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Are you looking for your next fishing challenge? Do you want to learn how to catch black grouper? Black grouper is a strong fish that will give you a fight when hooked. It has a habit of quickly moving to its hideout when hooked. This can easily cause your line to break. Black grouper can be found from North Carolina to Florida, to the Gulf of Mexico, and to southern Brazil.
In this article, we will share information such as how to catch black grouper, the best bait and lures to use, as well as other information to help you catch this smart, big, and powerful fish.
Table of Contents
How To Catch Black Grouper
Black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci) can be found around wrecks and reefs. They are big and powerful fish that can be found from North Carolina to Florida to the Gulf of Mexico, and Brazil. When hooked, the black grouper will fight hard and tends to quickly move to its hiding spot to free itself of the hook. Bottom fishing and drift fishing are some of the fishing methods used when fishing for black grouper.
1. Trolling
Trolling is one of the fishing methods used when fishing for black grouper. Trolling deep diving plugs and ballyhoo are very effective when fishing for black grouper. Trolling involves moving the boat at a slow speed with the bait moving through the water at the back. When a fish strikes, you take the line, set the hook in, and reel in the fish.
2. Drift Fishing
Drift fishing is another fishing method used when fishing for black grouper. Anglers usually drift over the active bottom to target black grouper. When drift fishing, anglers move the boat with the water’s current and let the bait drift over the water. This fishing method allows you to catch a variety of fish as the bait moves over different habitats.
3. Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing is another fishing method anglers use when fishing for black grouper. Black grouper is a bottom fish and targeting them at the bottom is an effective way of catching them.
Best Bait For Black Grouper
- Pilchards
Pilchard is good bait for catching black grouper and are ideal when learning how to catch black grouper. Live bait is the best for targeting black grouper and if you can get live pilchards, that is even better.
2. Pinfish
Pinfish is effective as bait when fishing for black grouper and live pinfish works better.
3. Threadfin
Threadfin is a good bait for catching black grouper.
4. Crabs
Black grouper preys on baitfish and crustaceans at the bottom which makes crabs good bait when fishing for black grouper.
5. Squid
Squid also works well as a good bait when fishing black grouper.
6. Goggle-eyes
Goggle-eye is an effective bait for catching black grouper.
7. Cigar Minnows
Cigar minnows work well as bait for black grouper.
Best Lures For Black Grouper
- Jigs
Jigs work well as lures when used to target black grouper at the bottom.
2. Plugs
Plugs also work well as lures and trolling plugs are effective when fishing for black grouper.
Black Grouper Fishing Setup
Black grouper is a big, powerful, and tenacious fish. When hooked, it will put up a spirited fight that you may be surprised by. It tends to run to cover when hooked to free itself. This can also break the line.
Heavy-duty tackle is needed to be successful when fishing for black grouper. An 80-pound braided line with a 100-pound leader will work. Heavy jigging tackle improves your chances of getting black grouper from their hideouts. Additionally, use a reel that is capable of at least 20 pounds of drag.
Black Grouper Fishing Tips
- Black grouper can be found near wrecks, ledges, rocky bottoms, crevices, bays, jetties, shoals, and reefs.
2. Black grouper will be on the up-current side of a wreck. Don’t position your boat directly over a wreck and try to get a black grouper out of the wreck; it won’t happen. Anchor way up-current and let out adequate line to get close.
3. In the United States, black grouper can be found from the Gulf of Mexico to Florida and up to North Carolina.
4. Black grouper will put up a long and hard fight when hooked.
5. Drift fishing, still fishing, chumming, bottom bouncing, and saltwater jigging are some of the fishing methods used when fishing for black grouper.
6. Live bait is the best bait to use when fishing for black grouper, although dead bait also works.
7. Trolling deep diving plugs and ballyhoo are very effective to catch black grouper.
8. Always keep the bait just above the bottom when fishing for black grouper.
9. Black grouper spawn during the winter months.
10. Black grouper are not blessed with speed.
11. Sharks and moray eels are predators of black grouper. If you are reeling in a black grouper and suddenly see sharks or moray eels, just be aware that they are after the black grouper. Be prepared to battle with them also for your catch.
The Bottom Line
Black grouper is a favorite game fish for anglers. It is large, powerful, and puts up a hard fight. When hooked black grouper runs to its hideout to free itself of the hook. They are found near structures like wrecks, ledges, rocky bottoms, crevices, bays, jetties, shoals, and reefs.
In this article, we discussed how to catch black grouper, the fishing setup, the best baits and lures to use as well as shared fishing tips to help you catch this delicious gamefish. You can also read how to catch grouper, how to catch gag grouper, how to catch rock hind, how to catch alligator gar, how to catch tilefish, and how to catch triggerfish.
