This fish will generally reach a weight of around 400 pounds. However, there have been some much larger fish caught. One in Florida that was caught with a hook and line weighed 680 pounds. They can get larger, though.
How big do grouper get in Florida?
The Atlantic goliath grouper can reach 800 pounds and be over 8 feet long, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Florida record is a 680-pound goliath grouper caught off Fernandina Beach in 1961.
What is normal grouper size?
They can grow to well over 4 feet and easily top 100 pounds. The average catch in Florida is around half that length, weighing between 5 and 20 pounds. A 40 lb fish is considered a real trophy.
What is the biggest grouper ever caught in Florida?
680 pounds
As of 2021, the largest Goliath Grouper recorded caught in the wild is 680 pounds on the Southern coast of Florida. Anglers reeled the Grouper in May of 1961.
The typical Goliath diet includes:
- Calico crabs.
- Crustaceans.
- Small or medium-sized fish.
Where is the best place to catch grouper Florida?
Pensacola has one of the largest man-made reefs in the world just offshore, so it’s the perfect place to find and catch grouper. The Oriskany Memorial Reef is also called “the Great Carrier Reef”, and it provides groupers with tons of cover to hide from their prey – this attracts plenty of groupers for you to catch.
Is grouper a good fish to eat?
Thanks to its subtle flavor that easily absorbs dressings and marinades, grouper is excellent however you serve it. Fish sandwiches made with either a thick slice of blackened grouper or battered and deep-fried bite-size pieces of grouper are one of the best and most simple ways to enjoy this fish.
Has a goliath grouper ever attacked a human?
For example, The New York Times reported in 1895 that a fisherman caught a 1,500-pound Goliath grouper in the Gulf of Mexico. 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.
Can you eat a giant grouper?
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.
Why is grouper so popular in Florida?
And that’s a good thing, because grouper is one of Florida’s most popular fish. The flavor is so mild and subtle, it appeals to just about everybody. All groupers are members of the seabass family, Serranidae, which is made up of more than 400 species.
What is the best kind of grouper to eat?
The scamp grouper is highly prized and known to be the best tasting among the group, making it a great table fare. It features a mild and distinct flavor comparable to that of a halibut or sea bass. The white meat, sweet taste, and chunky flakes of this fish give it its excellent food value.
How old is a 300 lb grouper?
A 350-pound grouper caught off the coast of Florida is believed to be 50 years old, making it the oldest fish caught in the state’s wildlife research program, officials said.
How old is a 600 pound grouper?
Biologists with the FWC Research Institute estimate the fish is 50 years old. Warsaw groupers can grow to nearly eight feet long and can weigh up to nearly 600 pounds. The largest ever caught in Florida weighed nearly 440 pounds.
What does grouper fish taste like?
Grouper has a mild yet distinct flavor, somewhere between Bass and Halibut. The taste of most Grouper is similar, with slight differences in flavor and texture, depending on size, species and location of harvest. Red Grouper is sweeter and milder than Black Grouper.
What is the best month to catch grouper?
Generally speaking, the best time to catch grouper is from May to October. You’ll have the best chances fishing either in the early morning or late afternoon as these are the best times of the day for grouper in Florida.
How deep do you fish for grouper?
30 to 60 feet deep
When you’re grouper trolling, you should do it in water that is 30 to 60 feet deep. You’ll have no trouble setting the hook even though it’s that deep. The stretch is going to give your fish some leeway anytime it strikes your moving lure, so it’s not cutting the mouth of the fish.
What is the best bait for catching grouper?
The best bait for grouper fishing are squid, chub mackerel, sardine, white crab, or octopus pieces, one of the favorite grouper food. But normally they bite any bait.
What is the best tasting fish in Florida?
The Best Tasting Fish in Florida
- #1: Grouper. It doesn’t matter what species of grouper you catch, this is a must have on your table!
- #2: Snapper. This is another species of fish that no matter what kind you catch it is going to taste good!
- #3: Mackerel.
- #4: Dolphin fish.
- #5: Snook.
- #6: Flounder.
- #7: Mullet.
- #8: Pompano.
Are there worms in grouper?
Like other fish, groupers harbor parasites, including digeneans, nematodes, cestodes, monogeneans, isopods, and copepods.
What is better snapper or grouper?
Snapper is slightly sweeter and the meat more delicate, especially when grilled, than Grouper. Most compare its flavor and texture to be similar to that of halibut or sea bass. Grouper on the other hand is milder or more subtle in flavor making it perfect for absorbing either dressings or marinades.
What is the biggest grouper ever recorded?
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.
What is the largest grouper ever caught?
680-pound
According to American Oceans, the world record Goliath grouper is a 680-pound monster caught in 1961. The fish was caught by an angler who fought the fish for over an hour. Not only was this fish approaching 700 pounds, it was seven feet in overall length.