Trolling And Fishing for Grouper in Tampa Bay By Captain Sean Goddard Inshore 2 Offshore Fishing Adventures https://inshore2offshore.com/ 813-731-3426
Gag Grouper Season • There is a population of resident grouper that live in Tampa Bay year round, as well as, fish that migrate in during the fall and winter months. • The season to keep fish for the table is typically June 1st through December 31st. During the closure months, they are catch and release only. Make sure to check the regs. As dates do change. • You will need to have a venting tool, circle hooks if choosing to use live bait, and a hook removal tool by law to fish for any reef fish in state or federal water. • The hot time for trolling grouper in Tampa Bay is September through May. Fish can be caught in the summer months, but it is very difficult to get them to commit to taking a plug. During the summer, frozen Spanish sardines work best.
Location • The Skyway shipping channel is loaded with keeper size gag grouper • Troll from channel marker red 4A to red 6A, then come back on green marker 5A to 3A. • Port Manatee shipping lane edges • Egmont Shipping Channel • Port Sutton • Port Tampa Bay • 50 foot plus water 6-8 miles off of Bean Point (Anna Maria Island) north to south to Egmont Channel
Topography • Understanding the bays topography and what course to steer comes from studying your charts and plotting your course according to the tide. The fish will face into the tide and allow their meal to come to them, so on an incoming tide you want to fish with the Skyway Bridge to your back and toward the bridge on an outgoing tide. • The lanes are clearly marked with depths on your nautical chart and this will determine some very important factors; most notably speed, depth and the size of plug you are using. • When trolling, you should plot a course along the edge of the shipping lanes, look for rock piles, structure of any kind, and an abundance of bait on your bottom machine. • You will see the fish on your machine; they will be all along the top edge of the channel and on the shallower area were the rock piles are. Target these spots and you will hook up.
Tools of the Trade • • • • • • •
Good strong boat rods Good reels with star drags Mann's stretch 25's and 30+ trolling plugs Rapala X Rap 30's Bomber deep diving plugs Optional planers or downriggers Accurate and current nautical charts of Tampa Bay out past Anna Maria Island and St Joseph Sound • Sixty pound braid • 80 pound fluorocarbon leader • 300lb test barrel swivel black
Colors for Plugs • • • • • • • • • • • •
Green back silver or white sides Spanish Blue or Green Mackerel Mullet blue with silver side Red head, white body Chartreuse Pink Green Mullet Sardine Sea Trout Purple and Black Chartreuse and Blue Bonito
Rigging for your troll • Use the San Diego Jam Knot to connect leader to lure and Barrel Swivel • Put a drop of super glue on each connection • Use either a Uni or Palomar knot to connect your braid to the swivel
How to Troll • I usually have two rods rigged for my troll; one with a 25+ lure, and the other with a 30+ lure. There are many factors determining running depth on these lures and the sacrifice of a few expensive plugs to the bottom is an inevitability. • Mono vs. Braid: Mono likes to float; try to use braid if possible. Use of mono will increase your troll speed and cause the plug to move too quickly in the strike zone. Keep in mind that braid will add 8 to 10 feet of depth to the stated average running depth of your plug. This can be countered with speed and distance. • Speed: Your ideal troll speed is anywhere between 4 to 6 knots.
How to Troll (cont.) • Distance: The further out your troll, the deeper your plug will run. Distance is also affected by speed. Faster speeds will pull the plug deeper into the water column with longer trolls. Slower speeds will cause it to run shallower. When distance is shorter the plug will run shallower at slower speeds and closer to the stated average depth at faster speeds. The sweet spot to hit the average depth stated on the lure package is 50-75 yds. at 4.5 knots. To make your lure run even deeper, a 100-150 yd run at five knots with braid will run a 25 foot diving lure down to 35 feet • Watch your rod tip: Continuous bouncing means the lure is running straight and doing its job. Sudden dips and snap backs mean you are contacting the bottom. This will eventually cost you a snag and a lost plug. It is okay to be 5 to 15 feet off the bottom; grouper will come up to meet your lure
How to Troll (cont.) • Have the clicker on your reel on so that you will hear the strike • Drag should be set tight, but not so tight as to prevent line from coming off when a fish hits. • Grouper will try to run back to their hiding spot once they hit the bait. Do not take the boat out of gear, keep going until your fishing partner can get some cranks on the fish to make sure the fish is away from his structure.
Live Bait Tactics • When you get a fish while trolling, immediately mark your spot on the fish finder return and anchor up. Drop a large pinfish, pilchard, or cigar minnow down with a 4/0 Circle hook and a 4 ounce egg sinker. • Drift fishing for grouper involves using the weighted rigs described earlier while allowing the boat to drift with the current and wind. The bait is lowered to just off the bottom. Then you just wait for a bite. While you are waiting, keep a close eye on the fish finder and mark any interesting areas. Definitely mark areas when you get a bite. Both dead and live baits can be used while drifting.
Drift Fishing (cont) • When you find a producing area, drift back over it several times, starting at slightly different positions. That way you will get an idea how big the structure is and what its shape is. This is an excellent way to find new spots. When to drift: • in an area new to you • near areas that have produced fish in the past • in low to moderate drift rate conditions • in very deep water • when you have plenty of time • during lunch (it's a great time to eat) • to save fuel
Drift Fishing (cont) • If the drift rate is too high, an impractical amount of weight would be required to keep the bait near the bottom. Also, the bait may move too fast to allow for a good chance of strikes. In this case, a drift anchor is required to slow the drift. • When drifting with multiple lines out, it is a good idea to use different weights on the lines. The rod with the lighter weight should be to the back (up current) position of the heavier weighted rod. This will help avoid tangles when one line crosses the other. • Once you find the fish, mark your spot return and anchor up and begin to chum the area.
Chumming for Grouper One technique used is sand ball chumming. Mix purina tropical fish food with saltwater. Mix your chum mixture with an equal amount of beach sand. A couple of teaspoons of Menhaden oil and a cup of dry oatmeal. Form into tight balls and drop down to the fish. Another technique is peanut butter ball chumming. Mix your chum mixture with an equal amount of smooth peanut butter. • Put your mix in a Tupperware bowl and freeze overnight. • Use a small ice cream scooper to form into tight balls and drop down to the fish. • • • • • • •
How to Rig for Tampa Bay Grouper Here are four examples of essential bottom fishing rigs that can be used while anchored or drifting.
Oh They’re Tasty Alright • Gag grouper has a mild flavor with a high oil and moisture content that tastes similar to a blend of bass and halibut. It is a firm, flaky white meat that has a sweetness to it and if cooked properly is fork tender. • Blackened, broiled, fried, pan seared, smoked or grilled, this fish will hold up well and lends itself to an enjoyable dining experience. • Grouper has tough, strong-tasting skin that should be removed during cleaning. Cook grouper at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes per inch of thickness. • Grouper is high in protein and low in fat. A four-ounce serving contains 110 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 23 grams of protein.
Conclusion • Trolling for grouper is an exciting way to spend a day fishing. I look forward to gag grouper season which runs from June to December. When the heat of summer has the flats species lethargic and unwilling to chew on anything thrown to them switch to grouper trolling. These fish fight hard in this shallow water. Hits are violent and explosive and at the end of the trip you might have a couple of fish to take home for dinner. • Trolling for grouper may take some time for you to learn and to be consistent at but don’t let frustration get the better of you stick with it you will figure out the proper way to catch them and you will look forward to the season every year.