Anna Maria Island is now known by many as the tarpon capital of the world. Back in the day I would run the beaches for miles in search of tarpon and sometimes not even see another boat. There are a lot more boats out there now, but the good news is there are a lot of tarpon too. Some of the larger schools you count by the hundreds, and sometimes even thousands.
We are in peak season now and there are tarpon everywhere. My best day in the last few days we landed eight, the smallest about 75 pounds and the largest 160 to 170. I am not sure what the most I ever caught in a day is — well over ten — but I do know the most by a single angler in my boat. Years ago, Kevin Moses came out by himself and landed seven tarpon in a single trip, five of them before 10:30 in the morning after a 6 a.m. start. Two were 150-pound-class fish. Of all the days I have shared on the water, that one ranks as one of the greatest.
The tarpon fishing is as good as it gets right now. I have had a few days this week so exciting that when I come in I am still buzzing over it, wondering what tomorrow will bring as I try to fall asleep. One day when I retire from fishing, the thing I will miss most is tarpon season. It is the hardest time of year for me, physically and mentally, but I live for it.
Capt. Matt Ercoli
941-447-9888 · captainmatt.com
