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Mid Tarpon Season is Great
Capt. Matt Ercoli
June 27, 2009
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Hello everyone, I hope you are all enjoying your summer. Gees I can't believe it's already time to gear up for the 4th of July, seems like memorial day was last week. I guess that's how time flies when you are working hard. I have been at it every day as usual like every June chasing the endless schools of tarpon all day and every day. So far it was a good tarpon season for me. I think since May 1st we haven't had a day where we haven't hook a full size silver king except for maybe a day or two, we call quits early due to weather. I mean actually landing the fish where I put my hands on the fish for a picture is over 90 percent. Our actual average hookup per day has been a little down though do to the weather, 4 to 7 fish has been more the average with the really good days 10 to 12 hookups. Over all I am happy with how tarpon season has been so far, we are landing lots of good size fish. For some reason the average fish this year has been more in the 100 to 140 pound class, not very many of those smaller 75 to 90 pounders. We have also had a lot of fish 150 pounds or better and some fish in the 200 pound class landed, with several hooked, battled and lost. I look forward to the next few weeks and expect for the run to last till about the third week of July, maybe all the way to the end. I still have a few tarpon days available if anyone's interested.
As for the rest of the different species, flats fishing has been very good. I ran a few snook and redfish charters this past week and killed them. Lots of red fish in the 22 to 27 inch class with the largest 33 inches. The snook have been even better. One day we literally left them biting after two hours of as fast as you could cast the bait into the water. The largest last week was also 33 inches; we had several nice fish over 30 inches.
The snapper fishing has also been great in the bay, lots of 15 to 20 inchers. Lots of mackerel and little tunny around. Plenty of sharks, I had a 14 ft hammerhead smack into the side of my boat two weeks ago while trying to land a tarpon. There is some cobia on the reefs a few tripletails on the crab pots. I have heard the offshore boys are doing well way out on the red snapper, grouper and dolphin. I have even been catching a few permits while tarpon fishing up to 15 pounds and have been seeing some over 30.
Well guys, that's my report, fishing is good just about everywhere right now so get out and take advantage of it. I know it's been hot, believe me I know, but they are calling for a little cooling trend and even in the heat it's not that bad if you start early and end early. Remember if you are heading out there on your own or coming out aboard my boat brings plenty of water. I hope you have enjoyed my report. Good luck fishing.
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