feel free to post this if you wish and if any one needs a reference please do not hesitate to have them contact me.