How to Catch Groupers | Tips & Tricks for Grouper Fishing
Grouper is one of the favorite species for sport anglers, but you know how to catch groupers? The best way to become an expert angler is by knowing all about the species that you want to catch. For this we are going to tell you everything you need to know about grouper fishing.
Discover all the characteristics of the grouper, where to find them, the spectacular types that exist, the best fishing equipment for grouper fishing and the best tips and tricks to catch them.
All about Groupers
If you’ve ever fished in warm, tropical and salt waters, you may have found some of these jazzy fish. We could find them in Mediterranean Sea, in Pacific Ocean and in Atlantic waters. They do not go unnoticed, because they are big sized, the biggest ones can reach more than 39 inches (a meter) in length and more than 88 pounds (40 kilograms) of weight. They have a big mouth with prominent lips too. Although there are a lot of species in the grouper family, Grouper are commonly brown with white spots, but it depends on their emotional and reproductor state.
Despite its striking colors, we could say that it is a shy fish because it’s a lonely fish that lives in holes. They prefer to live in rocky areas, where there are many holes and caves. To catch a grouper, it’s important to find a deep area near a vertical wall, because it’s where the grouper usually sets their home. They use these lairs to hide themself in case of danger.
One curiosity of this specie is that they are hermaphrodites, they can change their sex. They reproduce in summer and can live till 50 years old, so you could catch the same fish several times throughout your life.
Grouper Fishing
We have come here to know the best tips and tricks for grouper fish, therefore, we will explain everything about how to catch a grouper:
Grouper habitat is near to seaweed and corals, in rocky bottoms with caves. The right time to catch grouper is from September to March, the coldest months of the year. You will catch the best groupers using a boat, moving forward to arrive at the deepest zones.
If you want to catch grouper in the deep, the best modality is bottom fishing, for example in 1200 feet (400 meters). You will find big catches helped by a sounding line. Tip: You can use fluorescent objects inside the bait to see it in the deep water. The fishing rig is better to put it with some weights and you will need a reel with a thousand meters of line. The reel has to be big, to carry a line with 0,6–0,8 mm of diameter (the accurate for groupers). And also you need a spool that measures 1000 feet (300 meters) at least.
You will catch the best groupers using a boat, moving forward to arrive at the deepest zones. When you feel that the fish bite but it seems that your line has tangled with something, stop pulling for a moment. It’s probably that the fish has returned to their lair and they won’t stop pulling till they feel secure. The best you can do is to take advantage of the moment when it drops to pull again and tire the grouper. If it is a big catch, we mustn’t grab them from their gill covers, because they are serrated and they have a lot of strength. You will need very resistant and big hooks, able to stand the strength of grouper jaws.
Bonus: Types of grouper fish
There are a lot of species in the grouper family, here you have some of the most known:
- Black Grouper: Mycteroperca bonaci. It’s commonly found in the southern Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Cuba, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean.
- Goliath Grouper: Epinephelus itajara. One of the largest predators on coral reefs. Reaching lengths of at least 8 feet (2.5 m) and weights up to 700 pounds (320 kg).
- Red Grouper: Epinephelus morio. They are found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts through the Gulf of Mexico and south to Brazil. Usually seen at Florida coasts.
- Scamp Grouper: Mycteroperca phenax. It mainly inhabits the Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic waters.
- Misty Grouper: Hyporthodus mystacinus. This grouper species can typically be found throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and the Western Atlantic edges.
- Nassau Grouper: Epinephelus striatus. It used to be one of the most common species of grouper in the United States but now is an endangered species.
- Snowy Grouper: Hyporthodus niveatus. This species is distributed in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico.
Have you ever caught one?
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