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