The most important thing is a really strong rod and a reel capable of at least 50-90lbs of drag.
How much drag is enough?
“One-quarter or one-third of the line’s breaking strength should be your drag setting at strike,” says Ben Secrest, previously Accurate Reels’ vice president of marketing. “If you are fishing 200-pound braid, that equates to 50 to 65 pounds of drag.
How long does it take to reel in a goliath grouper?
120-minutes
Chris Heaphy, the owner of the 34-foot boat NorTech, Justin Stuller, owner of Estero River Outfitters, Justin LoFranco, joined Jesse James and his daughter Faith for the fishing trip. James said it took 120-minutes to reel in the giant fish. It was estimated to be around 300 pounds.
What line do you use for goliath grouper?
We recommend using 200-300Lb monofilament when targeting goliath grouper.
How much drag should a reel have?
Lever Drag and Conventional Reels
Your drag should be set at a number that is 1/4 to 1/3 of your line’s breaking strength. So if you’re using a 40 lb braid, your drag setting will be between 10 and 13 lbs at strike.
How much drag do I need for a 30lb line?
Setting your drag simplified
The proper amount of drag versus test poundage is: Up to 20 pound line requires 20% drag pressure (4 pounds) 30 to 50 pound line requires 25% drag pressure (6 to 10 pounds) 80 to 120 pound line requires 30% drag pressure (16 to 24 pounds)
Can drag be too tight?
Tightening the drag makes it harder for the fish to run and take line, while having a loose drag makes it easier. If the drag is set to loose, line will easily spool off the reel, and fighting the fish is inefficient. When the drag is set too tight, the line can’t go out fast enough, resulting in breaking off.
What is the best bait for goliath grouper?
Dead, cut, or live baits will all entice a hungry goliath. Large mullet, rays, jacks, even hardhead and sailfin cats are good choices, but the fresher the better.
What’s the largest goliath grouper ever caught?
680-pound
The heaviest grouper ever caught and certified as an IGFA world record was this 680-pound goliath grouper caught on May 20, 1961, off Fernandina Beach, Florida, using a Spanish mackerel as fishing bait. This particular species of grouper is considered endangered today and protected in the United States and Caribbean.
Is goliath grouper hard to catch?
Goliath Grouper Fishing
Although their aggressive personalities make them easy to hook, pulling them away from the safety of their dens is another matter entirely. Even with the heaviest tackle, set with the heaviest line and drags, Goliaths do what they want, when they want.
How do you target a goliath grouper?
They can be caught on hook and line with a heavy rod and reel. Using a hand line is also a popular way to target these giants. Goliath grouper can be found in many different habitats, including shallow water flats, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and channels. They eat mostly fish but will also eat crabs, shrimp, and octopus.
Is goliath grouper good eating?
The older they get, the tougher the meat becomes. However, goliath grouper muscles are believed to have a high concentration of methylmercury, which poses a serious human health risk. “Why kill them? You can’t eat them.
Where is the best goliath grouper fishing in Florida?
Boca Grande, FL is well known for big fish. It isn’t called “tarpon capital of the world” for nothing! Tarpon and goliath grouper are two of the Boca Grande beasts we target quite frequently.
How much drag do you need for grouper fishing?
typically you would set a reel to 30% of the line weight, meaning 24 pounds of drag for 80 pound test mono, unless you were just using the heavy line for abrasion resistance. with a high drag setting and 200 yards of straight 80 pound mono, a $600 penn torque 40 narrow comes to mind, or the $500 avet hx raptor.
How much drag do I need for a 50lb line?
As a general rule, the proper drag setting for nylon mono lines up to 20-pound test is 20 percent of the breaking strength of the line. For 30- through 50-pound mono, it’s 25 percent of the breaking strength, and for 80- through 130-pound mono, it’s 30 percent.
What is a 8.1 gear ratio good for?
High gear ratio reels | 7.1:1 thru 8.1:1
High gear ratios are best for techniques where taking up slack and bringing a bait back to the boat are critical. Topwaters, jerkbaits, jigs, plastics and even lipless crankbaits warrant the use of a high-speed reel.
What pound test should I use for shark fishing?
Use 65-pound-test braided line for your main line when surf fishing for sharks. Braided line stretches relatively little, which will enable you to achieve a solid hookset, and it will also withstand abrasion better than monofilament lines will.
What is Max drag LB?
max drag is the maximum force that a reel is designed to safely operate at. Line weight is a recomended range to safely use on a rod. The only one of these that is a set breaking point is the line so if reel is chosen with a maximum drag below this figure the line will not break even at max drag.
How much drag do I need for snapper?
For general fishing a 6-10kg 7′ setup is ideal for snapper fishing from a boat although you’ll need something in a 15kg rating if chasing the really big ones. From the rocks an 8′ rod in the 10-15kg range is ideal.
Does drag affect casting?
However if you turn and throw into or across the wind, it will catch the bait, cause more drag on your line and shorten your cast greatly, not to mention slow your bait’s casting speed causing you more over run issues on your reel.
What does it mean when a fish pulls the hook?
If the hook pulls, either you didn’t give it enough time to set properly, the hook was too small for the jaw or too small a wire size and it straightened slightly, you pulled too hard and the drag was too tight. If your drag is set properly and you’re using the right size hook, you’ll learn after a few fish.