Johnson says he’d always prefer to hook his live spots, grunts, and pinfish behind the anal fin, but cautions that you have to consider the current. I most often use a 3oz weight and a 5/0 circle hook when bottom fishing in 30 to 60 ft of water with a 4 to 5 inch pinfish… and adjust up or down for both when fishing different depths or larger/smaller baits. I fish for grouper in deep water with strong currents. While the weight is still able to slip off the line if a grouper does end up breaking off in the structure. News. Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip, Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area, Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else. Ever do an article or video about hooks and rusting?. How do you rate it for jigging and popping? 4 oz. Hot this week in Grouper Hooks In Fishing Rigs & Harnesses. Conventional reels are most often better for bottom fishing. The most manageable bottom rig to set up requires a circle hook, an egg sinker, and an abrasion-resistant leader material. Conventional reels in the thirty- to fifty-pound class teamed with a medium heavy boat rod will do the trick. Focus your grouper fishing efforts between 100 and 150 feet over rocky or coral laden bottom and you’ll stand a better chance at connecting with a decent Gag or Black grouper. Fashion. http://www.get-involved.us/grouperdigger Assembling a grouper fishing rig with easy interchange of weights and hooks. The rig consists of an egg sinker sliding on an 18-inch piece of 100-pound mono between two swivels. I’ve been using a standard knocker rig with braid to mono with the FG connection and Orvis on the hook. Captain Robert Johnson of Jodie Lynn charters in St. Augustine has been counting the days until the May 1 reopening of shallow water grouper season in Atlantic waters. Casting is not required. You want it close to the bottom, not laying in the sand. And we of course know that it’s not good to have fishing lines hanging from our local wrecks…. Thank you. ???? Menu. In extreme current, Johnson will fish a three-way swivel with a 16- or 20-ounce bank sinker. It utilizes a plated heavy hook, a crane swivel, and an egg sinker with beads on each end. The Great Outdoors. Is it because it’s easy to tie while still being strong? Some species you can catch with this setup include snapper, porgies, tarpons, Amberjack, tilefish, the Goliath Grouper, and snappers, and rockfish. Use heavy enough tackle and increase your success rate. Would love your thoughts, please comment. In December of 2014, these two brothers shocked their clients, friends, and family by quitting their 6-figure jobs to start their dream focused on helping saltwater anglers: 2. Both rigs get the job done… I prefer the lighter one when the structure isn’t too bad. Rods. But the good news is that there are multiple solutions to the leader problem, and the one described above ends up saving money on tackle and allows for less time re-rigging while out on the water… it only requires a few unique knots and basic tackle. $8.59. If I’m fishing for scamps I want live sardines or cigar minnows and my hook maybeassmallasa4/0.It’sa balancing act on hook diameter. Hook placement is also often decided by current. Contrary to popular belief, neither scamps nor gags need a big ledge to hang around. Choose the Right Grouper Rig. With the 30 lb braid, I use a rod that is Medium Heavy power semi-fast action rod. Why they have small teeth, right. The most common live baits are pinfish, grass grunts, and squirrel fish. Here are the two most important things to consider… we need design the leader so that: This factor is important because it saves the fish from becoming an easy meal to the next shark that comes along after the weight gets stuck to the bottom and pins the fish down. Went out a couple of times with a friend and love it ! Hook size ranges from 4/0 to 10/0 depending on the bait and the brand of hook you choose to use. The leader should be 60 lb test 6ft long with a 7/0 Owner Mutu Light hook or similar. P.P.S. Conventional tackle works best for grouper fishing. $59.99. Johnson prefers the slip sinker rig, because fooling big grouper is all about presentation. Gear. Good snug knot like the Uni, Cinch, Palomar to connect the top of the light leader to the weight section. Thanks. They are perfectly capable of hiding up against a couple of rocks, or the tiniest ledge.” FS, © 2020 Outdoor Sportsman Group. The weight gets fixed onto the line with no way to slide off. If there’s too much current for the bait to swim naturally with the hook in his back, hook him through the lips. And since grouper are structure oriented, the odds of them getting stuck to the bottom due to the weight getting snagged are high which will make them easy targets to the next shark that cruises by. Above that, I have a 4- to 8-ounce slip sinker on a 12-inch leader of 300-pound monofilament. 1. Also are you using a heavier action Rod? Keep the sinker pinned against the bottom swivel and at the first sign of panic in the bait, let him swim away from the weight unencumbered. I would use a loop knot for live bait to give them freedom of movement and a snelled hook for dead bait (no need for freedom of movement). They’re attached to each other by putting the hook through the swivel, and then the very last rig has a rubber band on it that keeps the … Just too bad the water quality sucks right now ! I try to up my odds of landing grouper by building leaders that can withstand the line-gnawing reefs. The name says it all – this reel is a true leader when it comes to … A loop knot it is! 3 left. So my preference is to set up the overall line system to have the weakest point be the knot that goes directly to the hook while also beefing up the line most exposed to getting weakened from bumping rough patches on the bottom (directly above the weight). It’s important to use the lightest possible weights in these shallow depths. Do bronze hooks rust or dissolve?. By Bob McNally. Best of all, you don’t need a huge and expensive boat to catch them…, But a problem with grouper fishing (and targeting other species when bottom fishing) is that many anglers don’t put much thought into making their leaders…. 3 way swivels in place of dropper loop knots can help reduce line twist. Saltwater angler may now this as a fish finder or live bait rig. I have two rods that I use for grouper… one has 30 lb braid and the other has 40 lb braid. They prefer to be near the bottom and although many grouper may be found in one of these areas, a grouper is more of a loner than a schooling fish so to catch them you need to master your grouper fishing tips. http://www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-lure-left-in-a-fishs-mouth/, Grouper provide some of the most popular fish-eating meat in America…. What size? I began fishing for these deep-water critters in the mid-1980s, and the sport has grown into a daily routine for many Gulf anglers. Improve bait presentation, and put big fish in the boat with these killer rigs. Fish On! Moved down from Michigan to Cape Coral last October and want to get in to saltwater fishing! Time to talk about one of my favorite fish species… Grouper! The rig consists of an egg sinker sliding on an 18-inch piece of 100-pound mono between two swivels. Grouper feed on other small fish, crustaceans like crabs or crawfish, and squid. In the Insider course for Mangrove Snapper by Capt Hubbard, he uses double snelled hooks for deadbait. I am getting reading to replace rod/reel rigs and was just wondering…. It would mean a lot to me. It works but I’ll definitely be using this setup now if nothing else save my lead (which was able to slide off if broke off). Makes them a very popular fish to both offshore and inshore anglers (and tourists looking for a good Grouper sandwich). Thinner hooks are deadly on hooking fish, but can straighten out under a heavy load.” For starters, a 2X-strong hook is a good choice—large enough diameter for holding power, small enough for penetration. Penn US Senator Casting Reel. Brand, type, etc. Hopefully it clears out very soon. Carolina Rig Set Up A basic Carolina Rig set up is fairly simple and often considered one of the best salt water bottom rigs as it allows a more natural presentation, especially if using live bait, and allows the fish … Patriotic Angler Episode 11 – When Is The Best Time To Fish Monday Fish Pics (53 Colorful Images for the Start of the Week) Fluorocarbon Leader VS Fuorocarbon Line 1323 entries. 1936 entries. How can I use a swivel with this setup? 8 oz grouper rig; the grouper rig is made on 30'' of monofilament. Terminal Tackle and Rigs Rigs are fairly simple.There is the simple egg lead rig and my favorite is the snap lead rig. 747 entries. It’s much stronger than any loop knot, so using it would likely make for lost leaders when snagged on the bottom (vs. just a lost hook). I’ve often seen fish ignore a standard 80lb grouper bottom rig, yet jump all over a light weight jig head-rigged pinfish on 40lb leader. Does the rig have a problem with mainline breakage because it’s the weaker of the three line sizes? Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land). This is a good rig to use with weights heavier than 16 ounces and for fishing over heavy structure. Latest. Luke, What size braid are you using on your grouper reel? ), Keeps the weight from sliding down to the hook allowing the bait to move around more natually, Provides a loop which we then can tie the lighter leader onto as if it were an eye of a hook, In allows the bait to swim around more naturally due to less resistance from the line, It’s slightly weaker than the snug knot on the other end of the leader making this the weakest point in the system. Gag Grouper Fishing Tips. He’s a live bait fisherman and the bait needs to be able to move naturally in an attempt to avoid the grouper. The swivels also help maintain integrity of the mainline and branch line. Sliding sinker rig with 6-foot mono leader, ready to drop sardine, pinfish or other bait. Who thought up this stuff anyway! But mostly he favors the sliding sinker rig. While keeper size groupers can be caught in the finger channels of Biscayne Bay, groupers are more abundant in deep water where there’s less pressure. “Finding the right spots is the biggest key,” said Johnson. For this reason, be sure to by the right leader for your fish! Looking back, I remember grouper being the fish I got most excited about catching back when my dad took my and my brothers out from Ponce Inlet when I was very young…. When targeting larger grouper or queen snapper, scale up your leader and hooks. In terms of the hook to leader knot, any reason to not use a snell knot when using a circle hook? When targeting bigger fish it is important to scale up hook size and leader size. For weary fish you can try using a longer leader section or switching to fluorocarbon leader. However, this method can significantly weaken the main line because the lighter main line will have direct contact with the bottom when dropping the baits down until the line stops going out… you don’t have control of what type of structure your line will hit before lifting it up off the bottom so a rough patch of bottom can easily damage your line. One idea is to beef up everything to muscle through whatever the hook got snagged on…. Search. P.S. May 31, 2019. More Fishing. Thanks for making time to leave the nice comment Tater! This can handle most the bottom fishing situations as well as some light tackle trolling. Search the site GO. 3 sold. Please provide specific info on the circle hooks. Thanks for the info. Trust me I know, I was doing it the WRONG way for many years myself…. Or does the mainline only breaks when the weight gets snagged on the bottom. And with the 40 lb rig, I use a Heavy power fast action rod. What size braid are you using? And a majority of the time, that lack of thinking about all aspects of what they’re targeting leaves the following two problems: Here’s an example of a leader system that Does NOT allow the weight to slide off (not recommended): Knowing that grouper are a structure oriented fish that quickly hide under rocks when they feel threatened, we know that some are going to end up winning the tug of war battle by getting up under a sharp rock that cuts through the line above the weight…, Or the anglers’ battle trying to pull the grouper up before it gets to the structure puts more pressure on the line than the weakest point can handle (typically the very top knot), leaving the anglers with just a bare end of the main line and the grouper with an entire leader stuck to them…. The Orvis knot is my preferred choice to tie to the Perfection loop because it’s extremely fast to tie and is very strong (not quite as strong as the Palomar, but it’s stronger than any Loop knot I’ve tested so it’ll not be the weakest link). RUNCL Braided Fishing Line 8 Strands, Ultra Strong Braided Line - Smaller Diameter, Zero Memory, Zero Extension, Multiple Colors - 1093Yds/1000M 546Yds/500M 328Yds/300M 109Yds/100M, 12-100LB. Although many anglers catch red grouper on light tackle, with lures or live / cut bait, it’s best to think medium-heavy or heavy tackle, when it comes to these fish. Mark will tie about 20-30 grouper rigs at a time (at home, before he goes fishing) and wrap them around this hand reel. 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,366. The main line is… Any suggestions? 5 PACK Tilefish Rig, 3 Circle Hooks Snapper Grouper Cod Sea bass. I use spinning when I believe that I’ll be casting baits to fish… the setup in this video is what I often use for casting to tarpon. But the stronger setup is needed around heavy structure areas. Most of the black grouper fishing on the reef is done with a carolina rig and a 4’-8’ leader. These are 3 of the best grouper lures which will make a great accessory for any tackle box. Just curious, why the perfection loop knot instead of another like the surgeons ? My pleasure Finko! All rigs … Please if you have any Idea to make it easy share with me. “They require a 7/0 or 8/0 hook. And bottom fishing was my absolute favorite because the action was often constant since there are some many fish of all sizes to be caught off of the reefs and wrecks we’d target. 1444 entries. The 7 Best Grouper Trolling Lures. Get the Top Stories from Florida Sportsman Delivered to Your Inbox Every Week. Create memories that matter through fishing, Email: fish@saltstrong.comToll-free: (855)888-6494130 W. Central Ave, Winter Haven, FL 33880. In this video Chad and I go out and do some fishing for grouper, snapper and redfish. As you can see, grouper fishing is a lot of fun. All Rights Reserved, Entering your valid email address signifies you wish to receive our newsletter and have read the, Florida Sportsman Launches Action Spotter Podcast. I don’t think there’s much you can do there as it sounds like the diameter of the knot is just a bit too big to slide through the weight. So even when getting stuck on the bottom, I rarely lose the entire leader assembly… so getting back into action is very fast because I only have to tie a hook on the end of what I got back. 5 PACK - 5' 400LB 12/0 MUSTAD HOOK HALIBUT SHARK GROUPER RIG. $14.99. This is because grouper like to live near the bottom close to underwater structures like rocks and wrecks. Yes, the ease of tying it is the reason that I use the perfection loop. Thank you Luke for the effort and the info. If you know of any better grouper rigs that help grouper conservation and help you save money, let us know in the comments. 1354 entries. Although it’s not as strong as the surgeons, it is being tied on line that’s much stronger than other lines in the system so it will not be the weak point in the overall system. I understand and appreciate your logic with the Kreh loop knot being the weakest link in the grouper rig. Fish On! So, here are a few suggestions. Another method is to use a hook that has a breaking or bending point that is less then the strength of the knots you’re using…. A 6-foot piece of 100-pound mono leads to a circle hook, with the size depending on the bait. For my grouper rigs, I purposefully use weaker knots on the final connection to the lure so that the breaking point is roughly the same as the mainline. Good snug knot like the Uni, Cinch, Palomar to connect the top of the light leader to the weight section. 130 W. Central Ave, Winter Haven, FL, 33880. FG knot – extremely strong and slim knot that a standard egg weight can simply slide over. Loop knot at the final connection from the leader to the hook (it allows for maximum action of bait in the water while being slightly weaker than the top snug knots like the Uni, Cinch, Palomar, etc. Fish On! The weak point can be customized based on the knot strengths being used. We also get into talking about the rigs we use for grouper and snapper and ... source. Here’s an article about how long it takes for hooks to rust: http://www.saltstrong.com/articles/fishing-lure-left-in-a-fishs-mouth/. Grouper Fishing Rigs Because grouper feed near the bottom, any rig used for that purpose is likely to be productive. Anglers find that medium heavy bottom fishing tackle is the best way to approach the grouper. If offshore fishing for grouper, I’d much rather be using a conventional setup. Simply sliding the weight onto the main line and then tying that to a swivel (or direct line-to-leader knot) that stops the weight from sliding all the way to the hook without blocking the weight from sliding up the line can be a great choice. Nice video, love the knots and the thinking behind using them. Travel. A large fish that is aggressive but will quickly bite down on a lure, is exciting to catch. “Sometimes it’s hard to grouper fish with mahi swimming around your boat, but our stretch of offshore reefs can give up some really quality gags and scamps this time of year, particularly on spots deeper than 120 feet,” he said. A 6-foot piece of 100-pound mono leads to a circle hook, with the size depending on the bait. My grouper rig is simple; it consists of a 6 to an 8-foot long leader of 300-pound-test monofilament with a 9/0 to 11/0 circle hook. This does not mean that grouper are bottom feeders, they eat swimming fish more than anything else so keep it off the bottom. For bait, we prefer fresh-cut 8-inch strips of dolphin, tuna, wahoo or barracuda. And given their popularity, we need to pay extra attention to take the best possible care of them so our future generations can continue to enjoy this great game fish as well as other structure oriented species that also be harmed by poorly designed leader rigs. I was using a 4/0 circle hook from Owner (Model # 5378-141)… I adjust the hook size to the size of the bait… 4/0 for 3-4 inch pinfish, 5/0 for 5+ inch pinfish, and 3/0 for smaller ones. But that of course won’t always win because a it still won’t pull up an entire ship. Note: This assumes that your braid main line’s rated strength is at least within 40% of the final leader touching the hook… for example, I often use 30 lb braid main line to an 80 lb top leader to a 50 lb final leader… and the loop knot is what fails when having to break off almost every time (but it’s a 50/50 shot when I bump up to a 60 lb final leader on the 30 lb braid. Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join: Save 30% And Put An End To Your Monthly Charges. So my preference is to tie on a couple feet of line that is much stronger than both my main line and the final leader section that goes to the hook so that even a lot of rough landings on the drops will not cause that section of the line to be weaker than the final section of leader… [see video below for details]. The majority of black grouper we catch have hooks with 20-30 lb line attached stuck in their lips. This grouper leader setup explained in the video below requires the following: Watch this video to see how this grouper rig looks once complete: Sign up for FREE to receive the latest saltwater fishing videos, tutorials, product reviews, and fishing product discounts! Johnson’s favorite rig? Most grouper fishing is done bottom fishing. The 2oz Slayer Grouper Rig comes with a 10/0 Mustad circle hook and a 2oz lead weight. Thanks for the great advice. But what many fishermen don’t know is that trolling for grouper can be just as effective, if not more effective. Thanks. Don’t make the same mistake. I have Tired but i can not able to do this perfectly . When I use a 6 oz sinker no problem. Cooking. So it’s on us to be smart and plan for what we know will likely happen… and that of course means to get as much tackle as possible up from the bottom when you get snagged onto the bottom. “If I’m fishing for gags, my favorite bait is a live golden spot or a pinfish,” said Johnson. If you’re fishing in South Florida waters, a full arsenal of … My go-to grouper set-up is a $130 Shimano Charter Special (33# of drag per manufacturer) loaded with 80# braid and an 80# top shot, 60-80# leader and 6/0 or 7/0 circle - on a $70 Ugly Stick Tiger jigging rod (100-200# rod). A 6 1/2 foot to 7 foot medium heavy rod with a 30-40 series reel is a good all-around and versatile grouper fishing outfit. When most people think of fishing for grouper, they usually think of using cut bait or jigs. A modified fishfinder with an 8- to 16-ounce sinker; weight depends on the current. How We Rig It There’s a lot more to grouper fishing than simply dropping a bait to bottom and letting it lie there until a fish finds it. Here’s a video that shows how to tie the Kreh Loop Knot: Grouper fishing is a fantastic way for a group of friends or a family to get out on the water and enjoy nature together…. First off, thank you Salt Strong for all the great tips! This Knocker Rig uses crimps to secure the thicker leader line. The 4oz Slayer Grouper Rig comes with a … Browse. When targeting strong fish that live in and around heavy cover, the likelihood of getting snagged on the bottom is high. Hope as many people that fish for these read this article as possible. Guns. 1371 entries. As for the size of lead I like the lightest possible to be able to fish straight up and down in the current. Buying bottom fishing rigging materials. “The longer the weather is good, the more the bigger, more popular spots get picked over. Gaming. The weakest point in the overall system (most often at the knot that connects the lighter main line to the top of the heavier leader assembly) is up above the weight. Faster boats with longer range have now made fish like warsaw grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, longtail sea bass, barrelfish, tilefish and others easier targets for many Texas sport fishing vessels. There are several different ways to tie the FG knot, and the one shown in this video is the quickest and easiest that I’ve been able to find so far: These two knots allow an easy and strong connection of the two mono/fluoro leader lines…. 2.2 out of 5 stars 3. Anglers who are grouper fishing will seek rocks, reefs, pilings, wrecks and such. You could use the swivel under the weight to connect the thick leader for the weight to the final leader line that goes to the hook. 15 Bait Rigs That Will Catch Any Fish Anywhere. Most of the grouper will be under 20 pounds. Hey James, wire leader isn’t necessary for grouper because their teeth do not cause that much damage to line… 60 lb or more leader is adequate to withstand their teeth. Modified Grouper Rig – 7/0 Circle Hook 48" 80# Test Bottom Fishing Rig. i want to know more about How to make a grouper ? Other rigs are 4/0 Senator on 6 ft Ugly, 4/0 Senator on 5 ft Ugly. Music. And I’ll often rig it up for grouper when making a change to fish a dock or inshore reef for a little while. Great info on tying knots ! On the fog knot, when I use a 3oz sinker it does not want to slide over the knot. what size circle hook and egg weight are you using? So glad to see that you enjoyed this post. Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club. Yes, the red tide has been very bad this year. – If you think your angler friends would like to see this post, please Share this with them or Send them a link to this post. Red Grouper Tackle. Heavy tackle in the thirty to fifty pound class with conventional reels and boat rods is the standard. I like to use a swivel to cut out line twist. – If you’re a serious angler looking for the Strongest fishing shirts, then be sure to check out our new “Performance Microfiber” line because we’re so confident that you’re going to love them that we offer a 30-Day Challenge so you can put them to the test to make sure you’re 100% satisfied… click here to see the latest options. The 3oz Slayer Grouper Rig comes with a 10/0 Mustad circle hook and a 3oz lead weight. The Savage A22 BNS-SR Brings “Real Rifle Feel” in a .22 LR Platform . 2 levels of leader… the strongest is for the weight, and the lightest is for the hook. Is a snell knot simply stronger than the Kreh loop knot? So the problem with having a leader system that has a fixed weight on it becomes pretty clear because that can lead to the grouper having to drag that weight around until the hook rusts out (and it’s less likely to fall out when under the pressure of the weight). Five pound boxes of Spanish Sardines and Cigar Minnows are a great way to get the ball rolling when bottom fishing for grouper. Wire leader for grouper??. This certainly works, but it’s hard to control because different hooks have different breaking/bending points, and those breaking/bending points are not listed by manufacturers. Thanks for making time to leave the comment. Fishing Saltwater Fishing Freshwater Fishing Gear Fish Species ... and the one that is most often used, is just plain old bottom fishing. They simply get a weight, a hook, some line, and perhaps a swivel or two and start tying their favorite knot for all of the connections. When targeting mystics, we use our www.ThreeBuoysFishing.com grouper deep-drop rigs made with three 8/0 VMC 3x Circle Hooks on 100-pound branch lines off of 12 feet of 150-pound main line. It is the strongest knot that we’ve tested for this connection, and it happens to also be the thinnest which is great because it allows for the weight to slide right over it to save a fish if it happens to somehow break off above the leader. I’ll typically start with 40lb – 50lb fluorocarbon leader when targeting Gag Grouper in less than 30′ of water. In the video, are you using Quantum Cabo reel? The snell knot can certainly be used for a grouper rig. If the bait is pinned to the weight, he doesn’t look natural. Deep Drop Rig for Grouper- Chicken Rig. Grouper Fishing is Fun and Easy . The weight can slide off of the line in the event that a fish breaks the line above the leader, The weakest point in the system is right above the hook, Braided line for the main line to get optimal feel of the bottom with the least amount drag on the water from current, 2 levels of leader… the strongest is for the weight, and the lightest is for the hook. Sea Striker SRCH6 10/0 Circle Hook Snapper Grouper Rig, 6-Ounce. You show a spinning rod in your video, do you prefer those to conventional reels for grouper? Comedy. Nice article. Knowing that grouper and most other bottom fish seek comfort in structure when the feel threatened, we need to account for the fact that there will be break-offs in our decision for how we make our leader assemblies. This was, the swivel will ensure that the weight won’t slip down to the bait. Here are the knots that I use for this leader assembly: This is the knot used to connect the main line (must be braid) to a much thicker mono/fluoro leader. Here’s a video that shows both knots and how they relate to one another: The loop knot at the end serves two important purposes: Note: Different line brands/types of course have different breaking points, so these values are just to serve as a rough estimate.