Grouper

Groupers are one of the most prized reef fish.  They pull like a freight train in the first moments of the fight, trying to get back to the safety of their hole.   If they make it, they have won the battle.  However, if you are ready for the strike and have what it takes to bring the fish off the bottom, you have a chance at putting one of these beasts in the cooler.

Although some species of groupers can be caught in waters out to 1000 feet, on most of our trips we target shallow water groupers in less than 400 feet.  Shallow water groupers include gag, red, and scamp groupers.  Due to heavy fishing pressure near-shore, we prefer to target them well off-shore. They like both natural and artificial sites and can be found on just about any bottom structure.

Grouper are targeted with live and fillet baits.  Red groupers bite the fillet bait best, where the gag groupers go after larger bait.  Scamps are the smaller of the three, so a smaller sized live bait works well.  However, they are not too picky and will eat most things that cross their path.  The true secret to catching grouper is winning the first 5 seconds of the fight.

Grouper are excellent table fare and have a high market value.  They are delicious, and the Captain will happily take any fillets you leave behind.  The captain’s favorite fish meal is a grilled grouper sandwich.

If you want to catch grouper, you will need to book an 8 hour or 10 hour trip.

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