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Black Grouper Fishing Charters
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Everything to Know About Booking a black grouper fishing charter
What are the best black grouper fishing charters?
The best black grouper fishing charters are:
What is a Black Grouper?
Black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), also known as black or marbled rockfish, is a marine member of the grouper subfamily. It is often confused with the gag, misty, and Warsaw grouper. They are the largest keep-able member of the groupers, and are known for their strength and fast reflexes, giving them the nickname the “freight train”
They have a meaty, oblong body, with spiny dorsal and anal fins that have dark blue or black borders. They range from olive to gray in coloration and have dark, brassy spots on their head and sides. Their tiny eyes sit on a large, blocky head, with their lower jaw extending out.
Black grouper are protogynous hermaphrodites, which means that they are all born female. Once they reach the size and age of sexual maturity, at around ten years, some will turn into males for reproduction purposes.
How big do Black Grouper get?
Some rumors say black grouper can grow to over 50 inches long, and over 170 pounds, but the average catch is usually only a little over two feet in length, and between five to 20 pounds.
What's the biggest Black Grouper ever caught?
According to the IGFA, the world record for black grouper is 124 pounds. This monster was pulled out of the Gulf of Mexico near Texas, on January 11th, 2003 by Tim Oestreich II.
There are reports of a man named Alex Newman, who caught a black grouper weighing 124.18 pounds near Fort Myers, during a charity fishing tournament. However, it was not recognized by the IGFA.
Where is the best place to catch Black Grouper?
Black grouper can only be found in the western Atlantic Ocean. Juveniles can be found as far north as Massachusetts, and as far south as Brazil. The best places to catch adults are in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and near the Bahamas.
No matter where you go, black grouper will tend to gather near offshore wrecks and reefs, coming into shallower water between 30 and 120 feet deep during spawning, and 120 and 250 feet year-round.
When should I catch Black Grouper?
The best chance you will have at catching a black grouper is between May and August. This is when they come into shallower waters to spawn. Having them congregate in bigger groups, and lower water levels will help you to target and catch them.
However, the big trophy black grouper tend to stay in deeper water. Heading towards water 120-250 feet deep in the spring and winter will be the ticket, especially during a cold front, which is when they become their most active and hungry.
How do you catch Black Grouper?
Grouper are well known for their impressive strength. This makes it important to come prepared with some heavy-duty gear. A reel that can withstand a minimum of 20 pounds of drag, an 80-pound braided line, or 100-pound leader is necessary.
When it comes to bait, grouper aren’t very picky. Their biggest preference is the smellier, the better. Some options include baitfish like speedo mackerel, tinker mackerel, and yellowtail snapper, alive or dead. Keep in mind that persistent chumming, as well as keeping the depth of the hook in the bait shallow, can make all the difference.
Once you have prepared your bait, drop it right to the bottom where grouper like to hide among the coral ledges, rocks, and wrecks. Then get ready, as grouper are known to suck their food in whole. As soon as you feel that tug, get ready for a fight.
It is important to muscle up these tough old fish as quickly as possible. Allowing for slack, or time for them to swim off only gives them the means to get away into their hidey-hole among the sharp rocks and corals. The longer it takes, the more you’re increasing the odds of a cut line.
Are Black Grouper good to eat? What are the best Black Grouper recipes?
Black grouper is highly revered as one of the best fish to eat out of the ocean. It can be described as a mix of bass and halibut in taste. The meat is firm, with large flakes, and is very juicy.
There are many ways to prepare and serve grouper, for example in a sandwich, or served as the main with greens, potatoes, and hollandaise sauce. However, the resounding winner is to serve black grouper with lobster and shrimp. It pairs well due to the grouper’s natural diet of shellfish.
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Other Fishing Species
- African Pompano
- Albacore Tuna
- Almaco Jack
- Amberjack
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Barracuda
- Bigeye Tuna
- Black Drum
- Black Marlin
- Black Seabass
- Blackbelly Rosefish
- Blackfin Tuna
- Blacktip Shark
- Blue Catfish
- Blue Marlin
- Blue Shark
- Bluefin Tuna
- Bluefish
- Bonefish
- Bonito
- Bonnethead Shark
- Broomtail Grouper
- Bull Shark
- Cero Mackerel
- Cobia
- Cubera Snapper
- Dusky Shark
- False Albacore
- Florida Pompano
- Flounder
- Gag Grouper
- Giant Trevally
- Goliath Grouper
- Great White Shark
- Grunt
- Hammerhead Shark
- Hogfish
- Horse-eye Jack
- Jack Crevalle
- Kingfish
- Ladyfish
- Lane Snapper
- Largemouth Bass
- Lemon Shark
- Leopard Shark
- Lionfish
- Lobster
- Mahi Mahi
- Mako Shark
- Mangrove Snapper
- Milkfish
- Mullet Snapper
- Mutton Snapper
- Needlefish
- Nurse Shark
- Permit
- Pink Snapper
- Queen Snapper
- Rainbow Runner
- Ray
- Red Grouper
- Red Snapper
- Redfish
- Rockfish
- Roosterfish
- Sailfish
- Sandbar Shark
- Scamp Grouper
- School Shark
- Sheepshead
- Sierra Mackerel
- Skipjack Tuna
- Snook
- Snowy Grouper
- Spadefish
- Spanish Mackerel
- Speckled Trout
- Stingray
- Strawberry Grouper
- Striped Marlin
- Swordfish
- Tarpon
- Thresher Shark
- Tiger Shark
- Tilefish
- Triggerfish
- Tripletail
- Vermillion Snapper
- Wahoo
- Warsaw Grouper
- Weakfish
- White Marlin
- White Seabass
- Yellowfin Tuna
- Yellowtail Amberjack
- Yellowtail Snapper
Tour Species
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