Grouper Fishing

Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis)

Description: Gray or light brown with wavy markings on the side that generally do not form boxes or circles. Edges of fins are bluish. Color depends to dark brown shortly after removal from water.

Size: Can reach 50 pounds on deep offshore wrecks and ledges, and has been recorded to 80 pounds, but 20-30 is the usual range.

Food value: Excellent

Game Qualities: An aggressive striker and hard fighter at all depths.

Tackle: Stout, 50 to 80 pound test line.

Grouper Fishing From A Pier

Gag grouper are one of many prized fish that we can catch along all coasts of Florida and the Bahamas. They can be found in water as shallow as 4 feet and as deep as 100 or more feet. There are many different approaches to catching these highly sought after fish, and seemingly endless array of lures and baits. One of the more popular ways is bottom fishing, with live baits, such as pin fish and large grunts. One of the most common rigs for grouper fishing is called the sliding or egg sinker rig. All this consists of is a 3 to 8 ounce egg sinker, 2 to 3 foot of 50 to 100 pound leader and a 5 to 10/0 hook, depending on the size of bait.

With development of artificial reefs and man made structure, grouper fishing on piers have become more and more popular. The structure tends to pull them in closer, housing a variety of species of fish, including tons of bait. If fishing in shallow water 4 to 12 feet, a popular way to Grouper fish is fly lining. Just use 80 pound fluorocarbon leader and an 8/0 to 10/0 hook, catch a pin fish or grunt, hook them on the underside and this will cause them to dive down. I have found this tactic to be extremely effective in shallow water. What you want to do is see which way the tide is moving and go to the side where your bait will go away from the pier, find a good rock pile and just keep letting line out until you know your bait is right on mr groupers dinner table. The majority of the time if there are grouper on the structure, you will have a hook up fairly quickly. sometimes it takes a few moves even if it is 10 ft you may find that current honey hole. Grouper are aggressive strikers, so right when they inhale the bait, they normally go right into the rocks or structure that is surrounding them. This is why heavy leader is required, you can bet on one thing if you want to catch a few grouper, you are going to go through some tackle.