# Grouper Offshore Fishing Report



## csheridan

Went offshore a few days ago and the bite was really slow. I am assuming as the water continues to warm up the bite will get better. But we had to hop spot to spot to try to find them which is usually not the case.

We headed 54 miles SW into 100 feet of water put out frozen sand perch, did not have any live bait yet, and started our drift. As I said before the bite was really slow, when usually it is one after another. We reset our drink twice and still didnt get anything. So I called 5 more minutes and we will move to another spot. And then my mother and a friend both hooked up to grouper. My friend lost his but my moms was a 23" red grouper. Not a bad first fish of the day.

The rest of the day we kept bouncing around spot to spot, going 30 minutes to close to an hour with no bites and then all the sudden 2 or 3 of us would be hooked up all at the same time.

As we were drinking I had a lighter rod out trying to catch snapper (didnt get any when usually I can pull a bunch of lane snapper up) but I did catch more sand perch and we started using them for bait instead of the frozen ones. Sand perch and pinfish seem to be the preferred bait, they wouldnt touch a sardine.

The day ended with us catching 7 keeper red grouper, not a bad day at all. The smallest was a 23", then we had a 25", 26", 26", 26.5", 27 and a 28"
However all together we probably only caught 10 or so grouper. I sadly lost a big one right at the boat. The hook actually broke in half, which I have never seen before.

Check out the video below of the trip!


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## amarcafina

nice !! ya'll leave out of Pensacola ?


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## jwmd2010

New to grouper fishing. Actually have never caught one. Do you typically use a Carolina rig and just send it to the bottom using frozen or large pinfish?


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## photofishin

jwmd2010 said:


> New to grouper fishing. Actually have never caught one. Do you typically use a Carolina rig and just send it to the bottom using frozen or large pinfish?


looks to me to be a double drop chicken rig.


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## csheridan

photofishin said:


> looks to me to be a double drop chicken rig.


Yes a chicken rig. I used to use carolina rigs but got tired of them twisting up on its self. The chicken rig I can just drop it down as fast as it wants to go without having to throw it out a bit with no worry of twisting up.

Very productive rig and I never have any problems with catching fish on it.


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## jwmd2010

With the chicken rig do you put 2 live baits on there? Also once it hits bottom do you recommend reeling up to get it off bottom or leave it on bottom?

Thanks for the help just trying to learn!


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## csheridan

jwmd2010 said:


> With the chicken rig do you put 2 live baits on there? Also once it hits bottom do you recommend reeling up to get it off bottom or leave it on bottom?
> 
> Thanks for the help just trying to learn!


I put two live baits on there with no problems. Just make sure your dropper loops are far enough apart where the hook from one cant touch where your other dropper loop starts, if that makes sense.

I always am fishing usually 100+ FOW so I drift, even if I am in 60 FOW I drift I guess. Drifting is nice because you can cover a lot of ground.
I always hit the bottom and take it off of free spool and just have it bouncing off the bottom.


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## how2fish

Thanks for sharing the video and the info :thumbup:


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## csheridan

how2fish said:


> Thanks for sharing the video and the info :thumbup:


No problem. Hopefully the weather starts cooperating so I can get back out there! This weekend and next do not look good. 

Water has been warming up so hopefully that turns the bite on more.


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## k-p

Isn't this out of Ft. Myers?


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## Team Kaos

k-p said:


> Isn't this out of Ft. Myers?


Perhaps. I can't wrap my head around going 54 miles SW to 100 ft of water anywhere around here.


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## k-p

http://forums.floridasportsman.com/discussion/255437/grouper-offshore-fishing-report


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## 192

Moved...


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## csheridan

Ah sorry guys, I have been busy so havn't checked this in a while. Sorry for posting it in the wrong section. 

I will from now on post in the Out of the Area Reports section.


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