The
best grouper fishing
takes place in 120 to 180 feet of water over wrecks or hard bottom (rocks or reef) The Gulf of Mexico is a really large area, so what a lot of guys will do is keep their bottom machines on whenever they’re running while watching for good bottom.
How do you fish for groupers?
Grouper can be caught on lures,
live bait
, and dead bait My favorite way to catch them if they are shallow is casting jerkbaits in shallow reef areas but a large livebait sent down to the bottom and then lifted a crank or two is probably the most effective way to catch them day in and day out.
What is the
best month
to catch grouper?
The best time of year to fish for gag grouper in the shallows would be from October through the end of the season in December , however, they can be caught all year long. Since these fish are so strong on their initial run we use extremely heavy tackle to keep them out of the structure and into your cooler.
What is the best bait for grouper?
The best bait for grouper fishing are squid, chub mackerel, sardine, white crab, or octopus pieces , one of the favorite grouper food. But normally they bite any bait.
How far offshore do you have to go to catch grouper?
A good rule of thumb is that the deeper the water the bigger the grouper. This will keep a lot of boats fishing between 25 and 50 miles offshore but it is a long run for most people. The most fished and prolific area is from 12 to 20 miles offshore in about 60 to 80 feet of water.
What depth do you find grouper?
Gag Groupers are found near structure – any wreck or rocks, drop offs and steep walls around 50-60 feet deep are great places to find them.
What is the best time of the day to catch grouper?
You will want to go early in the morning as this is when the groupers are most active because their prey fish are most active. Grouper prefer the water temperature to be around 70° on average, sometimes even up to 77°, but if it gets warmer than that, they will head to deeper waters.
How do you target a grouper?
The trick to targeting only the grouper has been using big live bait such as grunts and large pinfish Frozen sardines have been the standby for red grouper, but these smaller, soft baits usually get inhaled by the snapper well before they reach the bottom.
What size hooks for grouper fishing?
“They require a 7/0 or 8/0 hook.
How many grouper can you keep in Florida?
Gulf state waters in Florida are from shore to 9 nautical miles. Federal waters begin where state waters end and extend to 200 nautical miles. The minimum size limit for gag grouper is 24 inches total length and the
daily bag limit
is two fish per person within the four grouper per person aggregate limit.
Can you catch grouper at night?
You may catch grouper during a full moon or under lights, but are typically not active at night They are most active during the transition period between the fish that are active at night and the ones active during the day, dusk and dawn.
Is grouper in season in Florida now?
Grouper, Scamp – s u l Season: Atlantic – Closed Jan. 1–April 30 Gulf – Open year-round.
What kind of rod do you use for grouper?
A 6 1/2 foot to 7 foot medium heavy rod with a 30-40 or 3/0 to 4/0 series reel is a good all-around and versatile grouper fishing outfit. This can handle most the bottom fishing situations as well as some light tackle trolling. Most grouper fishing is done bottom fishing. Casting is not required.
What is the legal size for grouper in Florida?
The minimum size limit for gag grouper is 24 inches total length and the daily bag limit is two fish per harvester within the four grouper aggregate bag limit. Charter captains and crew have a zero bag limit.
Can you catch grouper from the shore in Florida?
Bottom fishing for Florida Grouper works great in both nearshore and offshore waters around wrecks and reefs You’ll normally either anchor the boat to take advantage of a productive spot or drift to cover larger areas of the structure.
Is the grouper fish a bottom feeder?
Examples of bottom feeding fish species groups are flatfish (halibut, flounder, plaice, sole), eels, cod, haddock, bass, grouper, carp, bream (snapper) and some species of catfish and shark.
How fast should you troll for grouper?
One of the things that you should remember when it comes to trolling for grouper is to take it slow. Go at 2 knots Downriggers or planars are great for methods for trolling for grouper.
What do grouper feed on?
They habitually eat fish, octopuses, and crustaceans Some species prefer to ambush their prey, while other species are active predators.
Is Mullet good bait for grouper?
Baits for Grouper Sardines are probably the most successful live bait, especially if caught fresh with a net or baitfish rig. A close second is a pinfish and third are mullet. Any of these fish are as likely to get a response from a grouper as any bait on the planet.
What fish are biting offshore in Florida?
Most fish caught here tend to be large adults including Grouper, Amberjack, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Hog Snapper, Cubera Snapper, King Mackerel, Dolphin (Mahi Mahi), Cobia, Tilefish, Porgies, and Triggerfish.
What oceans are grouper in?
The
atlantic goliath grouper
– scientific name Epinephelus itajara – is a massive saltwater fish found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea Other common names for this fish include hamlet, giant seabass, goliath grouper, black bass, jewfish, southern jewfish, and esonue grouper.
What do grouper eat in Florida?
Goliath groupers are opportunistic predators and feed mostly on slow-moving, bottom-associated species. Calico crabs make up the majority of their diet, with other invertebrate species and fish filling in the rest, according to FWC.
What is the leader for grouper?
We recommend going with braid first for grouper. If you are fishing in shallow water (under 150ft) you can get away with using 50-80Lb monofilament.
Is grouper good to eat?
Thanks to its subtle flavor that easily absorbs dressings and marinades, grouper is excellent however you serve it Fish sandwiches made with either a thick slice of blackened grouper or battered and deep-fried bite-size pieces of grouper are one of the best and most simple ways to enjoy this fish.
Can you take a goliath grouper out of the water?
The skeletal structure of large goliath grouper cannot adequately support their weight out of the water without some type of damage If a large goliath is brought on-board a vessel or out of the water, it is likely to sustain some form of internal injury and therefore be considered harvested.
What does grouper taste like?
Grouper has a mild yet distinct flavor, somewhere between Bass and Halibut The taste of most Grouper is similar, with slight differences in flavor and texture, depending on size, species and location of harvest. Red Grouper is sweeter and milder than Black Grouper.
Sources
https://www.fortunefishco.net/grouper-red-black
https://floridainsiderfishingreport.com/2014/05/targeting-grouper-central-west-region-capt-geoff-page