Tampa Bay Fishing, Tampa To Sarasota May Report

Hello From Anna Maria, 5/29/10

Tarpon everywhere is the only way to begin this week’s fishing report. The Tarpon fishing couldn’t be better. We are in full-blown Tarpon season. Things started off a little late, but now it is game on. This is my favorite time of the fishing season, classic spot and stalk Tarpon fishing. Some of the largest schools of Tarpon I have been fishing have literally hundreds of fish in them and they are biting really fast. The water is super clear this year, but the fish have still been very cooperative. It’s been great, we have been staying hooked up pretty much all day long. On better days we are hooking over ten Tarpon. On days when we spend a lot of time battling fish we are still hooking up at least half a dozen. Even my 9 year old cousin hooked and landed his first Tarpon last week. He was lucky, it was a baby 50 pounder, the smallest we have hook thus far. I don’t think he could have managed anymore, but he did a great job with him. Most of the Tarpon are in the 75 to 130lb class. We have hooked and lost a few 200 pounders already and landed some 150lb class fish. The season started a little late due to cold water temps so I am thinking it will run a little later, maybe into August. I still have a few Tarpon charters available, so if you want to join in the excitement let me know, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

So what else is biting? Well without a doubt Tarpon is my main target this summer, but it’s not the only fish that‘s biting. I have been into some large schools of Redfish as well. Mostly over sized fish in the 30 to 34 inch class. The water is so clear in some of the areas we are catching them we are literally picking out individual fish and casting to them.

Trout fishing is really fast as it has been all spring.

I had some great offshore fishing as well the past week.
There is still Kingfish out there to catch. We actually caught a few while Tarpon fishing this week.

The Little Tunny have started getting thick; my fly fishermen have really been enjoying them. Grouper are biting well, a lot have moved into the bay over the last few weeks.

The Snapper bite is good 3 to 8 miles out, lots of nice Mangroves.

Mackerel are everywhere offshore and in the bay.

Last week I spent one day Shark fishing. Shark fishing is always peak when Tarpon are around because Tarpon are the big Sharks favorite snack. We caught and released a 9ft Hammer Head and lots of smaller Black Nose sharks.

Last, but not least. I have been getting alot of questions about the oil. So far it is hundreds of miles away and is not effecting our fishing. Let’s hope it stays that way.

That’s my report, the weather couldn’t be better for Tarpon fishing. Favorable weather patterns have settled in, a light east breeze in the morning, light west sea-breeze in the afternoon. We are going to boat a lot of Tarpon this year. Let me know if want to battle a big Silver King.

Good luck fishing,

Capt. Matt Ercoli
www.captainmatt.com
www.tarponfish.com
Cell 941-447-9888