Jack Snapper Happy

It's been a hotbed of sweet snapper action fishing with Show Me The Fish Charters! We've had heavy action grace us with a bounty of fish before the wind started blowing, and giving us a mild cold front. Capt. Larry's 31 ft custom Morgan Sportfish can handle the high winds and seas, but it's like riding a roller coaster ride once the party is farther offshore, and not always funsies for most folks. Last weekend it seemed the fish knew the weather was going to be less than optimal, as the amberjacks were starved... almost as if they were going to chew the bottom off the boat! Saying they were feeding heavy before the front is definitely an understatement! Below is a nice American red snapper, being held by Dick Prentice of Anna Maria Island for a quick picture before it was released. Dick was using sardine, specifically targeting other snapper & various reef fish, roughly 120 ft off Anna Maria Island.Large live baits for the AJ's are working best in this weather. Along with the usual suspects of amberjacks, Capt. Larry's party's have been hammering hard on monster mangrove snappers, trophy flag yellow tail snapper, tasty lane and vermilion snappers, porgies, & triggerfish to fill the coolers with the fantastical fish that will eventually fill our bellies! Along with what we kept, we have been carefully releasing large gag grouper and American red snappers in about 110 ft, catching them without even trying. Below is Tom Kearney, also from Anna Maria Island, with a nice gag grouper he caught and released. Tom was using a live grunt, trying to fish for amberjacks in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island when he caught this beast.
Further offshore in about 160 ft on the springs and wrecks are party's are catching all the above plus lots of blacktip sharks up to 6 ft and hooking into much larger sharks around 9 ft maybe around 250 lb range. Closer in on the near-shore reefs the best sheephead action of the year is going on during this month. It sure looks like spring is here, & Capt. Larry is looking forward to the kingfish that will be here any day now; and when they arrive he will be vigilantly there for them! As soon as the wind calms down, the bite offshore will be off the charts. These fronts are actually helping the fishing by bunching them up into groups and pushing new fish into on our reefs, wrecks and rockpiles. The first boats that hit these honey holes will be rewarded with an amazing experience. Fishing's great and life is good, now is the time to go offshore for a trip of a lifetime. Capt. Larry's springtime wishes for you: keep tight lines and good fishing will continue!

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

Fishing In a Winter Wonderland...

Many fishers get turned off when it gets chilly out, but Capt. Larry's trips have been awesome despite (or maybe in spite of) the cold. He only made one trip this past week due to the winter winds, but the cold weather wont stop these fishermen! If you can get out on the water, you will definitely be rewarded with a bountiful catch offshore, in between the cold fronts. There's no competition because there isn't anyone out there on the reefs due to the high wind, resulting in the fish are stacked up, ravenous, & ready to be caught. Look at 7 year old Cade Parsons, who wasn't fazed by the cooler weather (being from Lake Orion, Michigan probably helps!), holding a big gag grouper. Cade was using a live pinfish in about 50 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island & caught the gag grouper while fishing with his father.

On Show Me The Fish charters, we are catching many large amberjacks, and in those same areas catching a great number of red groupers, mangrove snappers, plus yellowtail, lane, and vermillion snappers. Though a lot of fishers discount them, we've also caught more than a few triggerfish, and a bunch of porgies, which are actually pretty tasty. These species feed well during the winter, one just needs to find the right day to make the trip offshore. Your best bite will be offshore of Anna Maria Island, in roughly about 120 ft waters, using large live bait.

On the inshore scene, my friends are catching lots of sheepsheads around the docks and bridges, as well as nice sized trout in the Palma Sola bay area. Looks like this is going to be a rough winter, so be able to adapt & get ready to fish in the instance between the cold fronts when you'll be able to get out there.

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

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Grouper...

How has your holiday season treated you in regard to fishing? Did Santa stuff your stocking with grouper galore? Well, if not, you're not fishing with the right people or in the right places!
December is Captain Larry's favorite month to catch grouper, especially gags. So far this month the weather has not been the welcoming, pleasant weather Florida is known for; it's been windy, with some record cold temperatures earlier in Dec. As of the writing of this, Capt. Larry has still managed to fish offshore once this week, which isn't optimal, but certainly better than no fishing at all offshore! There was a window of opportunity in between cold fronts, and despite the weather, he was rewarded with a fantastic trip. Captain Larry got the present from the sea of a limit catch of gag grouper, along with some black grouper, a few festive red grouper thrown in, and many delicious snapper to make it well rounded.Live pinfish and grunts has been the best bait Capt. Larry has used, but frozen sardines and cut bait also have had awesome results. On every spot we fished from 40 ft out to 80 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island, the fishing party caught plenty of keeper grouper. On most of these areas, the serious anglers got hit by some freight trains of monster grouper that ran them down in the rocks, and physically abused these guys, resulting in a broken line! Capt. Larry calls it "taking them to school" or "rocking them up." And no matter how big or bad you are, a large gag grouper will rock you like a hurricane!

Further offshore past 100 ft, there are a whole posse of big amberjacks on the wrecks and springs, just waiting for a fight (are you up for it?), along with much larger mangrove snappers & the possibility of cobias, or black fin tuna showing up to crash the party. Above is Rob Brady from Bradenton, Fl with a flag yellowtail snapper he caught using a sardine in about 120 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Rob caught this while taking a break from his tackle shop called "Reel Tackle" at the Red Barn Flea market, and caught more than just this flag yellowtail-- more snappers, amberjack, and red grouper.

This time of year you have to be ready to fish whenever possible, in between these cold fronts, and you will most definitely be rewarded with a very Merry Christmas!

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