Captain
Matthew Karwoski

Member since December 2021 Belleair Bluffs, United States
Background
Captain Matthew offers fun-packed fishing trips, cruises, and other interesting outings on the beautiful waters of Florida. Captain Matt also has a 25 ton Master Captain's Lisence from the U.S.C.G. which shows his dedication and time on the waterways he will be fishing. Come join him aboard a spacious 29 foot center console fishing machine and you are sure to have a memorable fishing experience that will last for a lifetime!
Techniques
Trolling,bottom fishing, and live bait fishing are the preferred techniques.

Hey, I'm Captain Matthew Karwoski

Belleair Bluffs, United States
Background
Captain Matthew offers fun-packed fishing trips, cruises, and other interesting outings on the beautiful waters of Florida. Captain Matt also has a 25 ton Master Captain's Lisence from the U.S.C.G. which shows his dedication and time on the waterways he will be fishing. Come join him aboard a spacious 29 foot center console fishing machine and you are sure to have a memorable fishing experience that will last for a lifetime!
Techniques
Trolling,bottom fishing, and live bait fishing are the preferred techniques.
Anglers Choice
83
Reviews
18
Fishing Reports
Verified

My Charter Listing

Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore

State licensed
Excellent
5.0 / 5
(83 reviews)
Angler's choice
Belleair Bluffs
 Instant Confirmation
Trips from US $475

Fishing Reports

Incredible action in April
Incredible action in April
Apr 6, 2026 Belleair Bluffs
April is one of the most productive months of the year, and the bite is heating up across the board. If youโ€™ve been waiting for the right time to get on the waterโ€”this is it. King Mackerel are starting to show up in strong numbers just offshore, with fast action and great opportunities for both trolling and live baiting. Spanish Mackerel are thick right now, providing constant rod-bending action thatโ€™s perfect for families and anglers looking to stay busy. Nearshore and bottom fishing has been excellent. Red Grouper season is delivering quality fish, and weโ€™re consistently putting solid keepers in the box. Mixed in, weโ€™re seeing plenty of Grunt and Black Sea Bass, making for easy limits and steady action throughout the trip. Cobia are also beginning their spring push, and weโ€™re starting to spot them cruisingโ€”giving anglers a shot at one of the most exciting sight-fishing opportunities of the year. What to expect on your trip: โ€ข Non-stop action with Spanish Mackerel and bottom species โ€ข Opportunities to target bigger fish like Kingfish and Cobia โ€ข Calm spring conditions making for comfortable rides โ€ข A full box of fresh fish to take home Trips are booking quickly as the spring bite ramps up. Morning slots, especially on weekends, are filling first. If youโ€™re looking for variety, action, and the chance at multiple species in one trip, April is hard to beat. Book now and get in on one of the best bites of the season.
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Fishing is really heating up
Fishing is really heating up
Apr 1, 2026 Belleair Bluffs
Current spring conditions around Belleair Bluffs and nearby Clearwater are improving fast with warmer water, more bait moving in, and better action both inshore and offshore. Spanish mackerel are already showing strongly on the flats and near bridges, while grouper, triggerfish, and kingfish action should continue improving through April. Grunt โ€“ Grunts are biting well on nearshore hard bottom and reefs in 40โ€“80 feet. Small pieces of squid, shrimp, and cut bait on light tackle are producing steady action. Red Grouper โ€“ Red grouper action is solid offshore in deeper structure and hard-bottom areas west of Clearwater. Live pinfish, sardines, and cut bait around ledges and rock piles are working best. Offshore captains around Belleair Bluffs have continued reporting red grouper catches through the cooler months, which is a good sign heading into April. Cobia โ€“ Cobia should begin showing more consistently around markers, buoys, rays, and nearshore wrecks this month as water temperatures climb. Keep a pitch rod ready with live pinfish or large jigs. Black Sea Bass โ€“ Black sea bass are still available offshore on rocky bottom and reef structure, especially mixed in with grunts and snapper. Shrimp and squid on bottom rigs are working. Triggerfish โ€“ Triggerfish are holding on deeper wrecks and reefs offshore. Smaller hooks tipped with squid or cut bait are best because they can be picky and steal bait easily. King Mackerel โ€“ Kingfish activity should pick up over the next few weeks around bait schools, shipping channels, and offshore reefs. Slow trolling live bait like threadfins and sardines is the best approach. Spanish Mackerel โ€“ Spanish mackerel are one of the hottest bites right now. Schools have moved onto the shallow grass flats, passes, and bridges, and anglers are seeing nonstop action with flashy spoons, jigs, and live bai
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March Fishing report
March Fishing report
Mar 2, 2026 Belleair Bluffs
Nearshore Bite Overview (Belleair Bluffs / Pinellas County) ? Current Fishing Conditions Nearshore spots are producing, especially around natural hard bottom and reef structure a few miles off the beach โ€” hogfish and grouper bites have been consistent lately. Recent reports from area captains indicate quality nearshore action with keeper fish coming to the boat. Water temps in the area are starting to warm up as spring approaches, which usually improves activity on keeper grouper and reef species. Traditional nearshore patterns (structure edges, reef patches, deeper grass lines) are being fished by charter captains with success. ? Likely Species Being Caught Nearshore Based on recent local reports and Gulf catch trends in the Pinellas Bay / nearshore Gulf: Hogfish โ€“ good numbers coming from reef structure. Grouper (keepers) โ€“ some keepers and releases reported on bottom rigs near ledges. Mangrove snapper & grunts โ€“ classic nearshore reef staples; productive on shrimp and cut bait. Redfish, Spanish mackerel, sheepshead & trout have been noted in the general bay area and nearshore by guides, with Spanish mackerel showing up seasonally. Tarpon can also be encountered in nearshore runs during the late spring run. ? 2. Best Bite Times & Tide Info for Nearshore Trips Major bite windows: late morning to early afternoon and again late night. Minor bite windows: early morning (around sunrise) and late afternoon. These solunar times combined with tide transitions generally provide the best nearshore bites.
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2 hour trip
2 hour trip
Nov 21, 2025 Belleair Bluffs
Always cool to catch these guys..
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5 hour Near shore trip
5 hour Near shore trip
Nov 13, 2025 Belleair Bluffs
The weather has cooled the water temps and the fish are slowly making their way closer to shore. Make sure you have plenty of shrimp with you for these trips near shore. We use plenty of frozen threadfin chuncks for the bigger Mangrove snapper. Red Grouper share the same habitat as the Mangrove Snapper and Hog Fish so you never know what may be coming over the rails. Be prepared for the occasional Cobia to crash the party. Be ready with a fresh live bait to get these fish fired up.
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Cooler weather will bring some fish in c
Cooler weather will bring some fish in c
Oct 24, 2025 Belleair Bluffs
As the weather finally cools down, the nearshore bite will heat up! The Spanish and King Mackerel are showing up in good numbers on the nearshore reefs and wrecks. Make sure to look for the birds diving on the bait pods. The Mackerel will be close. The Red grouper bite has been consistent and we get a few keepers mixed in with plenty of shorts. Hog Fish will be a strong possibility this month, make sure to bring plenty of live shrimp. We have seen good numbers of Triggerfish come over the side with a few keepers. Make sure to book soon as these trips are popular and fill up fast.
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
5.0 / 5
out of 5 stars from 83 reviews
See details
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (155)
Tons of Fun
Tons of Fun
Caught a tiger shark along with an abundance of fish we brought home!
+152
Angler rating
82
0
1
0
0
Anglers claimed
Good experience
98%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Appropriate for children
98%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Caught fish
95%
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5 of 83 reviews
Tammy O.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Caught a tiger shark along with an abundance of fish we brought home!

VERIFIED   NEW  6 Hour private Fishing Charter on April 1, 2026
Matt came well prepared bringing us water and sunscreen, he took us to awesome spots were we caught grunts, mangrove snappers,...
Tammy O. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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Frank B.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Capt. Matt Is Terrific!

VERIFIED   4-Hour Gulf Fishing Adventure on January 24, 2026
Matt was very courteous, helpful, and did everything in his power to make my wife and I comfortable. He called ahead of the...
Frank B. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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George A.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

New fisherman

VERIFIED   3 Hour Private Afternoon Charter on March 11, 2026
we had a great time. the captain was super with my son. we had no knowledge and he taught us everything we needed for the day....
George A. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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Riley S.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Perfect Trip

VERIFIED   3 Hour Private Morning Charter on March 8, 2026
We booked a last minute trip with Capt Matt and turned out to be a blast! we not only caught fish which is not a guarantee...
Riley S. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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Heidi B.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Lots of Action!

VERIFIED   2 Hour Private Fishing Charter on November 21, 2025
We had the most memorable fishing trip with Captain Matt. From the moment we drooed our lines, we had fish on! I highly recommend...
Heidi B. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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