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

Tis The Season To Catch Gag Grouper!

How are you celebrating this season? Well, Doug Peterson (below) brought in some holiday cheer by hooking the largest gag grouper he's ever caught, using a live pinfish. This was in about 60 ft. waters offshore of Anna Maria Island. Doug was visiting the area on vacation, fishing with his dad Jim; both caught their limit of gag grouper, PLUS some red grouper and snappers to make this a Merry Christmas for father-son team!
Also bringing in a festive treat this holiday season, was this nice cobia caught by Lee Smith using a live pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The happy fisher folks (left to right) are Lee Smith, Linda Schultz, Peter Dangler and Pam Turner all from the local Bradenton area. Lee needed a little assistance from his friends to hold the monstrous cobia up for a pic. His party also caught a plethora of grouper and snapper on their trip, which will definitely make this cold season warmer. Trying to figure out what to get that fisherman (or woman!) in your life for Christmas this year? Get them a gift certificate for a fishing trip of a life time by contacting Capt. Larry! It's truly the gift that keeps giving, and will be a present that will excite for more than just the moment of opening, be a "perfect fit", and might even lead to a posting with their picture on Capt. Larry's website!

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

Get the Lead Out To Get Some Red...

Capt. Larry's fishing party got red this weekend, reaching a limit catch of firetruck red grouper and American red snapper. On that same trip, they also caught a mass of humongous gag grouper, cobias, legitimately impressive mangrove snappers, amberjacks and lemon sharks. The bites were coming so fast and furious on the bottom game, they never had a chance to deploy a flatline for the kingfish and other migratory species for what Capt. Larry calls his running game.

Jim Mallo (on right with Tom Blakely) and party represented the Lakewood Fishing Club this Sunday, and caught so many fish it about hurt! Though these were serious anglers, some almost had to tap out... but NEVER did. This wild trip happened out about 140 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, using the magical bait combo of sardines and pinfish.

Closer in, there are a lot of kingfish, Spanish mackerel, gag grouper, cobia, sharks, & barracudas... and interestingly enough, a few reports of sailfish. They were said to be caught out around 7 miles. Hooking up a sailfish at least has better odds than playing the lottery! The more you play offshore, the better your chances to win big, and eventually you will hook into one of these fantastic fighters in our waters. It's considered one of our ultimate catches on the west central coast. Most of our species are on a ferocious feeding binge, trying to get fat for the winter. Like it usually is on Capt. Larry's boat, there's hot fishing action going on, so seize the day & come out and get ya some!

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

Happy Birthday To Capt. Larry!

When Capt. Larry blew out his candles on Oct. 13th, he wished not for a new truck, but instead for the winds to die down to continue on with some awesome fishing! His wish came true that week while about 40 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island... he encountered some hot pelagic action.While anchored on a reef he began catching grouper & snapper as he was bottom fishing. The flatlines with sardines went crazy, with the party catching a large cobias, a smattering of blacktip AND reef sharks, Spanish mackerel, barracuda and a mighty kingfish. Below is Susie Swartz from Chicago, holding a massive cobia, assisted by the birthday boy, Capt. Larry himself!

The weather for the next coming week looks perfect and Capt. Larry plans on heading out past 100 ft, in search of those monster groupers, tasty snappers of varying kinds, and amberjacks. Sometimes at this time of year the seas can be rough... Not a problem though, as you can fish closer in and still catch a plethora of keeper-sized gag grouper, not to mention the many pelagics out there just waiting to bite on your bait! It's a beautiful thing. Don't forget, after Oct. 1 red snapper season has opened on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays. So now is the time to come out and get ya some of this action!

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

Autumn is Coming, but the Grouper Action is Still Hot!

Due to the windy weather, Capt. Larry hasn't been on as many trips as usual, but those that he has had were fast and furious, mostly because gag grouper have started their fall feeding pattern. These bad boys are back in town in the 50 to 60 ft depths, and have voracious appetites; but that is definitely a good thing for the local fishing folks! Capt. Larry has also been catching red grouper, mangrove snapper, trigger fish, amberjack, sharks, barracuda and hooking up some large Goliath grouper. Below is Nick Victor-Smith with his ~350 lb Goliath grouper that he jumped in the water and swam with for a photo shoot before the release. Nick was using a whole mullet for bait in about 60 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.
The party also got busted off on more of these monstrous Goliath groupers, as well as catching some nice gag grouper for dinner! Below is the entire party (left to right) Annah Dault, Nick Victor-Smith, Jenah Victor-Smith, and Chad Coey all from Anna Maria Island. Part of their bountiful catch of gag grouper were acquired using using sardines and pinfish offshore in about 65 ft waters. The party was able to freeze some of the grouper for the upcoming Sept 13th wedding reception for Annah & Chad! Congrats & best wishes to the happy couple!The gag grouper bite will continually to improve, and eventually reach a peak at Christmastime. There are also a large number of Spanish mackerel off the beach, and up to a few miles out. Enjoy the plethora of grouper while it's hot & the weather cools!

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

Shark Attack & Mangrove Madness!

Captain Larry finished up the summer with some impressive catches & amazing trips. For example, Robert Quidry of Tampa- with Anthony Leveret assisting, caught the largest red grouper of his lifetime recently! Robert was using a live pinfish, in 130 ft waters offshore of Anna Maria Island. Robert Quidry's gargantuan red grouper wasn't the only fishtacular catch that trip; the party also caught a bountiful mix of grouper, snapper, and sharks.
Jenny Fulford, of Bradenton, had a close call with a reef shark she caught in 30 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island, using a live grunt for her bait. Jenny was fishing with Nelon Kirkland, and had a bit of a surprise during picture time.... As you can see from the slideshow, she was holding her recently caught, 4 1/5 ft reef shark, and it decided to take a stand & BITE BACK! No ladies were harmed during the incident, and we can only assume aforementioned shark was perhaps camera shy.

Pastor Greg Dumas, lead pastor of The Crossing Church in Brandon, had a VERY blessed trip while out with Capt. Larry! As you can see from the picture, instead of manna from the heavens, his blessing was a large cobia from the sea! The picture to your right is of Steve Ingram and Pastor Greg Dumas, both from Brandon, with their impressive cobia's. Both were caught using live pinfish in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. During this trip we were discussing a previous trip last summer, where a cobia swam right up to the boat & Pastor Greg threw out a live pinfish to him and subsequently caught the cobia! Right after that it happened again, only this time with 3 cobia's swimmimg up to the boat! We were able to catch 2 out of 3, which is not too shabby at all! The party also caught an array of grouper, amberjacks, sharks, and finished off the day with mangrove madness with a monster mangrove snapper bite. It was definitely one of the more amazing trips, but anytime one fishes with Capt. Larry, it's an adventure of a lifetime! Give the Captain a ring if you'd like to have an adventure that will result in a heart-pounding fights with a wide variety of fish, & exceptional memories (not to mention fish stories!) to share & relive!

Thanks,
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

Who Want's to Be A Fishing Rockstar?

Part of the draw to fish as a sport or hobby is not just the heart-pounding fight of the fish, or the sense of accomplishment when one reels an impressive big one, but the bragging rights & picture taken to show ones' friends of that glorious moment in time. We've all heard grand fish stories, with the obligatory follow up of: "pics or it didn't happen!" Capt. Larry goes one step further and not only takes pictures of the fishers on his boat, he submits them to local & fishing publications like The Coastal Angler, Anna Maria Islander, Manatee River News, Florida Marine Times, Long Boat Key News, Florida Mariner and many more. Not to mention some recaps of fishing good times end up right here, on the Show Me The Fish Blog! Sending your friends a link of your fishing story, complete with fishing picture insde inside trumps a mere picture... Here are some of the latest rockstars that fished with Capt. Larry. Above is Jessica Kreke from Cincinnati, Ohio looking cool in rockstar sunglasses, holding a tremendous smoker Kingfish caught with a sardine, about 45 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.

Next, is Trey Walding,from Lakeland, with rocking out a substantially large firetruck red grouper he caught during a spirited fight, also offshore of Anna Maria Island, but he was a bit farther out at 140ft & was using live pinfish instead.The last fishing rockstars we have are a father and daughter team! Fifteen year old Madison Banks, and her dad Jerry Banks, caught some burly gag groupers while fishing with pinfish, about 60 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.

Do YOU want to be the next fishing rockstar? Contact Capt. Larry & he'll get you to where the action is. Lately, he's been catching enormous amounts of fish whether he's farther out at 130 ft offshore- where he's noticed live pinfish & grunts work best, but he's also been getting considerably large catches closer in around 50 ft. There, it seems is an extensive variety of fish: kingfish, sharks, snapper, and even some considerable sized gag grouper. In the passes, along the beach and Skyway bridge tarpon are plentiful. Now is the time to come out, get in on the action, and be a fishing rockstar!

Thanks,
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