Damn Good Goliath Grouper Fishing Charters

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Top Cities for Goliath Grouper Fishing

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Goliath Grouper Fishing Charters

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Destin

Harbor Hookup: Destin Fishing Fun

100% (16) Guided by Reid
46 ft 1 - 6 People From $1,800
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

Deep Sea, Nearshore, Jetty in Key West

Key West Offshore - '27 CC

100% (125) Guided by Antonio
27 ft 1 - 8 People From $700
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Key West

Key West Offshore Action

96% (27) Guided by John
32 ft 1 - 6 People From $1,000
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Flats Fishing in Jensen Beach

Jensen Beach Inshore

100% (1) Guided by Charley
26 ft 1 - 6 People From $550
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Deep Sea, Nearshore in Tavernier

Fishing Coastal Bay

100% (27) Guided by Ben
20 ft 1 - 8 People From $700
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore Fishing in Stuart

Stuart Inshore Trip

NEW Guided by Jeremy
18 ft 1 - 6 People From $450
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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:

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

  • ★★★★★
    Had the best fishing experience with Brad and Ben put us right on the fish

    Justin V. | December 2, 2025

    Trip: Clearwater Offshore Reefs & Wrecks

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great time! We would highly recommend Captain Nick!

    Sid W. | November 29, 2025

    Trip: Port Orange Offshore Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    Bryan is a great Captain! We had an awesome time

    Frank S. | November 23, 2025

    Trip: Special Midweek 5hr Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    We had a wonderful fishing trip with Bryan. He was very knowledgeable and helped us immensely since we had little to no experience offshore fishing. We could feel that he cared about us catching a fish and that he was trying to fulfill. In the end, we caught 3 fish - 2 rainbow runners and 1 mutton snapper and lost 3 fish. We are super happy.

    David T. | November 14, 2025

    Trip: Special Midweek 5hr Big Game Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Great time! Knowledge, attentive and right on top of it. Highly recommended them. I will definitely come back. Five star service all around!!

    Tony K. | October 13, 2025

    Trip: Clearwater Offshore Fishing

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