Groupers Galore!

So much gargantuan grouper action on Capt. Larry's boat lately!  To the right is Susie Weaver from Atlanta, GA- with an assist by first mate & Capt. Anthony Leverett.  This beast was caught (& released) by using sardines as bait, in about 60 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.  Susie & her party also caught many more gag & red grouper, which are also worthy of bragging rights, with shark & a few snapper thrown in to the menagerie.

Holding another gorgeous grouper, is 12 year old Katharine Kerrin (below) from Minneapolis, MN with her large red grouper she caught using a sardine in about 50 ft. offshore of Anna Maria Island.  Katharine caught the most & biggest grouper on the trip with her family.  

Proving that ladies catch just as much fish as guys, is Katharine's sister, Kelly Kerin is below holding a huge gag grouper she caught on the same trip.  All in all, the family caught & released about 20 nice gag groupers, kept some of the red grouper & snapper for the table.  There's certainly no shortage of good fishing out there for you!  

Instead of looking at pictures of other people having fun & fishing, be part of the action & get out on the water!  Remember, just because you might need to release your gag grouper, doesn't mean catching them isn't a blast in and of itself.  Book a charter with Capt. Larry & find out what a great time you can have with your family & friends... LIVE THE DREAM!

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

AmberJack of Hearts for Valentines Day

Did you have a great Valentines Day?  If not, perhaps a fishing trip is exactly what you need to feel better about your February... Make your own holiday- Fishing With Friends!  Below is Kim Brown from Standish, ME with the first amberjack she has ever caught.  Kim was using a live pinfish in about 150ft offshore of Anna Maria Island while fishing with Capt. Larry.  Her party also caught more amberjacks, & a variety of grouper and some snapper.

On another fantastic fishing trip, 8 year old Makenna Tennimon (below)caught a fish that up until now hasn't made a debut on the Show Me the Fish blog-- a bonnet head shark!  Makenna & her family are from Parrish & caught more than just the bonnet head shark she held like a barbie doll for the photo shoot.  After carefully releasing the shark, the family also scored many gag grouper that were also released to grow up & be caught another day!  Fortunately, despite the grouper being so large & plentiful that they can often scare away the snapper & other reef fish from feeding on the bait, the family managed to catch quite a few snappers. 

Showcasing another fish that was successfully caught & released is Jim Mallo below, holding a lovely gag grouper.  Jim was fishing with the Lakewood Ranch Fishing Club in about 125 ft offshore Anna Maria Island & to the delight of the party, they also caught & released more gag groupers, a Goliath grouper, as well as catching some red grouper & mangrove snapper for their fish fry.  

If you haven't made plans for Valentines Day dinner, a fish fry is always a win, especially with snapper!  More importantly, if you haven't got out on the water to enjoy some of the best fishing the Gulf Coast has to offer, you are missing out... Give Capt. Larry a call to schedule something up, whether for a belated Valentines couples trip (hey, fishing is more romantic than you'd think!) or make it a Guys' Day, with awesome times you'll be recalling for years!

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

Fantastic February Fishing

Awesome things are happening on Capt. Larry's fishing trips!  While on a 4 hr trip, Sydney Moerman caught a blackfin tuna, in about 50 ft waters offshore of Anna Maria Island.  Using a sardine, she got the big tuna's attention, and with lightning fast speed, he skyrocketed underneath the bait & jumped out of the water, startling everyone!  At first everyone thought it was a smoker kingfish putting on a show, but after a long fight & a little help, she boated the beautiful blackfin tuna.  Here 7 year old Syndey is below holding her great catch, with an assist from Bradley Moerman.  The family also caught a smattering of Spanish Mackerel & some kingfish during their trip.

The red grouper action has also been intense; below is Kari Hills, from Jackson, Tennessee, holding her first red grouper ever caught!  She caught it using a live pinfish, in about 60 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island while fishing with Capt. Larry.  After Kari caught it, she released it; just a reminder, red grouper season is closed Feb. 1st - Mar. 31st.  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is a good place to look if you're ever in need of knowing whether or not your type/size of grouper is currently within regulation.

Below is another gorgeous grouper that was carefully vented & released alive- living happily ever after.  From left to right is Larry McGrudder & Capt. Anthony Leverett holding the ginormous Goliath grouper that Larry caught using a 60 lb test and a live pinfish offshore of Anna Maria Isalnd, in about 95 ft waters.

With all of these fierce fish being released, there's plenty out there to catch, so don't hesitate to get out there and fight some fish yourself.  It will get your heart pounding and your blood racing & be an experience you remember the rest of your life... book a charter with Capt. Larry today, he can make it happen!

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

The weather outside is frightful, but the fishing is so delightful

Cobia are here! They are certainly not bashful feeders, chowing down on food from the top to the bottom of the sea (hence why one of their names is "crabeater"), and on this trip, Larry Tinstra (left) caught a massive cobia while using pinfish.  He has been coming down every winter to stay on lovely Anna Maria Island for years, but this was the first time he'd seen or caught one of these monsters.  Mr. Tinstra also said that this was the largest fish he's ever caught!  


In other fishing excitement, mangrove snapper are where it's at!  Chumming has been bringing them around; they are wary fish- which is why they are harder to spearfish, as they aren't curious like other species of fish, and chumming seems to put them at ease.  Their wariness results in the mangrove snapper growing larger, which is certainly a good thing!  Below is Renee Robins with a monster mangrove snapper... she caught it using a live pinfish, in about 125 ft waters, offshore of Anna Maria Island.  Renee & her family also caught a plethora of gag & red grouper, barracuda, & shark while on their vacation fishing trip with Capt. Larry.  

When the cold winds blow from the north, a lot of the fish that swim closer to the surface migrate from places like Alabama to stay warm.  This is great news for us Florida Gulf fishers.   Take advantage of the weather to go out there & get you some of the action before it warms up!

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

Fish Like You Mean It

It's been busy with the holidays, but Capt. Larry has still found time to catch some fantastic fish. Pictured here is Capt. Larry with some tasty tripletails, caught right off the beach using shrimp with his first mate Capt. Anthony Leverett (of Kingdom Business Charters).

Have you got gags?  Just like milk, fish is good for you & helps growing kids stay healthy... with it being cold  & flu season, fish are a great source of protein.  The gag grouper Heather Harriman (from Denver, CO) & Capt. Larry are holding is still out there, waiting to be a meal, as it was released soon after catching!  This gag grouper was caught using pinfish, about 50 foot offshore of Anna Maria Island.

Sharks have by far the most interest from both charter fishers & readers of this blog.  While on vacation from  La Grange Park, Illinois, 10 year old Caleb Smith brought in a large blacktip shark.  Pictured below, he is proud with his catch, the perfect addition to the Smith family's vacation at the Tortuga Inn; posing with him is Susan, Caleb, Emily, Ty & Chris in the back.  

Catching a blacktip shark was what he wanted the most, after seeing his father Chris catch one a few days before.  His excitement came to life when he was using a live grunt, in about 45 ft waters offshore of Anna Maria Island.  The family also caught grouper, a variety of snapper, some Spanish mackerel, while fishing with Capt. Larry.  

If you haven't caught a shark yet, you're missing out on an awesome fight & some of the most delicious meat the Gulf of Mexico has to offer.  Caleb didn't catch all the sharks, though he tried!  Book a trip with Capt. Larry today & see what all of the fuss is about... you too can be one of the proud who can say they caught a shark.  Now is a great time to go out & fish like you mean it!

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

  

Bringing in the New Year with groupers!

Much grouper action has been happening with Capt. Larry & the Lakewood Ranch Fishing Club. To the left is Chuck Bismark (Bradenton), with Capt. Anthony Leverett assisting on a giant goliath grouper.  This beast was caught (and carefully released to fight another day) using sardines on an 80 lb test, about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.  The goliath grouper weighed approximately 130 lbs, which is actually considered small for this species, as many group up to 800 lbs locally.  The Lakewood Ranch Fishing Club also caught an immense amount of mangrove snapper, red grouper- some up to 20 lbs, released a few large gag groupers.  Below is Chuck Walker from Bradenton, holding his trophy-sized red grouper he caught using a sardine in about 125 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. Some other impressive red grouper have been caught lately on Capt. Larry's charters.














Below is Paul Fourmier and Tim Bradey, from Clearwater, with their red grouper. They were using sardines, in about 130 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island. The party also caught more grouper and snapper had a fantastic day fishing.

Make 2013 a great year for fishing by going out on the trip of a lifetime with Capt. Larry or giving a gift certificate to someone who really enjoys a hardcore fishing experience they're sure to be talking about for a long time.  There's still plenty of grouper out there, just waiting for someone to come out & get 'em some!



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

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