Sunday, May 30, 2010

Ending May With A Blast Of Goliath Grouper!

The temperatures are rising, and so is the amount of fish we've been catching during recent trips. My parties have been getting in a large number of gag and red grouper, smoker kingfish, amberjacks, mangrove and yellowtail snappers, big barracudas, blacktip and other large sharks. Along with those impressive specimens, we've been playing the catch and release game with goliath groupers. The best grouper action I've seen lately is out past 150 ft for large reds or inside Tampa bay for some tasty, huge gag grouper and Spanish mackrel. I'd like to note that kingfish and shark frenzies can happen at any depth, the key is to have plenty of bait. Monster amberjacks (also called reef donkeys by some folks), are on most of the wrecks, springs and deep ledges. They are sure to make your arms sore and body ache, and having you feeling those monster amberjacks throughout the next day!

In the slideshow below, Captain Larry is releasing an aprox 350 lb Goliath Grouper Flint Bescker from Buffalo New York caught using an amberjack for bait. We were offshore of Anna Maria Island, in about 90ft using a 9/0 senator reel, extra heavy duty rod and 200 lb test. Flint and his friends broke of a few larger Goliath groupers and finally caught a smaller one and then I safely released it to fight another day. Ron Kinlaw is next with one of the many gag groupers he caught, on a typical beautiful sunny day! And the last picture is me again with a nice Blacktip Shark we caught and released safely, using a live pinfish on a flatline fishing in 90 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island.

Tarpon have also been showing up here in Sarasota bay. And on another note, the experts and scientists' forecast that it's not likely for that nasty oil spill to hit our coast, and the west coast of Florida- even the keys, will be fine. We should all be praying it'll stay that way. I've been fishing these waters for decades now, and especially for now, there's no reason not to go fishing or visit our beautiful gulf beaches; they aren't rated some of the nicest in the world for no reason!

The fish are biting,the weather is beautiful and life is good so come on out and get ya some!


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