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Tampa Bay - Saltwater
Capt. Matt Ercoli
March 2, 2004
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Springtime conditions are finally here and the flats are teeming with fish. The weather has been superb, except for a couple of days following this weekend’s cold front. Warm weather is in the forecast though and snook especially are on the feed.
The past couple of weeks have marked what I consider to be the beginning of snook season. Although the season opened Feb.1st, real snook fishing doesn’t begin until the water starts to approach 70 degrees, which it has off and on lately. On some of our best days last week we left the snook biting after landing 50 or so. As the cold front slid further north and the water temp continues to warm, fishing will only get better. Many of the larger snook will begin to feed. Most of the snook we are catching are in the 22 to 27 inch class, but it’s only a matter of days before we begin to catch more fish in that 30 inch plus class. We have had some really fun days on snook here lately and the really neat thing about where I have been fishing lately is the water clarity and how shallow the snook are laying as they feed and warm themselves in the afternoon sun. Many of the fish are in extremely clear water, as shallow as a foot and a half. It’s awesome, many times you see the whole spectacle unfold right before your eyes. You see the fish, cast to him, then watch in anticipation as the fish streaks to devour you bait or fly. It’s the kind of condition fisherman around the world dream of, it truly seems as if it couldn’t get any better.
As for other fish on the flats, we have been catching quite a few reds in the 17 to 26 inch class, mixed in with the schools of snook. We have also been catching a number of trout in the shallows with the largest toppling 24inches.
As for offshore fishing, snapper and grouper are still good, although I myself have not been heading out there because the flats’ fishing is too good. Give it another three weeks or so and I figure my guys will be heading out there with me slamming the smoker kingfish, tuna and goliath grouper.
The tarpon should start up soon as well, I give it another two weeks for some real consistency. Well hope you have enjoyed my report, I have a few days left this spring if you are interested, as well as a few tarpon days for May, June and July. Let me know if you are interested.
I hope everyone is enjoying the weather and having good luck fishing, and for you northerners, lets hope the ice melts quickly for you. Keep those drags screaming.
Capt Matt
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