Rigging Fishing Poles for Grouper

Grouper are large fish living off the coast of Florida and the Bahamas that can reach upward of 100 lbs. Catching a single grouper can turn an otherwise uneventful fishing trip into a successful one due to the sheer size of this animal. Several rigging and fishing techniques have proven successful over the years. You can try them all to determine which works best for you.

  1. Bottom Fishing

    • All grouper, whether Warsaw, red or black, are bottom feeders. This means groupers spend much of their time at the bottom of the ocean, hiding between rocks and other natural formation until prey comes within striking distance. As such, a popular way to rig a fishing pole for grouper fishing includes bottom fishing. As the name indicates, this rig style gets the bait as close to the ocean floor as possible to attract grouper. Start with a 50 lb. test line (a must for all rigging styles). Attach a sinker to the very end of the fishing line. Next, measure 18 inches from the sinker, and attach a leader. From the leader, attach a fishing line loop at least 12 inches in length. Tie a hook to the end of the loop. This design, called the fish-finder rig, sends the line all the way to the bottom of the ocean floor, and allows the bait to float above within the grouper's field of vision.

    Deep Jigging

    • One way to duplicate the movement of live bait without having to hook a live fish is with jigs. This tool looks like a live fish under water. A similar size and color to prey fish along with life-like movement under the current make jigs an efficient means of catching a variety of fish. Utilize this tool when fishing for grouper in waters with depth between 100 and 200 feet. Begin by adding a weight to the bottom of the line. Next, attach upward of three different fishing jigs above the weight. Evenly space each jig about a foot from each other. Next, attach a trapper hook to the end of the jig. When fishing, keep the fishing line in constant motion so the jigs duplicate life-like fish movement. Slowly lift the line in and out of the water to create this movement.

    Live Bait Fishing

    • Live bait fishing takes a little more effort to set up simply because you have to bring live bait onto your boat, but no lure can duplicate the allure of a live bait fish. Rig your fishing line for live bait by attaching a weight to the bottom of the line. Next, attach a leader roughly 18 inches from the weight. Above the leader, attach an egg sinker with a long leader -- the longer, the better. Finally, tie a circle hook to the end of the leader, and then hook the live bait. The long leader gives the live bait more freedom to move naturally under water. This also increases the likelihood that the bait fish eventually gets within the range of a grouper.

    Trolling

    • Grouper tend to sneak up on their prey, utilizing the element of surprise as a weapon. This doesn't mean groupers won't chase down their food. In fact, this is a preferred method when fishing for grouper in shallow waters of 30 feet or less. Start by attaching a trolling weight to the end of the fishing line. Next, attach a leader about a foot from the trolling weight and attach a fishing plug to the end by tying it on. A fishing plug looks similar to other fishing jigs in that it duplicates the appearance of a live swimming fish. The difference is in the plastic or metal plugs at the head that help the lure dive into the water.