We Are Seeing Spectacular Grouper Fishing In Marathon

Marathon Grouper Fishing Trips

Grouper Fishing In Marathon, FL.

Our wreck fishing and inshore fishing charters have been having a blast catching big numbers of Grouper around the Marathon area of the Florida Keys.  These fish range in sizes but most of them are the really tasty sizes from 5-30 lbs.  They have been eating a wide range of baits like Pinfish, Pilchards, Shrimp, and even Rapala artificial lures.  Most of the fish we’ve been catching are in water less than 40 feet deep on inshore wrecks and reefs not that far away from our dock in Marathon, FL.  If you’d like to book a Marathon Grouper fishing trip please email us for more information.

Grouper Fishing in Marathon

Nice Grouper In Marathon

Grouper can be caught here in the Florida Keys all year long.  The most common edible species of Grouper we catch are the Gag Grouper, Black Grouper, and Red Grouper.  The larger Goliath Grouper even though edible are all considered catch and release by Florida State law.  Grouper season in the Florida Keys opens May 1st and runs to December 31st.  That means we are able to catch grouper from January 1st to April 30th but must release them during their spawning periods.  Gag’s and Black Groupers must be a minimum of 24″ to the tail to be allowed to keep for dinner.

Grouper Fishing In Marathon FL

Big Grouper Caught In Marathon Florida

Mycteroperca Microlepis which we call the Gag Grouper is probably the most common type of edible grouper we catch on our fishing charters.  The world record for this type of grouper is 80 lb.s but most of the ones we encounter are between 5-30 lbs.  They are considered bottom feeders and are usually caught around wrecks or any structure that provides shelter from larger predators like sharks.  These fish can give anglers a really hard fight while using light tackle fishing outfits.  Once they eat the bait they are known to retreat into their hole and break off unprepared fisherman.

 

Red Grouper In Marathon

Red Grouper Caught In Marathon Florida

Epinephelus Morio or as we call it the Red Grouper is another common species we find here in the Florida Keys.  This type of grouper can be found inshore around Marathon for about the first 4-5 years of it’s life.  Once they become adults they usually venture out to the deeper rockier bottom ocean floor around the continental shelf.  The Red Grouper must be a minimum length of 20″ to be considered table fare.  They also put up one heck of a fight for light tackle spinning anglers.