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Tampa Bay - Saltwater
Capt. Matt Ercoli
July 2, 2007
Tampa Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Hello from Anna Maria, it’s July 2nd and nearly a dozen tarpon hooked up before 1 o’clock in the afternoon. We called it quits early, weary backs and sore biceps. That’s what happens when you’re sticking the hook into 100 pound class silver kings and that last 150 pounder finished my group off early today. It’s been great tarpon fishing this week and for the whole season for that matter. Most days this past week we have been averaging around 10 hookups a day. Everything has been ideal for tarpon, light winds, clear water, and not too much rain. So it’s just been consistently good all around. I have just really been enjoying myself this tarpon season so far. It finally feels like summer just this past week or so, hot but not too bad with the sea breeze. The tarpon are really acting and moving as if it was the first of June not the first of July. I think the season is going to run later this year and I think we will finish July strong and maybe run into August. I mean this last moon just brought in so many fish and they are everywhere I go. I am running into schools of tarpon and really large ones. One day last week I sat on 5 or 6 schools of fish all around my boat, all 500 or more fish per school, all crashing the surface, all biting, sharks crashing making them leap out of the water like minnows on the flats, and I was the only boat within a half mile. It was an incredible sight even if we hadn't dropped a hook in the water. That’s why I believe Tampa bay has got to be some of the best tarpon fishing in the world. So many fish and May thru July its all sight fishing large schooling fish, at least that’s what I target anyway. At this rate my boat is looking at hooking up over 450 to 500 plus tarpon in just 3 months from May 1st till the end of July. We have had several large fish landed this year, probably 5 or 6 around 200 pounds with lots of 150 and countless 100 pound plus fish, and some very exciting shark attacks one of which I have all on video. Wait till you see this 15ft hammerhead crush a tarpon just a few feet off the boat? I will have it online hopefully in August for everyone to get a little taste of the moment. It’s been an exciting season, I’m sure July will be equally as good.
As for other fish, snook and redfish have been pretty good the few days we did backwater fish this past month. We caught lots of snook, although tarpon is really my main quarry right now and will be till the end of July. That’s not because the flats is not good though.
Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed my report, I have a few days left in July if you want get out and jump some tarpon, let me know soon. I Hope everyone enjoys this report, good luck on the water fishing.
Capt. Matt.
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