# Help catching red grouper



## wmflyfisher (Jan 17, 2008)

I tried targeting red grouper last year with no luck. I would love to catch them this summer. 

What are some tips for catching these boogers? Do you typically anchor up or drift for them? Live or dead baits? What do you look for on your bottom machine to target them? Type of rig and method?

Any help would be great.


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

I've noticed they are more likely to eat squid than any other grouper. I have caught them plenty of times incidentally while mingo fishing at the edge.


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

Really no way to target them, just go fishing and be happy if your are Blessed with one or 2


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## johnboatjosh (May 19, 2008)

Flat, low relief hard bottom. They Seem to like butterflied baits really well.


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## wmflyfisher (Jan 17, 2008)

johnboatjosh said:


> Flat, low relief hard bottom. They Seem to like butterflied baits really well.


Thanks. Sorry but low relief?


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Low relief means structure that doesn't stick up high off the bottom.


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

I'd stick to natural bottom.


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

Karon told me years ago that the make burrows to live in


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## chad403 (Apr 20, 2008)

Chum the schooling fish off the bottom. Then drop a live Croaker down. As the water gets hotter the deeper you will need to be


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## Five Prongs Of Fury (Apr 15, 2008)

wmflyfisher said:


> Thanks. Sorry but low relief?


Swiss cheese type bottom. Like josh said butterflyed baits are excellent. However, they'll readily take any dead bait as long as its fresh. Drift fish for them, if you catch one mark the spot, they're seldom alone...


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## Nitzey (Oct 9, 2007)

The only time I caught a bunch of them was on Christmas Eve at the Russian Freighter, jigging for them. We caught a nice one once at the Paradise Hole, but others were incidental at The Edge. Here is a photo on Linsley with one from The Edge.


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## wmflyfisher (Jan 17, 2008)

Thanks guys. Last year we used most of the techniques mentioned here but nothing. We did get rocked up on some fish and broke off. May have been reds but I'll never know. Hopefully we can boat some this year.

Is it common to catch more than 2 or 3 over one spot or do you need to move frequently?


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

As has been mentioned, low relief and hard bottom. If I am really trying to catch a red, I will anchor. Typically on that hard bottom, the fish are pretty spread out. If you anchor and start fishing one spot, rather than keep the fish spread out they will come to you and stack up under the boat. Butterflied porgys and mingos are good baits, but nothing beats a slab of bonito (and I mean a big slab) for RG's. Just know that you will also weed through some sharks fishing for them. Don't be discouraged if you don't catch one immediately, I have been on a spot an hour without catching one and then catch 2-3 back to back. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## wmflyfisher (Jan 17, 2008)

sniperpeeps said:


> As has been mentioned, low relief and hard bottom. If I am really trying to catch a red, I will anchor. Typically on that hard bottom, the fish are pretty spread out. If you anchor and start fishing one spot, rather than keep the fish spread out they will come to you and stack up under the boat. Butterflied porgys and mingos are good baits, but nothing beats a slab of bonito (and I mean a big slab) for RG's. Just know that you will also weed through some sharks fishing for them. Don't be discouraged if you don't catch one immediately, I have been on a spot an hour without catching one and then catch 2-3 back to back.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Excellent info. This should help.


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## PHARMER (Apr 13, 2012)

Yep, low relief hardbottom and some luck. One thing I've found to be successful is to put a 10 oz squidtail jig on bottom of a chicken rig. When the smaller fish hit the chicken rig, leave it down. The struggling fish attract the grouper and they will hit the jig.


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## johnboatjosh (May 19, 2008)

PHARMER said:


> Yep, low relief hardbottom and some luck. One thing I've found to be successful is to put a 10 oz squidtail jig on bottom of a chicken rig. When the smaller fish hit the chicken rig, leave it down. The struggling fish attract the grouper and they will hit the jig.


Now there you go divulging top secret information......


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## PHARMER (Apr 13, 2012)

It works


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## johnboatjosh (May 19, 2008)

If y'all think those grouper are good looking; you should have seen the guy on the other side of the camera!!


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## wmflyfisher (Jan 17, 2008)

PHARMER said:


> Yep, low relief hardbottom and some luck. One thing I've found to be successful is to put a 10 oz squidtail jig on bottom of a chicken rig. When the smaller fish hit the chicken rig, leave it down. The struggling fish attract the grouper and they will hit the jig.


So let me get this straight. I am supposed to leave my 2 hook chicken rig on the bottom WITH 2 fish on the hooks?! That's pretty wild. How far below the rig do you tie the jig? And I'm hoping you meant 1oz and not 10! Didn't know they made them that heavy!

Will definitely have to give this a shot IF I can resist the urge to pull up the porgies!

Also, is there a depth range I should be targeting when looking for them and the bottom they inhabit?


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## PHARMER (Apr 13, 2012)

Yep 10 oz. He makes a 5oz also. I leave them hooked up tor maybe a minute or so then I reel up.


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