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Perfect time to grab a grouper

By ED WALKER
Published November 18, 2006

During the calm periods between recent cold fronts, grouper fishing has been excellent.

The fall run of gags is in full swing. The cooler months are when these fish move in from the deeper waters of the Gulf to feed on the abundant bait found around the shallow rocks and ledges.

In some cases, legal-sized gags are caught in unexpected places. Earlier this month, Blake Gaylord speared a 9-pounder inside the Anclote River at just 5 feet. Others have been landed by rod-and-reel fishermen in such places as residential canals, under docks and near channel markers.

All this is good news for the handful of anglers who are familiar with an unusual style of grouper fishing unique to the Nature Coast area. When the fish are in close, these individuals catch quality fish by casting large plugs on stout baitcasting outfits in shallow water. It is not easy to do and does require extensive knowledge of the bottom features of an area but it can be lots of fun.

The key, as is usually the case when hunting gags, is in the spots. You must know a few rock piles in depths of less than 12 feet that do not get worked over on regularly. Each spot must be "fresh" to hold grouper willing to run down an artificial lure. Fish that are used to pressure rarely feed aggressively enough.

The tackle required consists of a heavy-duty baitcasting reel loaded with 50- to 65-pound test braided line.

At the end of the main line there is a double line, such as a Bimini twist or spider hitch. This is attached to a few feet or 80- or 100-pound test monofilament shock leader.

Lure choice depends on the depth. In less than 8 feet, short-lipped, 6- to 7-inch plugs will make it down far enough to be seen by the bottom-hugging gags. Deeper water requires the use of lures with larger lips, which cause them to dive farther down.

Pull up to the rocks quietly, as you would when flats fishing, and make casts along the craggy edges. You may need to experiment with the retrieval rate but a fast, steady crank usually works best. Be sure to have your drag locked down as tight as it will go and use extra-strong hooks. The strike is arguably the hardest in any type of fishing.

Grouper usually head to holes in the rocks as they hit the bait, so if the drag lets line slip out they are gone, and so is your $8 lure. When you feel the bone-jarring slam of a big gag, pull as hard as you can to turn him away from the rocks. This is definitely not finesse fishing. It is more like an all out tug-of-war.

The area north from Spring Hill to Homosassa, inside 5 miles from land, is loaded with rocks of all sizes. Navigation here can be tricky somove slowly when searching for potential grouper spots.

By hopping from patch to patch, and making a few casts on each, you likely will run into a productive one sooner or later. Keep in mind that vertical relief is not always the most important feature of a rock pile. What matters most to the gags are undercuts and holes where they can hide.

Some of the limestone formations in the Nature Coast area are only a foot or 2 high but hollow underneath. They may not look like much on the depth recorder but the fish love them.

Other than diving in to see look for yourself, the best way to find such places is to make a quick few casts with a plug. If the fish are home, you will know immediately.

[Last modified November 18, 2006, 08:36:52]