A Guide to Fishing for Grouper

Whether you keep your catch or throw it back, sport fishing is on the rise in popularity. One of the popular species for sport fishing (and you can usually fish for these on a fishing charter) is the grouper. Groupers are plentiful, especially in the Gulf of Mexico and along the southeastern U.S. Atlantic coast. Groupers are hardy fighters; many a beginner has been nearly dragged off his or her feet and overboard in an initial tangle with a grouper. In addition to the challenge offered, groupers are among the tastiest fish. There are whole categories of delicious southern dishes built around the grouper.

There are two different main types of grouper. These are the black grouper and the gag grouper. Many beginners have a hard time telling them apart, but once you learn the distinct markings, they are very easy to demarcate. Black groupers are distinguished by patterns that look like boxes. These boxes are dark colored: black or very dark gray. It is the boxes that give the fish its name. The fins of many black groupers are edged with dark blue, and their heads are speckled with flecks of reddish-gold about the head.

Gag groupers are much more plain than their black grouper cousins. Their coloring is light brown or light gray, and their markings do not follow any particular pattern. There are markings, however. They are only wavy lines, and the lines are randomly placed on the skin. There are edges to the gag grouper’s fins, although they are a light blue instead of the dark blue of the black grouper.

Fishing for groupers usually involves one of two strategies. Live bait is a strategy that often works very well. Bait your hook and then drop it over the edge of the boat. You want a tight line because groupers often have a very light bite. If there is slack in your line, you might not even feel the bite, and you could be sitting for quite some time with a bait-less hook and not realize that grouper has come and gone. As soon as you feel the bite on your line, you should pull immediately up on the rod. The fight begins, and in order for you to win you have to force the grouper up to the surface.

Trolling is the other preferred method of grouper fishing. Trolling allows you to use the aggressive nature of the grouper to your advantage. Additionally, it also covers a great water area, allowing you to sweep more area for fish. Groupers are bottom feeders, and gag groupers like shallow water. Trolling is an efficient method for fishing in the shallower waters closer to the coasts. However, it is generally not considered as sporting as fishing with live bait.