You’ll need to sink your bait down to where they like to live, which is usually in 40 feet deep water or more. Red grouper are red and live in slightly deeper water than the gag grouper. Red GrouperĪnother really common type of grouper you’ll catch off the coast of Florida is red grouper. They enjoy living in a similar habitat as gag grouper. They have a similar blotchy pattern as gag grouper but are much darker in color. Black GrouperĪfter gag grouper, you’ll usually encounter black grouper. This makes fishing for them with live bait possible even from shore. They make for some great table fare, and their tendencies to live in shallow waters close to shore means they are accessible to anglers on pier or from beaches and banks, and do not require you to have a boat to catch them.Īuthor Note: Gag groupers will even hang in water only a few feet deep if there are structure and baitfish nearby. They are grey and brown in color and love living close to coastal rock piles and underwater wreckage. Gag grouper are the most popular type of grouper to fish for in shallower waters and are abundant all over the Atlantic. Grouper come in many sizes, and fishing for them is similar with the exception of gear like rods, reels, and line. Like we mentioned earlier, we usually fish for grouper off the coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, so these are the species you’ll most likely encounter there. Now that you know what the best grouper bait to use is, let’s talk about the different kinds of grouper you can catch. The braided line will give you extra sensitivity when you have lots of line out and will increase the capacity your bottom fishing reel can hold. We like using a 6 to 7-foot long heavy action rod paired with a bottom-fishing reel and 50 lb test braided line. What Do You Use to Catch Grouper?Ī regular bottom fishing tackle setup is a great place to start.
Keep in mind that this applies to the smaller grouper species, and fishing for goliath grouper is a whole other game that requires very heavy equipment. Combine this with a 2 to 3 foot long 80 lb test monofilament leader, a 4-ounce egg sinker, and you’ll be set up for grouper success! This size circle hook will allow live bait to swim around frantically but will also be able to hook a large grouper. We recommend using either a 6/0 or 4/0 sized circle hook when using both dead and live grouper bait. What Size Hooks for Grouper? Mustad UltraPoint Demon Circle Hook Berkley Trilene Big Game Monofilament Leader This will ensure any foreign scents are covered up by the bait. Another trick you can try is tipping your jigs with some of the dead bait. Combining this with the chum and most grouper will find it irresistible. Once you’ve thrown some chunk grouper bait in the water, bounce a vertical jig off the bottom or close to the bottom. This technique works great for both bottom fishing and spearfish, as long as you have a solid pair of freediving fins. The chum will slowly sink down to the rocks where the grouper are hiding an entice them to come out. If you’re targeting a rock pile or wreck, anchor your boat up current and throw some old cut bait in the water. Using Chum as Grouper BaitĪnother technique that can spur on a grouper bite is to chum the water above where the grouper are hiding with dead bait. Some bait shops may have pinfish you can buy, but we recommend going out a day before your grouper trip and catching some of the above baitfish to store in your live well. It’s always a good idea to give yourself some flexibility when fishing for grouper. On days when we’re targeting grouper, we like to bring several different kinds of baitfish to try. In the waters off of Florida and Texas (where we’ve fished for grouper before), using live bait is completely legal – and quite productive. As with all fishing techniques, check your state laws before attempting anything. As with most predatory fish, using live bait for grouper will be your best bet as long as local regulations allow.
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