Goliath Grouper Tackle You need a large reel capable of 90lbs of drag and loaded with 400lb+ monofilament if you want to consistently land the big ones. You can land some with lesser tackle but you will break a lot off and that is not good for you or the fish.
How much drag do I need for grouper?
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 many pounds of drag do I need?
Most anglers don’t ever need to go above 25 to 30 pounds of drag, says Rice. “The goal is to tire the fish out,” he adds. “When you get into the higher drags, I’ve seen grown men who didn’t have the right technique in a harness become exhausted quickly.”
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.
Is it easy to catch goliath grouper?
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.
What should my drag be set to?
For best results, the drag setting should be able at the point where the line holds a third to half of its weight before moving (e.g., a 20-pound line should not move until the hook holds seven to ten pounds).
How heavy should a grouper rod be?
The Benefits of Beef
When selecting the perfect grouper stick, you’ll want to look for something that’s strong and designed for maximum leverage. I favor grouper rods that are 7’0” or 8’0” in length and rated for nothing less than 50 lb.
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)
Is 15 pound drag good?
Registered. A good rule of thumb is that the drag is set at 1/3 of the breaking strength of your line. With that said, 15 pounds of drag is alot. Try it by hooking a scale on your rod and have someone pull it to 15 pounds.
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’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.
What is the fine for keeping a goliath grouper?
Goliath grouper have been protected in state and federal waters off Florida since 1990. In state waters, harvesting goliath grouper is punishable by a fine up to $500 per fish and up to 60 days in jail.
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.
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.
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.
Where is the best place to catch goliath grouper Florida?
Destin. Destin has some of the best Grouper fishing in Florida and one of the largest fleets in all of Florida to take you out to catch them. Located at the eastern end of the Florida Panhandle, many different species, including Black, Red, Scamp, Gag and Goliath Grouper, are found in the waters off the coast.
How do you set drag on big fish?
A good rule of thumb is to set your drag at under one third the breaking strain of the line. Because there are all sorts of variables that come into play when fighting a big fish, which put additional strain on the line and cause it to break.
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 Max drag mean fishing?
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.
What pound leader is grouper?
Fishing Line
Smaller grouper, 30 to 40 pound line is fine with a 60 to 100 pound fluorocarbon leader. For bigger grouper, scale up to 50 to 80 pound line and you might be better off with braided line or some other type of super line with a 100 pound fluorocarbon leader.
What size hook should you use for grouper?
“They require a 7/0 or 8/0 hook.