The Approaches (fishing for grouper)

There are basically three approaches used when fishing for grouper – straight bottom fishing, freelining live bait, and slow trolling. Anglers in the Gulf of Mexico are quite successful trolling for grouper.

1. Let’s talk about the 'bottom fishing' method first. A good rod and reel, with fifty pound test monofilament line can handle almost all the grouper you may encounter. Line much larger than that is overkill that is cumbersome and some believe, visible to the fish.

• The terminal tackle consists of a sinker, leader, and hook arranged one of two ways. The first way is called a fish finder rig by most anglers. It is tied with a pyramid or bank sinker on the very end of the leader. Up about eighteen inches from the sinker is a loop tied in the leader. The loop is about twelve inches long and it is to this loop that the hook is tied. A variation of this rig has a longer leader with two loops and hooks.
• The fish finder rig is the favorite bottom rig of almost all the bottom fishing charter boats. It is excellent for fishing straight down under the boat. Even when the rig is dropped right into the bottom structure, it seldom hangs up, something charter captains love.
• The normal bait used on a fish finder is cut bait, either squid or small fish, and occasionally a small live bait. This rig will catch a variety of species, including grouper.

Nxt ---> approach number 2