Captain
Larry Wren

Member since October 2014 Islamorada, United States
Background
My name is Captain Larry Wren and I would like to invite you to fish on the First Choice! My philosophy is simple, to supply the best boat, tackle, and not to sweat the extra expenses in doing this (after all you are worth it!). As a young child I fished Islamorada with Captain Hugh Brown and I was hooked for life. In an eighth grade report I wrote of becoming a charter captain in Islamorada. I have fished the world extensively both fresh and saltwater and have to say the fly rod should get more usage

Hey, I'm Captain Larry Wren

Islamorada, United States
Background
My name is Captain Larry Wren and I would like to invite you to fish on the First Choice! My philosophy is simple, to supply the best boat, tackle, and not to sweat the extra expenses in doing this (after all you are worth it!). As a young child I fished Islamorada with Captain Hugh Brown and I was hooked for life. In an eighth grade report I wrote of becoming a charter captain in Islamorada. I have fished the world extensively both fresh and saltwater and have to say the fly rod should get more usage

My Charter Listing

Excellent
4.9 / 5
(35 reviews)
Islamorada
trips from US $975

Fishing Reports

Tips to Pick a Charter Boat
Tips to Pick a Charter Boat
Sep 9, 2022 Islamorada
Great offshore charter boats, crewed by dedicated professionals who truly love to take people fishing, exist in just about every corner of the known fishing world. But sometimes signals get crossed, or expectations donโ€™t quite match reality, and things just donโ€™t come together the way they should to ensure that the charter customer has a good experience. 1. Fishing Offshore Half-Day Trips This is one of the biggest decision-making errors, and it happens all over the world: trying to fish a half day instead of a full day or multiple days. There are only a few places where you could even hope to see a billfish in a half day, and even in the hottest of hot spots, youโ€™d have to be incredibly lucky to have any success in such a short amount of time. Take it with a big grain of salt when you hear someone say, โ€œWe caught two blues and were back in time for lunch.โ€ Possible? Maybe. Likely? No. Hereโ€™s an example of it: The boats that fished a full day yesterday averaged 8 sailfish releases each, but you say, โ€œWhy spend all that money for a whole day when we could just go for a half day and catch 4?โ€ It doesnโ€™t work that way. First, those fish may be well out of range for a half-day charter. There may also have been an afternoon bite that takes place long after youโ€™ve packed it in and headed for the dock. Save the half days for fishing inshore. 2. Picking the Cheapest Charter Boat Of course, we all want a good deal on everything we buy, but selecting a charter based solely on price is almost always a bad idea. A low price could mean several things: The boatโ€™s much older or smaller than the others, which means youโ€™ll be more uncomfortable in rough weather; the tackle isnโ€™t properly maintained; the captain and crew are working for less money; or a host of other things, and few of them good. The cheapest price doesnโ€™t always come with the best value. You may think youโ€™ve gotten a great deal and then just end up going for an expensive, slow cruise, with the crew not making any real attempt to catch fish. In regards to the size of the boatโ€™s cockpit or fish fighting area, not all boats are equal in this respect. You are chartering the boat for the day, so bedrooms mean nothing. Look at the boat and visualize your group and a mate in the cockpit area? The larger the boat doesnโ€™t mean a larger cockpit area. 3. Setting Unrealistic Expectations Even in the best fishing holes, the numbers change dramatically from day to day. Even in places like Costa Rica, where the fishing is relatively consistent during the high season, the fleet runs into slow days. Thatโ€™s why itโ€™s important to set realistic expectations for yourself and your charter group. This is especially true when it comes to bill fishing. If there are four, five, or six people in your charter party, then the chances are good that not everyone will be able to catch a billfish. You should determine ahead of time whose turn it will be when a strike finally does occur so the opportunityโ€™s not missed. Some choose to either rotate time in the chair or assign a rod rotation in order to make it fair for everyone. You may have your heart set on a marlin, but if the Mahi Mahi are chewing the props off the boats a few miles away, then it may be a better option than staring at pretty blue water for six hours waiting for a bite. Be realistic with yourself and your party ahead of time โ€” and be open to suggestions from an experienced pro at the helm โ€” and you can avoid a lot of disappointment at the end of the day. 4. Failing to Prepare for a Day Offshore This one can really kill a good day offshore. A perfect example is seasickness. You may be fishing with people who swear theyโ€™ve never been seasick a day in their lives, but then the seas kick up a little, and theyโ€™re losing breakfast (and part of last nightโ€™s dinner) over the side. Itโ€™s a miserable feeling, especially when faced with the prospect of several more long hours of discomfort and no refunds for heading in early. If thereโ€™s any doubt, always ask your charter companions to use a seasick-prevention medication at least an hour before getting on the boat in the morning. If all else fails, recommend that your friends have doughnuts or bananas for breakfast since they taste about the same coming back up as they did going down. That swanky air-conditioned cabin is the worst place to be on a boat, enclosed places lead to sea sickness. Stay in the open air and look to the horizon. Donโ€™t forget things like a light jacket, foul-weather gear for rain or rough weather, a hat or visor, sunscreen, a digital camera, and a good pair of polarized sunglasses. Most charters donโ€™t provide lunch, so be sure to pack your own, along with snacks and plenty of drinks, including bottled water. If you want to bring beer, remember that cans are preferred over glass bottles, which can shatter in a cooler, and that hard liquor is almost never welcome on board.
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.9 / 5
out of 5 stars from 35 reviews
Boat
Excellent
4.8 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (58)
Fishing with Larry
birthday fishing trip New Year\u2019s Eve
birthday fishing trip New Year\u2019s Eve
+55
Angler rating
34
1
0
0
0
Anglers claimed
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
96%
Recommend this charter
100%
Appropriate for children
85%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Caught fish
96%
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Showing:
5 of 35 reviews
Jennifer L.
Marathon, FL
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

3/4 of a day of fishing

VERIFIED   3/4 Day Trip on August 24, 2022
My family & I had the best day on the water! Captain Larry & his mate did everything they could to put us on fish and they...
Jennifer L. recommends First Choice Charters
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Beatrice A.
Clewiston, FL
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Full day trip with Capt. Larry & Mate John

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on August 3, 2022
My family and I had an amazing time on the water fishing with Caprain Larry and his mate John.ย  They well exceeded our expectations!...
Beatrice A. recommends First Choice Charters
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Brent H.
Lawrence, IN
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Full day trip with Capt Larry and John

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on June 26, 2022
This was exactly what we were looking for!!!! Capt Larry and John were amazing. They were patient and extremely knowledgeable...
Brent H. recommends First Choice Charters
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Brent H. recommends First Choice Charters
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Vicki L.
Fairchild, WI
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Half day trip with Captain Larry

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip on November 20, 2022
Had a great morning fishing with Captain Larry and his first Mate Peter - who were both friendly and knowledgeable. The weather...
Vicki L. recommends First Choice Charters
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Jeff O.
Bainbridge, MD
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Awesome Day

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on April 6, 2022
Had an awesome day with Capt Larry and first mate AJ!!ย  We told them we just wanted to go after sail fish because that was...
Jeff O. recommends First Choice Charters
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