My parties have been finding fish and exciting times off Anna Maria Island. Lauren Marie of Bradenton caught, and released,  a big beautiful Gag Grouper She was using a sardine in about 65 ft offshore. Lauren is a avid inshore flats fisherman and this was her first offshore experience; it was a great one. Her party also caught and released many more Gags, plus lots of Red Grouper, Scamp, Porgys, Triggerfish, Hogfish, and lots of other Snappers for dinner.

Roger Phillips The 3rd, using a large live pinfish in about 120 ft offshore, came up with a great Amberjack.

And Kelly Quin of Ann Maria Island said she would like to catch a hogsnapper, as she had never caught one before. Miss Kelly received her heart's desire when her wish was granted while fishing in about 65 ft offshore.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) introduced a new feature on its website this week. Users can now view and search a database of Florida boat ramps.

“Providing safe, convenient access to Florida’s waterways is one of our goals,” said Pat Harrell, the FWC’s Boating Access Coordinator. “This database is designed to help keep boaters informed about facilities that are currently available.”

Lauren Marie of Bradenton, FL with a big beautiful gag grouper she caught and carefully released, using a sardine in about 65 ft offshore of Anna Maria Island, fishing with Capt Larry McGuire Show Me The Fish Charters. Operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina.

Lauren is a avid inshore flats fisherman; this was her first offshore experience and it was a great one. Our party also caught and released many more gags plus lots of red grouper, scamp, porgys, triggerfish, hogfish, and lots of other snappers for dinner.

Ahoy there, Anglers,

There are a few things I want to talk about. First, Rick Hale of Rick's Bait & Tackle Store and I have been on the phones getting support for the Recreational Fishing Alliance's North Florida Chapter, and I have to say we've really been making progress in fighting the non-science-based fishing closures that the eviro-nut-backed Feds are forcing on all anglers. Just since our first RFA Rally we held November 1st we've had loads of support from area anglers, inshore and offshore alike. This is exactly what we all need, support from the fishing community. If we're going to stand up against these enviro-nuts that want our boats off the water, want our fishermen and women off the shoreline, off the piers, and off the bridges and private docks even, then we need to stand together and grow our 'army' and show the politicians that "WE FISH AND WE VOTE".

This is our time. It's not about Republicans or Democrats or Independents. It's about a love for a national pastime that's been enjoyed for centuries, fishing. Anglers are in all parties. Please come to our next RFA Rally. Get educated about what's happening that you don't see in the news or in the paper. It's free.

While styles run the gamut among today’s premier sporting artists, there is little disagreement as to the first and best game fish painter of all time. Over the course of more than 40 years, Stanley Meltzoff (1917–2006) established a reputation for astonishing underwater realism that has never been equaled. 

He painted virtually all of the world’s great saltwater game species, and his art dominated the sporting press for decades. If you picked up an outdoor magazine or tournament program from the eras of Kennedy to Reagan, you’ve undoubtedly seen his work. Those were oil paintings—not photographs—and no other artist has ever done it better.

The winds are blowing, tides are low, and the water is too cold for the fish to bite right now. Don’t lose hope, because thanks to the hot water runoff of the power plants, February can be a most productive month. Snook, Redfish, Pompano, Jacks, Trout, Sharks and Cobia are just a few of the species which invade the warm waters of the power plants.

Photos of a 67-inch Tarpon and a 45-inch Pike have made two anglers, Sean Riley of New Port Richey, FL, and Brian Papenhagen of Blissfield, MI, grand prize winners in the 2011 BoatUS Angler Catch of the Month fishing photo contest. Their grand prize includes a high quality fish replica from Mount This! Fish Company that specializes in hand-painted fiberglass replicas and a gift certificate from BoatNameGear.com.

We have some great catches going on right now and the weather is beautiful for this time of year. On Show Me The Fish Charters operating out of the Bradenton Beach Marina, fishing out of a custom 31 ft Morgan Sport fisherman, my parties are catching bone-bruising amberjack, red grouper, scamp, mangrove snappers, porgys, triggerfish, sea bass, bonita (little tunnys), blacktip sharks up to 5 ft, and an over-abundance of catch-and-release gag grouper. Best action is starting out about 115 ft offshore of Anna Maria and Longboat Key. Going out to 150 ft  to the deeper ledges and wrecks it gets even more wilder and crazy with larger fish. Extra large pinfish have been working magic this week for AJs and smaller baits for the mangrove snapper and other tasty reef fish. The red grouper are eating anything we put down. On a couple of trips I have seen red grouper come up with fried chicken bones in their mouths someone must have dropped overboard.

CCA Florida is partnering with Tampa Bay Watch to install a series of new oyster shell bars on the shoreline of Shultz Preserve in Tampa Bay and we are looking for volunteers.