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.
78
Reviews
16
Fishing Reports
Verified

My Charter Listing

Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore

State licensed
Excellent
5.0 / 5
(78 reviews)
Belleair Bluffs
 Last booking: 2 days ago
 Instant Confirmation
Trips from US $475

Fishing Reports

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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Great fishing nearshore
Great fishing nearshore
Sep 29, 2025 Belleair Bluffs
We are catching a mixed bag of fish on the 4 and 5 hour trips. The Mangrove Snapper have been showing up in good numbers in 35 feet if water. There have been a few keeper Hog Fish mixed in with the Snapper. Our Gag grouper season was short and we were able to get a few keepers,but most were short of the slot limit. There were a few keeper Red Grouper that were caught in the same area as the Mangrove Snapper and Hog Fish. The Cobia were happy to make an appearance but were just short but put up a great fight for our customers and made lasting memories. The Bonita and Spanish Mackerel are showing up on the reefs and just off the beaches. Make sure to have plenty of live bait and you should have success with these fish.
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Grouper bite is on fire in December near
Grouper bite is on fire in December near
Dec 9, 2024 Belleair Bluffs
We are definitely up and running after the storms! The Gag and Red Grouper bite has been on fire in December. The nearshore reefs in 35 foot of water are holding good numbers just in time for the Red Grouper season opens on Jan. 1st. There are good numbers of grunt for a table full of fresh fish for the family. We have seen some Grey Triggerfish come over the rails. Hog fish are always a nice treat when they show up. Make sure to have plenty of live or fresh frozen shrimp to bump the odds in your favor. If you have some frozen threadfin for chunk bait or chum, who knows what may show up. We have had good luck on our 4 hour trips with different species of fish. If you want to get out, bring a jacket and warm clothes for the early morning trips and you will be fine. Make sure to book soon as these trips go fast.
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
5.0 / 5
out of 5 stars from 78 reviews
See details
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (141)
Caught fish fast!
Caught fish fast!
Caught fish fast!
+138
Angler rating
77
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
94%
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Showing:
5 of 78 reviews
Michael L.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Vacation fishing trip!!

VERIFIED   4 Hour Private Afternoon Charter on March 7, 2024
What a fantastic day!! Not only was the weather great, so was Captain Matt!!! Got us on the fish as soon as we got to the reef!!...
Michael L. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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Jim M.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Great morning fishing!

VERIFIED   3 Hour Private Morning Charter on July 26, 2023
Captain Matt was a great captain, pointing out things to us that we wouldnโ€™t have noticed out on the water, like a huge school...
Jim M. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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Ben H.
Tampa, Florida
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Night Charter with Captain Matt

VERIFIED   4 Hour Trip โ€“ Night Fishing on February 23, 2023
Captain Matt delivered a fantastic experience! Good boat with great fish finding and safety gear. Captain Matt was incredibly...
Ben H. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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FishingBooker Member
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

USF Fishing Trip

4 Hour Private Afternoon Charter on December 7, 2024
Captain Matt graciously offered to take out a large group of students from the USF fishing club and boy did we get on them....
FishingBooker Member recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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Tosha W.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Put us on the fish!

VERIFIED   5 Hour Private Morning Charter on July 7, 2024
This is our 2nd time booking with Mow Fish. Captain Matt always has put us on the fish and makes sure my boy and I have a great...
Tosha W. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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1 person finds this review helpful
You and 1 other person found this review helpful
Tosha W. recommends Mow Fish Charter โ€“ Nearshore
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1 person finds this review helpful
You and 1 other person found this review helpful
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