Are you looking for a fun and challenging fishing experience? If so, grouper fishing is definitely something you should consider. These fish can be found in offshore waters, and they put up a great fight when you catch them. In this article, we will provide you with tips on how to catch grouper. So, whether you are a beginner or experienced fisherman, read on for some helpful advice.
Where To Find Them?
Grouper are found along the Southeast coast from North Carolina to Texas, with the majority located in the Florida Keys and South Florida coastal waters. They are “obligate coral reef fish” which means they rely heavily on Florida’s reefs for habitat and food resources. Grouper gather at specific locations their entire lives, we call these locations “haunts.” Grouper move among their haunts and use them seasonally for spawning, feeding, and shelter.
Grouper like to hang out around wrecks and artificial reefs, which are found in many areas popular with anglers. Anglers should be familiar with the restrictions associated with grouper before fishing in a specific location.
When Is The Best Time To Catch Grouper?
Groupers are more tolerant of low salinity and highly oxygenated waters which means they can be caught almost any time of the year. However, there are certainly seasonal patterns that can help you determine when is the best time to get a grouper.
Most anglers agree that groupers are more active at their feeding stations during the early morning and late afternoon, usually between 6 am and noon, and again from around 4 pm until dark. This makes these times good for bottom fishing with live bait, a bottom rig or a popping cork. However, if you find one grouper feeding during these times, there are usually plenty more in the area. They tend to roam in schools and when they stop to feed; many others may be around waiting for an opportunity to get their share of food.
The best months for groupers are June through September when they are most active in the shallower waters. During the summer, these fish begin to school up and can be found in large numbers around structures such as oil rigs, old wrecks and reefs where they tend to feed more frequently. Although you can catch groupers at anytime of year during any phase of the moon, this is certainly one time when it pays to go out when they’re most active.
That’s the best time for catching groupers but there are certain locations that seem to be better than others when it comes to grouper fishing. For example, just about any reef in front of Miami is good during the spring and summer when the water warms up and spawns attract large numbers of fish. The same holds true offshore, particularly in shipping lanes where large numbers of baitfish move close to shore during the summer months.
How To Catch Grouper
Rod
When you’re buying a fishing rod for grouper, there are factors that need to be considered. These factors will determine if your catch is successful or not. The following are the most important things to consider.
The first thing you need is a strong and durable fishing rod that will handle the grouper fish. The size of this type of fish is between fifty pounds and five hundred pounds depending on what species it belongs to. This means that you need deep sea fishing rods which are strong and durable.
The right rod coupled with the best reel will ensure you have an amazing time fishing for grouper.
Fishing rods are available in various lengths, but you should go for the one that is twelve feet long. The line should also be resistant to abrasion, and it must have a tensile strength of about forty pounds.
Hooks
When you are buying your hooks, they should be strong enough to hold the fish even if it is fifty pounds or five hundred. The hook should be sharp, and this will enable you to catch the fish easily without too much struggle.
Reel
The best reel to use is one with a high-quality drag system that enables you to control the grouper’s strength so that it does not pull you into deep waters. The reel’s drag is important because when the fish feels that it is in danger from the hook, it will pull hard and try to get away from you. You need a reel that has a smooth cast so that you can execute your fishing plan well.
Line
Trolling for grouper is undoubtedly one of the most exciting types of fishing. They are voracious predators that fight hard when hooked. To make this fight even more interesting, fishos use different line strengths and sizes to get the best results possible.
Line strength is an important factor in fishing because it affects how much pressure you can put on the fish before it feels threatened and runs away. The more force you can apply on a fish without breaking the line, the easier it will be to bring it onboard your boat or shore.
Braided fishing line is more sensitive than a monofilament, and it’s easier to tell if a fish is on the other end because it doesn’t have much stretch. The disadvantage to using braid is that it can cut into a fish’s skin if you don’t fight it properly, and its thin diameter causes fish to tire more quickly.
When searching for grouper, use a 20- to 30-pound test braid. Anything larger is a waste of time and energy, as the fish will likely pull the hook from your line before you or it can tire. If you want to up your chances of successfully finding and catching grouper, use braid as your fishing line. It’s thin, sensitive and allows for faster line movement, three characteristics that make it the ideal fishing line for grouper anglers.
Bait
While deciding what kind of bait to use when catching grouper, keep in mind that these fish like a variety of different flavors and pungency levels. For example, they can be found eating squid, octopus, mackerel and eels. All of these types of food have strong odors which will definitely attract your target species. Additionally, if you are looking to get more than one type of fish on your line, it would be a good idea to use bait that has different smells and flavors. This way, different types of fish will want to eat your chosen bait.
When choosing fishing bait for grouper, another factor that should be taken into consideration is the size of fish you plan on catching. For example, if you are looking to catch small fish like snapper or cod, it would be a good idea to use squid for bait. On the other hand, if you want to catch larger fish like barracuda and tuna, anchovies will work well as grouper food.
It is important to keep in mind that the size of your bait will also affect the size of fish you can catch. Generally, smaller fish are attracted to small pieces of food, while larger fish are easily lured by bigger pieces of bait. Therefore, if you plan on catching something other than grouper, it is important to make sure you use big enough bait.
Conclusion
The key to catching grouper is patience. You need to be patient and wait for the fish to follow your bait before setting the hook. Grouper can often get spooked if you’re too eager, so it’s best just to let them come into your trap on their own time – or better yet, set up multiple traps at different depths! These tips should help you catch more grouper in no time. If you have any other questions about how to catch this tasty type of fish, give us a comment!