“They’ll nail a top water plug or a fly (with a 12-weight, minimum), and even jerk baits rigged for trout,” says Captain Gregg.Captain Gregg says, “I guard these spots with my life!”and avoids excessive exploitation.
Also, head for rocky ledges and patch reefs in 15-30 feet of water. I am currently on the field staff team for Penn Reels from Pure Fishing. We exist to empower anglers through measurement, learning, and collaboration using both data and technology. You should be able to find reasonably sized gags there. This is where the grouper will run into a hole or under a ledge and spread its gills locking itself in place. Start to cautiously reel in all slack to the point that your rod is low to the water and tight to the fish. "They'll nail a topwater plug or a fly (with a 12-weight, minimum), and even jerk baits rigged for trout," Toney says. We hope that anglers find our private fishing platform the perfect tool to elevate their fishing experience. You can find them along the East Coast of the Americas from Brazil through the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico to as far north as New England.Juvenile fish take shelter on the inshore glass flats and shoals until they mature. Many anglers catch lots of gags on spinning and plug tackle, but live bait tends to be the best option. 6/0 will work here, though some tend to opt for a 4/0. You’ll need to have heavy gear with you to prevent the fish from taking your line. When You Get a Big Bite 1. Attach your baitfish to the hook just above the anal fins since the supporting structure of the fins adds some security.Standard grouper tackle usually works just fine. You bet.
Commonly known as “Grey Grouper,” these guys are a staple of reef fishing trips around the Gulf and up the Atlantic. How-To Catch Articles and Videos, Where's the Bite, Regulations, and more! I am also a avid tournament angler in many kayak divisions as well as offshore species. Catch my episode on the ANGLR Tour! Gags are very aggressive strikers and will fight hard at all depths. You’re looking for any piece of structure located with nearby access to deep water. Lower your bait to the bottom, and then reel up a crank or two so that your sinker is elevated and the bait is swimming just off the structure. Free Download Wait five minutes, or watch to see when the line begins to move (whichever comes first). Free Download During most of the year, mature gag grouper like to hide around any type of structure that can give them shelter.
If your fish is able to get rocked up, place your rod in a rod holder and release all pressure on the fish by giving it some slack. As the coastal water temperature drops through the fall and winter, the Florida fishing scene starts to wane a bit, but there’s still plenty of fish to be caught. The most … You bet. For Gag Grouper fishing in the Gulf, it’s important to note what county you’re embarking from. Tight lines! While these super shallow haunts are rarely shared, coastal passes and shallow nearshore ledges will hold healthy numbers of gags in the coming months.
Most anglers crank the drag on their reel down all the way to prevent the fish from reaching a hole.
Gag Grouper: Arguably the most popular Gulf Grouper species, these brown bulldogs venture well inshore as the Gulf water temps drop. Gulf grouper used to be very common in the eastern Pacific Ocean, but they became scarce because commercial and recreational fisherman could easily catch them. To prevent that, keep the drag tightened so it’s almost impossible to pull line off of the spool. There are different types of grouper caught in the gulf such as Red, Yellow, Gag, Black and Goliath grouper and the gag are seasonal as well as Goliath are illegal. I fish nearly daily. A six to seven-foot conventional rod and reel equipped with the 40-pound test is a good place to start, but you’ll probably do fine on 20- to 30-pound test. Fishing is a passion for me.