Damn Good Goliath Grouper Fishing Charters

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Goliath Grouper Fishing Charters

Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Deep Sea, Nearshore, Jetty in Key West

Key West Offshore Or Inshore

100% (21) Guided by Antonio
27 ft 1 - 12 People From $700
Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Deep Sea, Nearshore, Flats in Bradenton Beach

The Local Trip

67% (3) Managed by David
25 ft 1 - 12 People From $300
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Deep Sea, Nearshore in Stock Island

Key West Nearshore/Offshore Trip

100% (6) Guided by Mike
63 ft 1 - 12 People From $1,850
Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Nearshore Fishing in Key Largo

Epic Biscayne Bay Trip

100% (11) Guided by Jason
18 ft 1 - 3 People From $350
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Port Aransas

Port A Rod-Bending Action

89% (18) Managed by Danny
31 ft 1 - 6 People From $2,500
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Port Aransas

Port A Offshore - 44' Tiarra

89% (18) Managed by Danny
44 ft 1 - 6 People From $2,900
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Everything to Know About Booking a goliath grouper fishing charter

What are the best goliath grouper fishing charters?

The best goliath grouper fishing charters are:

Why should I book a goliath grouper fishing charter with Captain Experiences?

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 156 goliath grouper trips, and the most popular trips are 4 hr Offshore Big Game Trip guided by Bryan, Key West Offshore Action guided by John, and Key West Mixed Bag Trip guided by Brad.

Our guides are rated a 4.94 out of 5 based on 3784 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

Looking for kid friendly goliath grouper guides / fishing lessons? Check out our beginner and family friendly goliath grouper guides.

What types of goliath grouper fishing charters are common?

Deep Sea fishing is the most popular type of fishing for goliath grouper as well as nearshore fishing, inshore fishing, and flats fishing.

The most common fishing techniques are bottom fishing, light tackle fishing, and heavy tackle fishing but trolling and live bait fishing are popular as well.

How much do goliath grouper fishing charters cost?

Prices for goliath grouper can range anywhere from about $850 to $7,000, but the average price for a half day trip for goliath grouper is $1,994. The average price for a full day trip for goliath grouper is $3,731.

Is booking a fishing guide worth the money?

Hiring a guide provides a number of benefits and many choose to book a fishing guide for a combination of experience, local knowledge, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Working with experienced fishing guides who know the best local spots and techniques can dramatically increase your odds of a great day. Having someone who is on the water every day and knows the area like the back of their hand is going to give you the best chances of success.

Booking a guide is also more cost effective, especially if you only get out a handful of times per year. When you consider all of the costs you would incur on your own such as the price of a boat, maintenance, insurance, gas, high-quality gear and tackle, repairs, and more, you’ll find that DIY is sometimes not worth the expense.

Even if you’ve got a great setup already in your home waters, booking a guide also provides a great opportunity to experience new techniques, new locations, or even a chance at a new target species to knock off the bucket list.

What month is best for goliath grouper fishing?

The most popular season for goliath grouper fishing is summer, and most anglers book their trips 27 days in advance.

Do I need a fishing license for goliath grouper and what are the bag limits for goliath grouper?

See here for more information on goliath grouper fishing licenses, goliath grouper bag limits, and fishing season regulations for goliath grouper. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right goliath grouper rules and regulations.

What is a Goliath Grouper?

The Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) is the largest member of the grouper family. They have a stocky build (to put it lightly) with small eyes and a large head. They are yellowish-brown to grey in coloring, with spots that help to camouflage them against coral and muddy bottoms.

They are tough, solitary fish who can live in both brackish water and low oxygen levels. Also known to be fearless, they will defend their territory with aggressive body language, and by using their swimming bladder to make a rumbling sound.

How big do Goliath Grouper get?

Goliath groupers aren’t called “goliath” for no reason. These big boys and girls can grow up to over eight feet in length and over 600 pounds, which can be reached in up to their 50 years of life. However, the average catch will be between 75 and 150 pounds.

What's the biggest Goliath Grouper ever caught?

The world record according to the IGFA is a 680 pound goliath grouper that was caught off Fernandia Beach, Florida. It was caught on May 20th, 1961 by Lynn Joyner off of conventional tackle, using Spanish mackerel as bait.

Where is the best place to catch Goliath Grouper?

Goliath Groupers can be found throughout the western and eastern Atlantic. They are distributed from Florida to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, as well as from Senegal to Congo, as far as the Canary Islands. They can also be found in the Eastern Pacific from the Gulf of California to Peru.

Young grouper live in canals, brackish estuaries, and mangrove swamps. As they become older, they move to shallow, tropical waters and can be found around coral, rocks, mud bottoms, and man-made structures, up to 150 feet deep.

When should I catch Goliath Grouper?

The great thing about goliath groupers is that they can be caught year-round. However, the peak season is from May to October during and right after their spawning season. The early morning and late afternoon is the time of day for the best bite.

How do you catch Goliath Grouper?

As mentioned, goliath groupers are known for their aggressiveness, strength, and ability to muscle their way through reefs and rocks to break lines. This means that strong gear is absolutely necessary, including line with a minimum 300 pound test, and 16-20/0 sized circle hooks crimped solidly to the leader, and a 50-80 wide reel.

Goliath groupers eat sea turtles and crustaceans, but some great bait to use include burrfish, catfish, toadfish, octopus, ladyfish, and jack crevalle. In whichever you use, natural bait works best, as lures tend not to tempt them. Also, with any of these, be sure to anchor close to the reef so that the fish will be lured out to take the bait, possibly bouncing it off the bottom, however far enough that you have a chance to pull them away before they break the line on any structure.

Are Goliath Grouper good to eat?

Goliath groupers were once known to be a very highly regarded quality seafood, making them an ideal target for fishermen. But they quickly became overfished which led to strict bans on keeping them in areas they’re found including the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil, in order for them to be able to regrow their populations. Due to long lifespans and slow growth rates, it is expected to be a long road to recovery, and these fish should always be handled carefully and released to live another day.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    We had a terrific fishing experience. Captain Mark was enthusiastic, helpful, very knowledgeable about the area and put us on enough fish to limit us out. The entire experience was enjoyable and productive, well worth the cost.

    Laura S. | December 9, 2024

    Trip: Crystal River Rod-Bender

  • ★★★★★
    James was fantastic. He communicated very good and knew the bay extremely well. He put my son and I on fish at each spot and couldn’t of asked for a better experience in Sarasota Bay!

    Joshua D. | November 27, 2024

    Trip: Sarasota Classic Trip

  • ★★★★★
    My son and I had a wonderful time!! We will definitely be back again!! Thank you Charlie!

    Mae W. | November 26, 2024

    Trip: Fort Myers Inshore Angling

  • ★★★★★
    My son and I had a great time fishing with Captain Tim. He's a great guy to fish with and was a lot of fun to fish with. While we caught many fish, it would have been better if the bigger ones cooperated.

    Robert W. | November 17, 2024

    Trip: Inshore Trip - 23 parker custom

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Bryan took my sons and I out on a beautiful day through the Haulover Inlet, which was so much fun. we trolled we bought fished we kite fished… We caught sharks, mahi, mahi, and blackfin tuna! Captain Bryan brought his cool little dog along, and we all had a great day!

    John H. | November 11, 2024

    Trip: 4 hr Offshore Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Tim was great! He made sure we caught lots of fish. The toilet on the boat wasn’t working but I’m still giving 5 stars for Tim!

    Lindsey M. | October 18, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    Great experience. Sympatic guys. I can only recommend

    Vejvar M. | October 17, 2024

    Trip: 4 hr Offshore Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Byran is so fun and so professional in fishing. I love his dog, she went fishing with us and she’s so kind with my kids. We had the best time together! Definitely recommend captain Bryan for your advisor!

    Luxi W. | October 12, 2024

    Trip: 4 hr Offshore Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had such a great time and our guide was fun, knowledgeable, and put us on the fish all trip! We will be going back for sure.

    Rae S. | October 6, 2024

    Trip: Key West Offshore Action

  • ★★★★★
    Had a really great time it was my son‘s birthday and my two grandsons was with him and a couple of friends and Captain Willis really did this extraordinarily great great kid Jake his first mate was jumping around the boat putting bait on my hooks really did great. I recommend this crew For your fishing experience and later met the owner Danny at his restaurant, all the guys are telling Danny about their experience on the boat. All excited the food was good at the restaurant Danny’s group at the restaurant was perfect. Danny is the owner was really phenomenal, on his appreciation of our decision to do business with his Services offered. If you’re looking to have a great experience, I would suggest you look these guys up in Port Aransas

    David L. | October 6, 2024

    Trip: Into the Depths- Captain Daniel

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Steve and mate Stan are the best they put us on the fish and we will definitely be back

    Jason R. | September 25, 2024

    Trip: Key West Sportfishing Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    We did not go with Captain Robert. We went with Captain Tim. Captain Robert called me the day before the trip to confirm the fishing trip and our plan for the day. We were to meet at the dock at 6:00. The day of the trip, Captain Robert texted me and said we would leave at 7:00 due to the weather. On the way to the dock, a got a call asking were we still going on the trip. I informed them that we were on the way and I was told to be there at 7:00. When we got to the dock, we had two Captains waiting on us. We were informed that there was a mix up and we were going with Captain Tim. We had to stop and get fuel, ice and bait. We trolled near shore and hooked up with a big fish. A dolphin took our fish. My oldest son got seasick. Water was very rough. We returned my son to shore. We started trolling again. Every time we hooked up with a decent fish, dolphins got our catch. We did catch several Bennita's. Alarm on boat started going off. We checked the motor and Captain called to attempt to trouble shoot. Both motors would not start. Finally got motor started but ran with one motor. We could not go to better bottom fishing spot due to running one motor. We came in early due to one motor and alarm going off constantly. Terrible experience! Screwed up from the start.

    Terry H. | September 3, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    We had an amazing time! We had a special interest in Mahi and captain brad and his first mate made it happen. It was great, they made us feel super comfortable and confident. We were able to score Mackerel, Yellowtail and we latched on 3 Mahi’s at the very very last second! Super lucky. Brad and his first mate made it happen! We were able to leave with 2 mackerels and 2 Mahi Mahi’s! Thank you! You won’t regret booking with them. Special experience.

    María A. | September 2, 2024

    Trip: Key West Mixed Bag Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Jason is an exceptional fisherman and superb steward of the wildlife surrounding the Keys! We caught tons of fish and had a great time with him! We would recommend taking a charter out with him!!

    Jessica P. | August 31, 2024

    Trip: Epic Biscayne Bay Trip

  • ★★★★★
    My families trip with Captain John was awesome. John is a humble, hardworking, easy going, chill, dude and fit right in with our families vibe. He was great with our 5 year old son and answered all of his many fishing questions. John made it clear that between the time of year and conditions that day we would have to really work at it to get anything. That’s exactly what we did and we ended up catching a good amount of fish. Most importantly our 5 year old son, who is obsessed with fishing, had the time of his life and caught fish he’s never seen before. 5 stars, highly recommend. If you have a small group this is the charter to go on!

    Jacob D. | August 25, 2024

    Trip: Full Day Private Fishing Charter

  • ★★★★★
    Outstanding! Worked hard to find fish, great adventure

    Mark H. | August 24, 2024

    Trip: Chasing Monsters - 24’ Pathfinder

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Brad and his first mate were amazing. It was my first time fishing off of a boat and I'm glad it was with them! They were both very patient, helpful, and made it an unforgettable experience. We caught snapper and grouper and even hooked an eel! Thanks to both of you for a fantastic time on the water. Highly recommend

    Karen E. | August 19, 2024

    Trip: Key West Mixed Bag Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Jay was an experienced captain who took us on an incredible fishing excursion. We were a group mixed fishing experience, caught tons of fish, and took plenty home with us for dinner! 10/10. We will be back!

    Paige H. | August 17, 2024

    Trip: Epic Biscayne Bay Trip

  • ★★★★★
    The five stars Is not for Robert he was not who took us out the five stars is for Ryan he was awesome. Ryan taught us a lot and was very friendly. Highly recommend going on a trip with Ryan.

    Chandra N. | August 9, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time with Captain Tim. He is a seasoned guide that knows the area waters and knows where the fish are. He took the time to make sure my kids were casting properly and made sure they were never out of bait. We all enjoyed the trip and caught a lot of fish.

    Andrew H. | August 7, 2024

    Trip: Inshore Trip - 23 parker custom

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