Celebrating Shark Week

The fishing offshore is hot right now, like our weather still is... Our parties are catching gigantic gag grouper, mahi-mahi [dolphin, but not the kind Flipper is], a variety of sharks, toothy barracudas, kingfish here and there, scamp, a variety of snappers- with monster mangrove snapper being the gems of the catch, & fire engine red grouper.  Check out Fred Comley, from Dayton, Ohio.  He's holding a beautiful firetruck red grouper he caught using a sardine in about 120 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Fred and family also caught many more red and gag grouper plus mangrove snapper while on vacation fishing with Capt Larry.

 Some tips on how to catch the largest gag groupers, is to go deep in about 180-200 ft, which will rock your world with the gangster gag grouper. We have caught nice gags in most all depths lately, starting in about 50 ft on shorter trips. On longer trips, Capt. Larry likes to at least start out in 120 ft, and there is where you will tear up some real red groupes, as well as some nice snapper and mahi-mahi. As of Aug 1st Amberjack are back in season and ready for the fight, Rocky style! Capt. Larry recommend for this coming weekend to shoot for a night time mangrove snapper trip, perfect for a fall night.  In case you are already missing summer, here's some summer kingfish, to make you feel all warm inside! From left to right, is Megan Danes a& Megan Kasper with their proud kingfish catches. The big king hit a sardine on a flatline while we were catching grouper and snapper. The ladies took turns fighting the the big mack, along with Nathan Danes finishing the fight.
 
After coming off the full moon, snappers usually bite the best during this time. August was one of our peak months for mango snappers.  However,  night fishing in September can yield a myriad of different fish. Something to keep in mind: a week after the full moon the tides and current will slow down and the grouper bite will be off the charts. Directly on the full moon, you'll usually have to work much harder for the grouper, due to the stronger current.  Although,we have still caught some huge grouper lately even during the full moon. Always keep a flatline deployed behind the boat for Florida's pelagic species like wahoo, blackfin tuna, cobia, & summertime smoker kings.... Also, it's a great time to help celebrate shark week by catching a large shark. Here's Tamara Wymer (below) with a reef shark, celebrating shark week.  It's important to note after she caught the reef shark, she carefully released it, to be caught for another day! Tamara was using a sardine in 45 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island, while fishing with Joe Wymer and Capt Larry McGuire.

Remember to keep hydrated with lots of water and sports drinks, because fighting fish in this heat, even though it is Autumn, the thirst can hurt! Now is the time to come on out and get you some of this sweet fish & shark action!



Thanks,
Capt. Larry McGuire
SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS
OPERATING OUT OF THE BRADENTON BEACH MARINA
Cell: (941) 720 - 6475
Email: Captlarrymcguire@gmail.com
facebook.com/ShowMeTheFish

So THAT'S what he's talking about...

Just like the temperatures, offshore action is on fire! Capt. Larry's parties are burning up their reels with the immense amount of fish that have been biting.... They've been catching almost everything this time of the year, from gag and red grouper, to kingfish, Spanish mackerel, cobias, and that wonderful variety of snappers- amberjack, mangrove, yellowtail and lane snappers. Best of all, the parties have been getting what the tourists love to catch most of all- SHARKS! If you missed the post about the most recent bull shark caught on Capt. Larry's boat, check it out here! The blacktip shark below, though of a different kind & smaller is still a fish you would not want to be caught swimming with! From left to right is Lydia Beachum and Judie Beachum, posing with blacktip sharks they caught about 7 miles offshore of Anna Maria Island, using on pinfish. Lydia shows us that it doesnt matter how big or small you are, you can still catch a massive beast of a fish... or two!
Further proving that size doesn't matter, the kingfish below is proudly being held by 11 yr old Harry Duxbury, visiting all the way from England! It was Harry's first kingfish, and was caught with a sardine in about 40 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Certainly much different waters than what he is accustomed to; Capt. Larry was pleased he could help make a lasting impression of what fishing in America is REALLY like!

The action heats up quickly, starting at 40ft to 70 ft for the kings. Capt. Larry's summer plan of action is anchoring up on a honey hole he knows from past experience to be loaded with grouper and snapper, to catch the multitude of tasty bottom fish, and follow that up by deploying a chum block... from there, all Capt. Larry and his party's need to do is stand at the ready on the flat lines & wait for the king mack attack!

TIP OF THE WEEK: Someone asked Capt. Larry recently "How do you find as many kingfish on a regular basis?" He jokes that they don't look for smoker kings, THEY LOOK FOR US! But in all seriousness., with a good chum slick on the waters, the kingfish really do come looking for you. Once the kings are around the boat, Capt. Larry's parties catch them on spoons, gotcha lures and variety of live bait- i.e. blue runners & cigar minnows as dessert to keep the kingfish around for the whole meal, and to keep them jumping in the boat! On a recent trip, a huge kingfish was hiding under the boat trying to eat our Spanish mackerel while it was being reeled in. Capt. Larry truly made lemonade out of lemons by sending the mackerel back out on a stinger rig with larger hooks.... and THEN it was on! End result: a 35 lb smoker screaming the reel, and later in the boat. In Capt. Larry's own words: "That's what I am talking about!"

To find out more what Capt. Larry's talking about, "like" Show Me The Fish on facebook, and to experience the extreme fishing action for yourself, call or email Capt. Larry to arrange a charter for you and your bro's.

Thanks,
Capt. Larry McGuire
SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS
NOW OPERATING OUT OF THE BRADENTON BEACH MARINA
Cell: (941) 720 - 6475
Email: Captlarrymcguire@gmail.com

Spring is in the air AND the water!

Capt. Larry hasn't let the weather fluctuations slow down his fishing charters a bit; lately, they've been hitting the large Amberjacks hard, using a combination of large live baits and butterfly jigs. After his fishing parties have caught their limit of those reef donkeys [amberjacks], not to mention usually releasing a plethora of more amberjacks, we break out the light rods and tear into the snapper action. We have variety, just to keep life interesting, on Capt. Larry's trips... snappers range from a mangrove, lane, vermilion and huge flag yellowtail snappers. Below is Bill VanWienen from Grand Rapids, Michigan, holding an impressive gag grouper he caught and released using a live grunt in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Bill and party were catching a whole mess of amberjack and a variety of snappers, without even targeting grouper. The party still caught and released 15 huge gag grouper on that charter with Capt. Larry.

A myriad of porgies and triggerfish have also consistently been in the box at the end of the day as well. We are still catching & releasing much gag and red grouper, even though we aren't even targeting them. Best action starts out at about 110 ft, and only gets better as you fish out deeper. Closer in, there are all-you-can-catch sheephead on the artificial reefs, docks and bridges. Off the beach, is where the Spanish mackerel and Bonita seem to be hanging out, so where you go to fish really depends on what you're looking to catch, and inevitably cook up some tasty times of your own!

After perfect weather as of recent, it is an indication that spring just might be here. I forecast pelagics will be close behind, with an early wild and crazy kingfish run... along with cobia and blacktip shark so ready to be caught, they almost jump in the boat! Fishing is great, the weather is beautiful and life is good. Now is the time to come on out and get on the fishin' while it's wet & wild!

Capt Larry McGuire
Show Me The Fish Charters
Cell: 941-720-6475 | Email captlarrymcguire@gmail.com
Operating out of the Cortez Fishing Center, Bradenton, FL

Tis the Season To Catch Gag Grouper!

December is my favorite month of the year; not just because of the Christmas holidays, but because gag grouper are at their peak for copious catching! These bad boys tend to migrate and move into the 'hood; what I mean by that is, closer into the gulf, where they are easier to snag. Look for them anywhere there are rocks, ledges, or structures. This goes from the Tampa Bay shipping channel to 250 ft offshore. Personally, I fish for them for 40 to 130 ft, and on some day catch a limit without traveling farther than 60 ft. That all boils down to less travel time, and more quality fishing time!

On the days I don't have a charter, I'll still go out fishing because it's just THAT good in December. A valuable tip for catching them, is to start out with some frozen sardines and a squid combination; it gets a magical scent going on down in the water. That will have them coming in, and once they do start biting, drop down a live pinfish, sandperch or even a grunt for dessert...at that point, all you need to do is be ready! When that monster grouper hits you, it's like being hit by the Rock on WWE Smackdown; he will bruise you and abuse you! Your rod will bend over, and that's when you need to start cranking the reel as hard and fast as you can, raising it up. Otherwise, he will take you down into the rocks and break your line. My personal term for that kind of action is “taking you to school;” on a few trips, i've seen guys bent over the side of the boat, rods bent almost around the bottom of the boat when that big grouper hits and they lose control. My first mate and I always try to assist someone before the situation gets that extreme. It's much like lifting heavy weights... sometimes you just need a spotter.

With plenty of large red grouper, monster mangrove snapper, not to mention the cobia and kingfish (if we have a warm winter), it's definitely an adrenaline rush out there! So far, both cobia and kingfish have still been available. Always keep that flat line out while you are bottom fishing, because you might be rewarded, and even hook a blackfin tuna or wahoo when you are out deeper (120-160 ft, or more). Chum blocks also always help.

Amberjack will be moving in closer and feeding better as the water temperature cools, but they're out of season until January. Remember to watch the rule book very closely, because regulations are always changing. During this month there could be a front moving through every week, and you need to be ready to fish in that window of opportunity. There's usually a few calm days in between, and you might just have that awesome fishing trip of a lifetime you've always dreamed of! Now is the time to come and get that Christmas present-- a big gag grouper! Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Thanks,

Capt Larry McGuire

SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS

Cell 941-720-6475

captlarrymcguire@gmail.com

Located at the Cortez Fishing Center Bradenton Fl.

October Fishing Forecast

t’s Going to be an Octoberfest for Fishing This Month!

In October anglers can expect a cornucopia of action that is sure to produce a variety of tasty treats. Warm waters of the gulf will begin to cool as our days get shorter; it sends most species into a feeding frenzy with the fall patterns. Gag groupers have started migrating closer to shore and anywhere there are rock piles or ledges. Look for them in about 25 to 100 ft of water, and they WILL be hungry, getting fat to prepare for the winter.

Fire-truck red grouper will still be hot as ever, and look for them at 100ft and farther out. The fall kingfish run should start any day now, even though there have been some smoker kings around all year. The fall run can get wild and crazy, especially when you chum a large school. It’s like trick-or-treats while bottom fishing for grouper and snapper… That’s how I like to fish for kings; I make them come to me, instead of chasing them around.

Most species of offshore fish will be available and hungry, especially many mangrove & yellowtail snappers, as well as amberjacks. These are found in abundance in about 150ft on the wrecks and springs. Cobia can show up anytime in large schools, both near the beach to deep offshore. Mahi-Mahi (a dolphin unrelated to flipper) will be out deep until the first cool front pushes them south for the winter. Keep an eye out for blackfin-tuna; last fall we caught some nice ones on our flat lines. Summer action was boiling hot, but it’s only going to get hotter as the water temperature cools. Fall and early winter are my overall favorite times to fish. Now is the time to come out and GET YOU SOME!

Thanks,

Capt. Larry

Capt Larry McGuire

"SHOW ME THE FISH CHARTERS"

Cortez Fishing Center

Bradenton Florida [941-720-6475]

captlarrymcguire@gmail.com