Offshore Producing Gag Gouper and More

Capt. Larry McGuire reported that offshore action has been exceptional the past six weeks with American red snapper season open.

On Show Me The Fish Charters running out in a custom 31-foot Morgan Sportfish anglers are catching red, mangrove and yellowtail snappers along with firetruck red grouper up to 25 pounds, mahi mahi, porgys, big sharks, barracudas, catch-and-release gag grouper and amberjack.

Working depths from 125-to-160 feet offshore of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, live and cut bait are producing, he said.

"On one trip, the catch of the day went to 12-year-old Rocky Finerty from Wilmington, Del., catching his limit of red snappers, a pair of 7-pound mangrove snappers, grouper and amberjack," he said. "Rocky Carry's his name ... he was my go-to man, out-fishing all of the experienced adults on this trip."

McGuire said Josh Phillips from Lakeland caught a great wahoo using a sardine in about 125 feet offshore of Anna Maria Island.

They started the day heading offshor but interrupted the trip when they saw a school of Mahi.

"On the bottom we found a new area of large red snappers and huge red grouper," he said. "We were catching lots of them when the Wahoo came to the back of the boat. First mate Anthony kept him happy feeding him bits of bait until we I got a flat line ready and all the grouper rods out of the way."

McGuire said he then pitched a sardine to the wahoo and asked, "Who wants some of this?"

He said Phillips jumped on it and the fight was on. It took an hour to get the wahoo in the boat.