Gag Grouper(Mycteroperca microlepis)
Quick Facts
- Other Names: Grey, Black
- Size Range: A gag can reach over 80 pounds, but 10 to 30 would be a normal good fish. All of these grouper are born as females and later, larger specimens can morph into males.
- Native Species?: Yes
- Food Value: Excellent eating and highly sought for their white, firm flesh. Prized both recreationally and commercially.
State Record
- Louisiana State Record: 74.43lbs
- State Record Date: 7/1/2013
- State Record Holder Abel Ceja
Gag grouper have a brownish-grey colored body with a dark wavy pattern on their sides and a pale belly. Older males develop a dark black patch on their belly. Gag is often mistaken for black grouper, which has darker coloring and spots all over. Gag have a large mouth and broad, slightly concave tail fin. The gag grouper, like many other grouper, are all female when young, then select fish turn male to take over that role. If the big male is removed from an area, a female will change sex to take its place. Grouper are slow growing and highly sought after.
Gag grouper are bottom dwellers. Adults live near reefs, rocks and any manmade structures in suitable offshore waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Juveniles grow up in inshore waters on structures, mangrove roots or grass beds. In Louisiana, gag grouper are caught on oil rigs, artificial reefs and natural bottom structures.
Most fishing for gag is done with live and dead bait, though jigs and lures will take gag, too. Heavy tackle is required to pull a gag from its lair. They bite and then charge back to the structures when hooked. They will “rock” you up or cut your line if you don’t turn them in the first few seconds of the fight. It is very challenging but also very rewarding when you succeed.
Gag Grouper Rules and Regulations
| Size Limit : | 22” min total length |
| Bag and Possession Limit : | 5 fish daily bag |
| Seasons : | Finfish |
| Special Rules : | A closed season has been established for recreational harvest of gag, black and red grouper, effective Feb. 15 - March 14 of each year in Louisiana state waters. |
All recreational anglers, including those not normally required to have a fishing license, and charter captains must obtain Recreational Offshore Landing Permit to possess grouper.
There is a closed season for the recreational harvest of gag from January 1 through June 30. A closed season for the recreational harvest of black, red, yellowfin and yellowmouth groupers as well as rock hind, red hind and scamp has also been established from Feb. 1 - March 31 of each year. Size, bag and possession limits have been removed for rock hind, red hind, misty grouper, black sea bass, dog snapper, mahogany snapper, schoolmaster, blackline and anchor tilefish.
Other seasons and rules are currently in place in Federal waters off of Louisiana. Please check those rules at www.gulfcouncil.org under “Fishing Regulations.”
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Related Fishing Methods
Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing is normally about fishing bottom structures in order to target benthic or bottom dwelling fish. There are a wide variety of techniques, but the common element is the targeting of species who dwell around or hide in natural and man-made structures. Fish like grouper, snapper, amberjack and catfish would be considered bottom fish. It is very popular amongst anglers and success is often determined by the fishermen's ability to crank a fish away from the structure before the fish can duck into it and cut the line. Anchoring or drifting the boat over the structure is key to having success. There are many versions, and many of the bottom fish are prized eating.
Dead Bait
Dead bait consists of many different types of bait that is no longer alive. Dead bait is still attractive to many fish as they are normally feeding by smell and dead bait is the ticket for smell. Fresh cut fish, dead shrimp, half crab, shucked clam, cut squid and all popular examples of bait that will catch a wide variety of fish. Many sport fish that are predators, will gladly take the opportunity to slurp up a fresh dead bait. A redfish is equally happy to chase down a baitfish or slurp up a dead shrimp on the bottom. Dead bait has the benefit is being easy to obtain, maintain and transport, as opposed to live bait which takes livewells, quality water control and can be harder to obtain.
Deep Jigging
Deep jigging is a method of fishing using heavy lead head jigs with rubber or hair for tails. They are often tipped with a strip of fish or squid and dropped to the depths. A series of vertical bounces entices a fish into striking the lure. Grouper, snapper and amberjacks are often caught with this method. It is a workout, but worth it when it all comes tight. Metal jigs in combinations with braided line, have gained a prominent place in the tackle box of most fishermen working the depths.
Drift Fishing
Drift fishing can encompass a variety of fishing methods. Bottom fishing over structure is often done while drifting. Timing the drop of your baits as you pass by the structures below is the trick. Also knowing when you have drifted beyond the fish is a key element to being succesful. Anglers also drift while live bait fishing and chunking for bluewater pelagic fish like tuna. The use of live bait or chunks is a slower presentation where the fish are drawn to the boat by smell or vibration of live fish. Inshore you can drift along while casting for trout and redfish with baits or lures. One of the main benefits of drift fishing is that you can quietly cover ground while searching for feeding fish.
Jigging
A versatile method of fishing for many types of fish in both freshwater and salt. A jig is a lure, normally a lead-headed lure with many various types of body/tail configurations made of rubber, hair and feather. Jigs are one of the most versatile of all lures and can be tipped with bait or not. Traditionally jigs are worked in variety of up and down motions, and can be fished throughout the entire water column, depending on the fishery. A modern form of jigs called metal jigs has taken hold and many varieties and shapes have been developed to work different ways. Made famous by the Shimano Butterfly Jig and now produced by many companies in many variations. If I could only have one lure to fish with it would be a jig.
Live Bait
Live bait is a term given to many different types of fish, crustaceans, insects and worms that are popular food items for fish and used by fishermen for bait. There are many benefits to live bait as well as a few cons. The pros normally out weigh the negatives, and live bait is widely used. The biggest benefit for fishermen is that they are using the real thing and often puts a fish's guard down. Small fish, crabs, shrimp, clams, crickets and the good ole earthworm are all used to entice a fish to the hook. The only negatives to live bait is just that, keeping it alive. Sometimes catching it can be a challenge, as only some species can be bought as live bait. No matter how you get it, live bait is a great way to target many types of fish.
Vertical Jigging
Vertical jigging popular and growing trend of using a variety of metal jigs and high speed reels to quickly drop and retrieve the jig making it dance or flutter through the water column. It is deadly on a wide variety of fish. Both bottom fish and pelagics are fooled into biting these versatile jigs.
