Fishing & Boating

5 Gulf fishing adventures: Wild catches and surprising encounters

Stories by Bradenton Herald contributing writer, with AI summarization

This collection of stories highlights fishing adventures in the Gulf, from encounters with massive marine creatures to unexpected catches.

Read about some of the unusual and exciting experiences had by local anglers below.

Angler Tony Figlozzi poses with a tagged 34-inch red snapper caught fishing with Captain Brian Lambert. By Provided photo

NO. 1: ‘A RARE FIND!’ HOW A GULF ANGLER REELED IN RED SNAPPER WITH A HIDDEN SURPRISE

Lambert moved the big red snapper between fish boxes and noticed something. | Published August 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

Avah Grace Meadows (right) and her father Dr. George Meadows pose with a pair of cobia caught in the Gulf while fishing with captain Jonathan Soultatos. By Provided photo

NO. 2: BRADENTON FISHING CAPTAIN RECALLS DAY HE’LL NEVER FORGET WITH HUGE COBIA CATCH

Captain Jonathan Soultatos couldn’t stop smiling after one of the best days of fishing he’s ever experienced. | Published October 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

Anglers pose with the massive Warsaw grouper caught while with captain Dion Davis in 500 feet of water. By Provided photo

NO. 3: HOW A GROUP OF GULF ‘TROPHY HUNTERS’ REELED IN A MASSIVE WARSAW GROUPER

Monsters are always lurking in the deep Gulf off the west coast of Florida. | Published December 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

A screenshot from a video shows a great white shark seen in 70 feet of water off Anna Maria Island. By Provided photo

NO. 4: ‘I JUST COULDN’T BELIEVE IT.’ ANGLER ENCOUNTERS GREAT WHITE SHARK NEAR ANNA MARIA ISLAND

“I won’t dive alone,” he said. “These sharks ... come to any sound related to fishing or spearfishing." | Published February 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

Captain Trae Sorensen recently checked one of his stone crab tracks to find that an estimated 7-foot shark sandbar shark became stuck after breaking into the trap for the bait. The shark’s head was all that remained after being attacked by scavengers, Sorensen said. By Provided photo

NO. 5: TAMPA BAY ANGLER CHECKED HIS STONE CRAB TRAPS. HE CAUGHT SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Captain Trae Sorensen of Top Knotch Fishing Charters spends nearly all his working days on the water. | Published December 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jon Chapman

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists or contributing writers.