If you’re ready to put your fishing skills to the ultimate test, look no further than the waters of Tampa Bay for one of the most incredible experiences that any angler can participate in: goliath grouper fishing. Goliath grouper are apex predators, making them one of the most exciting fish to catch on the planet!
Are there grouper in Tampa Bay?
Tampa Bay offers great Gag and Red Grouper fishing opportunities. Though considered an offshore species by most, in this area waterways and channels can see a steady population of these great fighting/eating fish readily available for anglers targeting them.
Where in Florida can you catch goliath grouper?
This approved recreational harvest of goliath grouper includes: A recreational harvest of up to 200 goliath per year, with a maximum of 50 from Everglades National Park.
Are there goliath grouper in the Gulf?
The goliath grouper is found primarily in shallow tropical waters among coral and artificial reefs. Its range includes the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Keys in the United States, the Bahamas, most of the Caribbean, and most of the Brazilian coast.
What is the most common fish in Tampa Bay?
Trout are very prolific making them one of the most abundant sport fish in Tampa Bay. Also known as the Speckled Sea trout, they can be caught throughout the entire bay and along area beaches.
What fish are found in Tampa Bay?
Most anglers are after the “Big 3” – Tarpon, Redfish, and Snook. Other local species include Trout, Jack Crevalle, Grouper, Snapper, Cobia, Ladyfish, Mackerel, Flounder, and a variety of Sharks. All of these and many more call Tampa Bay their home throughout different parts of the year.
Has a goliath grouper ever attacked a human?
In the 1950s, two children jumped off a bridge in the Florida Keys but only one came up; the other child was said to have been eaten by a Goliath grouper. There are other stories about spearfishermen being attacked and killed.
How much is it for a goliath grouper permit in Florida?
Application: $10 non-refundable. If awarded permit: $150 for Florida residents, $500 for non-residents. There are no exemptions to the requirement to obtain a goliath harvest permit. The permit is required for anglers who are otherwise exempt from the requirement to obtain a recreational saltwater fishing license.
Why is catching goliath grouper illegal?
Along with being huge, goliath grouper are slow-growing and slow to reproduce. They also can live for up to three decades. All of this made them susceptible to over-fishing, and they were almost fished out of existence leading up to the state ban 32 years ago.
When can you catch grouper in Tampa?
In a typical year, the first cold fronts of significance arrive in October. After several of these have pushed local water temperatures down below seventy degrees, Tampa fishing guides start thinking shallow water grouper. During late fall, large schools of threadfin herring will gather relatively close to the beaches.
How do you fish for grouper in Tampa?
Grouper are very structure oriented fish. They might take up residence around a small rock, it could be a ledge, or along the vertical wall of a shipping channel. Newcomers or anglers hoping to land fish should look for grouper hiding around any of these types of bottom that provide cover. Anchor up and drop a line.
Can you catch grouper from shore?
Inshore grouper fishing is a lot of fun. Most fishermen think of grouper as a species that you have to go way offshore to catch. There are a lot of big grouper inshore in some very surprising places. You can find them under docks, around bridges, inshore rock piles, mangroves, inlets….
Can you eat goliath grouper in Florida?
You can’t eat them. The mercury can cause erectile dysfunction, so those who harvest them will just take a photo and let the carcass rot,” Sarah Frias-Torres, a marine researcher who has worked extensively on goliath groupers off the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches.
What is the biggest grouper ever caught?
680-pound goliath grouper
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.
How far north are goliath grouper?
They can be found as far north as Nova Scotia and as far south as southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The goliath grouper is the largest grouper in the western Atlantic Ocean, with a size of 8.2 feet (2.5 m) and a weight of up to 800 pounds (363 kg).
Are there sharks near Tampa?
About a dozen shark species frequent Tampa Bay. Tenants include hammerheads, bonnetheads, nurse sharks, blacktips, lemon sharks and bull sharks to name a few. Sharks migrate in and out of Florida’s waters each year.
What is the biggest fish in the Gulf of Mexico?
Whale sharks
Whale sharks visit the Gulf of Mexico in the summer. These aptly named sharks are the world’s biggest fish. The largest recorded specimen on record was 40 feet long, but they are believed to get even bigger. Whale sharks reach an average length of 32.8 feet and typically weigh around 26.6 tons.
Is Tampa Bay saltwater or freshwater?
The Hillsborough River empties into Tampa Bay, which is the largest open-water estuary in Florida. An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water where fresh water from rivers and streams flows into the ocean, mixing with the salty seawater.
What lives in Tampa Bay?
Tampa Bay hosts some of Florida’s most diverse wildlife. From birds, to dolphins and manatees, to crabs and fish, there are many different organisms that call this estuary home. All of these animals work together and intersect through the food web, and a cascade of trophic levels.
What is biting Tampa Bay?
The Grouper and Red Snapper are biting, but quite a ways offshore. In closer, you can find plenty of Mackerel, Tunny, Permit, Barracuda and Shark.
What fish is in season in Tampa Bay?
The best fishing times for Tampa & St. Petersburg are from May through early September for king mackerel, grouper, permit, tarpon, snook, and redfish. Winter is typically the slowest fishing season in these coastal waters. Available year-round; summer until early September is the best time.