World Class Tampa Bay Sport Fishing

Captain Matt’s Tampa fishing charters leave out of the beautiful Anna Maria Island. The area is world renowned for its old Florida island life style, sugar white sand beaches and of course first and for most its world class sport fishing. Anna Maria couldn’t be located any better if flats, bay and offshore fishing is your passion. The tropical paradise is located on the south tip of the mouth of Tampa bay on its north end and Sarasota bay to its south end.

Location is key for a Florida fishing charter captain and if Tampa bay fishing is your primary agenda Anna Maria Island could not be better Placed. Tarpon fishing in Tampa Bay is one the area’s largest attractions and it no secret that largest schools year after year hold up off the deeper beaches of Anna Maria. It’s also holds true that the southern shore line of Tampa Bay and the east shore line of Sarasota are some of the least developed for miles. This area left in its natural state, clear cleaner water, larger grass flats and wild mangrove make for superior raising grounds for snook, redfish, trout, tarpon and many other fish that call our area home.

Another plus Anna Maria fishing offer is because of the lay of land it offers good protected fishing on almost any wind 20mph or less. Off course since Anna Maria is a barrier island the beach side lays on the open gulf and close proximity to some great Florida offshore fishing. Tampa bay charter captain from all around the bay run for miles to reach the mouth of Tampa bay to fish the open gulf. Captain Matt fishing charters benefit greatly from the fact that his dock is only 5 minutes from the open gulf. Tampa Bay deep sea fishing include catches of grouper, snapper, kingfish, mackerel, permit, amberjack, false albacore, giant goliath, and many species of shark all fish the captain targets while fishing offshore. There has also the occasional sailfish caught on a few of his offshore fishing charters.

What Makes Tampa Bay Fishing So special is the diversity of fishing in Tampa Bay that is available daily and seasonal. Tampa bay is a massive estuary covering 400 square miles with four larger river systems running it to it. The Alafia River, Hillsborough River, Little Manatee River, Manatee River and the surrounding area meet with Tampa to create a 2,200 square mile water shed. All this fertile water mixing with the gulfs clear clean water, mangrove studded shorelines, and the bay massive grass flats makes for a perfect breading grounds for all kinds of aqauntic life. The circle of life from shrimp, to crabs, from acres of different kinds of bait and all kinds of fish flourish in the nutrient rich waters of Tampa Bay.

Tampa bay fishing charters with Captain Matt during tarpon season average 5 to 7 hooks ups a day May through July aboard his boat. On good days 10 to 15 sometimes more than 20 tarpon can be hooked. These are all mature tarpon 70 to 130 pound sometimes as large as 200 pounds or more. A flats charter in Tampa bay is always leads to explosive light tackle action. On the shallow flats between snook, redfish and trout its nothing to catch 40 to 70 fish on a full day Tampa fishing charter. On the Tampa Bay fishing day 100 or fish can be landed on light tackle.

Tampa bay offers world class offshore fishing too. On a good King Mackerel fishing charter some time it can literally be as fast you can reel them in 10 to 40 pounders. Captain Matt Largest kingfish is near 50 pounds. The gag grouper, red grouper, and scamp grouper fishing is unbelievable throughout the year. Thriving on the same hard bottom is a tremendous amount of mangrove snapper, red snapper, and hogfish snapper. The open water offers amberjacks that reach 100 pounds. The permit fishing off the mouth of Tampa bay is less of secret these days though can still be some of the best in the world. Permit in this area can reach over 40 pounds and travel in massive schools made up of thousands of fish. Captain Matt’s Best permit fishing charter was 32 landed in four hours of fishing. The false albacore run year round in these parts average 10 to 15 pounds and are so thick at times they can be a nuisance. The albacore like the kingfish are a favorite of Captain Matt’s offshore fly fishing charters they are easy to catch and fight like crazy. Mackerel migrate through the area and are easy to find and catch throughout most of the year. We can’t forget the crustaceans eaters like pompano, black drum and sheapshead the captain likes to target in the winter. If you want to go catch a true sea monster fishing in Tampa Bay is the pace to be. Captain Matt’s charter fishermen routinely catch goliath grouper between 200 and 500 pound. You want a huge fish captain Matt will put you on one. It your jobs to real him in though.

Tampa bay is also to be said one of the most shark infested waters in the world. They are everywhere from hammerheads 17 ft long, to scary large tiger sharks, bull sharks, the hard fighting high flying black tip shark and many others need there be more said if you a want a to go shark fishing the captain will take you. One more thing and maybe the most important things about Tampa Bay fishing and what make it so great. Tampa bay has probably the largest bait supply in the county. This is not only important as forige for the bays ability to carry such a large number of fish, but it is also extremely important to all of the Tampa Bay fishing guides. The most important part of a tamp fishing charters day is having a large number of bait.

It is not a accident Captain Matt home is located on the water right next to one the bay area’s largest bait concentrations. Everyday captain Matt starts his day catch a few thousand baits for his fishing charters. Most of the bait goes for chumming the fish up the rest go on the hook. Leaving out of a dock with so close to a area so prolific with bait is what helps captain Matt ensure his charters success. Know the he will have fresh bait and lots of it everyday make it much easier for the captain to focus his attention on his fisherman catching fish. With all this being said there are few place in the world that offer the level of fishing Anna Maria island in Tampa Bay has to offer. Captain Matt’s Tampa Bay fishing charters are conventiently located to many Florida major cities, attractions and theme parks.

Sarasota is located to the south less than 30 minutes away. Sarasota has a international airport. Its main attractions are Seista Key, St Armounds circle, Mote Marine, the Red Soxs and Ringling Museum. Jump on interstate 41 and take a left in Bradenton on Manatee avenue and it dead end to Anna Maria Island. Longboat key connects to Anna Maria on the south tip of the island. Longboat key fishing well known for its large concentration of tarpon that migrate of it beaches in the summer. It is also know for it upscale living, and has some great places to stay. Longboat key is literally on 5 to 10 minutes from Ann Maria depending on where on the longboat you are at. All you have to do is get on the one main road Gulf Drive head north and go over longboat pass bridge and you are on Anna Maria. The closest city Bradenton spring training host to the Pittsburg Pirates is just to the East of Anna Maria Island. All you do is take Manatee avenue due west and it take to the Island. Directly north of the island and across Tampa Bay is St Pete. St. Petersburg fishing is also a large attraction to the area as well the great beaches, Rays Baseball, and the Salvador deli museum. Just to the north of St. Pete is Clearwater and Tarpon Spring host to the Phillies this area to also has some nice beaches.

To get to Anna Maria basically all you do is get to interstate 275 head south go over the sunshine skyway. Then exit on us 19 this turns into 41 then just keep going till you hit Manatee Ave. in Bradenton. The Clearwater St. Pete area is also searvest by a is own internation airport. The city of Tampa is located on the east side of the bay. As our largest local city is has lots to do with it numerus attractions. It is home to the Buccaneers, the Lightning, Bush Gardens, Ybor City, Chanel Side, hard rock casino and Tampa Aquarium to name a few of its most popular attractions. It to has a international airport with some of the cheapest fairs around. Tampa is exactly 1hr away. If you are on the north side of the city you can take 275 south past St Pete to the island. If you are on the south side of tamp get on 75 south exit on state road 64 which is the same as manatee ave. head west and it take you straight to the island. East of Tampa is Plant City home of the strawberry festival. Just East of that is Lakeland. East of Lakeland is Orlando home countless theme parks including Walt Disney World. It too has a international Airport. To get to the island from all of these Cities is very easy. Take Interstate 4 west to 75 south to state 64 and dead end in to Anna Maria Island.