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

Well hello everyone; hope you’re having a good summer. The fishing in these parts remains strong. The snook are thick again on the flats and gorging themselves on small greenback minnows and the action is very fast on lots of smaller fish, but also good for larger snook as well. This is always a good time of year to take a big snook in shallow water. You would be surprised how big a snook you can get chummed up over the shallow grass this time of year. I had quite a few 34 inchers in the last few weeks.

The red fishing has also been quite good as it is always this time of year. Traditionally August, September and October are always are best months for Redfish. It’s especially good for larger reds and big schools of bull reds. I have been on some nice schools mixed in with the snook that are almost all eating size in the 18 to 27 inch class, with a few over sized fish up to 34 inches. The nice thing with those fish are you never know if you are going to catch a snook, a redfish or maybe even a big trout on each cast. That’s the reason I really like this time of year; we get a lot of variety in one spot quite often. The action is usually fast so it’s easy for beginners to have a good day as well as fly fisherman. There are also some large schools of bull reds out there now too. Now almost all of these fish are too big to keep averaging 28 to 34 inches and even a few larger. You can’t keep them, but they are fun to catch. On the lower tide trips we have had some good days on the larger fish, 20 to 30 reds per trip all oversize easy to catch on live bait and very good target for my fly fisherman as well.

The trout fishing has really been superb. It’s been several years since I have caught so many nice trout. Really I haven’t targeted trout that much in the last few years. This year is much different though. I have some spots it seems like it hardly matters what time of day or what the tide is doing we can catch a limit of trout. So these days if I have a charter that wants meat for the boxes I can’t help but go hit up some trout. One plus is my best spots are close to my dock so toward the end of the charter if we need meat we just make a quick pit stop. Half the trout we are getting are keepers and real nice ones with lots in the 18 to 24 inch class.

Well as for offshore there are lots of good snapper in the bay and all the way out to 30 plus miles. Lot of nice mangroves within 20 miles and some American reds along with mangroves out farther. There is also lots of good grouper fishing in that 20 to 30 mile area on the Swiss cheese bottom. For really fast action there are lots of lesser amberjacks on the reefs 3 to 15 miles out.

Well that’s about the gist of it in these parts. I have been spending most my time inside on the flats. I guess that’s my favorite and most of my charters too, but the offshore is good too and really enjoyable on the calmer days. Well I hope you have enjoyed my report, see you on the water.

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.