We use 20-pound test monofilament with 6 feet of 25-pound test flourocarbon as a leader. If the fish won’t come up high into the water column, add small amounts of weight until you find the minimum amount that gets you into the strike zone. Small jig heads can be helpful.
What line do you use for grouper?
A good rod and reel, with fifty-pound test monofilament line, can handle almost all the grouper you may encounter.
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.
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.
What pound test fishing line should I use?
In freshwater, a 4-12 lb test is standard. For small trout and sunfish, a 4 lb test is okay. For bass or general freshwater fishing, 6-8 lb test is the norm. In saltwater, 12-15 il test is standard when using light tackle for smaller species, while 17-20 lb test allows you to target bigger fish.
What is the best bait for 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.
How do you catch big grouper?
Grouper Techniques
Grouper can be caught on lures, live bait, and dead bait. My favorite way to catch them if they are shallow is casting jerkbaits in shallow reef areas but a large livebait sent down to the bottom and then lifted a crank or two is probably the most effective way to catch them day in and day out.
How long should a grouper rig be?
Cut enough line so that after tying the hook and the barrel swivel on to each end, the resulting length is roughly 3 feet.
Is braid good for bottom fishing?
Reasons why straight braid isn’t good ANYTIME for bottom fishing on ANY boat: Braid has no stretch – this means it doesn’t give when the fish is fighting so it’s very easy for the fish to spit the hook half way up when they start swimming up with you with their mouths open to shake the hook (mostly snapper do this)
Where do you catch grouper fish?
Grouper are relatively plentiful and can be found in most US coastal waters, but they are especially common around the waters of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. Grouper are a great gamefish because they are delicious – their flesh is tender and sweet and is a treat for any seafood lover.
How do you fish red grouper?
The most popular technique used by fishermen is bottom fishing with a heavy rod and reel. There are other ways that people like to fish, though! You could try trolling or free lining a live pinfish when shallow and groupers also love a vertical and or slow pitch jig.
How do you catch a gag grouper in the Gulf?
The key to catching gag grouper is plenty of live bait. While a variety of baits work, Shidler prefers pinfish, which he catches in pinfish trips that he visits on the way out to fishing grounds. Shidler also sometimes chums with live bait to help bring the gags up from the bottom and entice them to feed.
How do I choose a fishing line test?
Line Strength
It should roughly match the weight of the species you are fishing for (e.g. use line in the 30-pound test for tuna in the 30-pound range). A typical line to cast for trout would be 4-pound test. Consider braided line of 30-pound test or more if you go after large game fish.
What is 6lb test line good for?
The 6 Lb test strength is great for targeting multiple species. It’s light enough to pull in a pile of Panfish, and heavy enough to get your Largemouth Bass dockside. However, when you get more specialized a lighter test (2-4 Lb.) for Panfish and a heavier test (8-12 Lb.)
What does 20 lb test line mean?
Braided lines are also labeled with a nylon monofilament equivalent diameter, stated in pounds. For example, a braided line labeled as 20-pound-test may be labeled as having a . 009-inch diameter, and the label will state that this is equivalent to the diameter of a 6-pound-test nylon monofilament line.
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.
Is Mullet good bait for grouper?
Goliath Grouper are Huge and They Will Eat Big Baits
Some of the popular bigger fish to use as bait are large mullet and jack crevalle. Rays are used with good success too.
How far offshore can you get grouper?
To get the best grouper, you should go 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) to 85 miles (136.794 kilometers) offshore. Grouper will naturally swim on the current and into your bait.
Are grouper easy to catch?
Catching them is not difficult. Red grouper are typically one of the easiest fish to coax into feeding. Fresh cut bait or frozen sardines will often outfish the friskiest live baits. Still, it is a good idea to have some big, live pinfish to grab the last few biters off a spot.
How do you catch grouper instead of snapper?
Artificial baits such as large bucktails and butterfly jigs have been getting even the pickiest fish to bite. These baits draw a “reaction strike” from these fish. Drop the rig to the bottom and work it upward in a pretty fast motion to mimic a baitfish trying to get away.
What is a knocker rig?
Knocker rig fishing is used for catching fish on or close to the seafloor. Knocker rigs utilize a hook, weight, line, and barrel swivel to present the bait to a fish in a more natural fashion. Whether you’re fishing inshore or offshore, the rig can be used to catch a wide variety of fish species.