Black Grouper

Usually 30-40lbs. The largest of our Mycteroperca groupers, the Black frequently exceeds 50 pounds in weight and can top 100. World record 114 pounds.

Bonaci Arara Aguaji

The black grouper is found throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. The northern boundary of its range is off Massachusetts and extends east to Bermuda. The range extends south to southern Brazil. It is also present in Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, including the Florida Keys and Cuba. Black groupers are found mainly on rocky bottoms and in coral reef environments. Their depth ranges from anywhere from 19 to 108 feet. Juvenile black groupers are also found in seagrass beds off of the coast of Florida. A solitary species inhabiting rocky and coral reefs. Adults feed primarily on fishes; juveniles mainly on crustaceans

The Black grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci) is one of the best known of the large group of perciform fish called groupers. Black Grouper, a warm-water food fish of the sea bass family. Groupers are distinguished by their numerous dorsal spines. They feed on crustaceans and fish. Most groupers are two to three feet (60 to 90 cm) long. Some species have special pigment cells in the skin that allow them to change color quickly for protective coloration. Under certain circumstances, the females of some species can change sex. These females live in small schools headed by a mature male. If the male dies or abandons the school, several of the females become males and are capable of fertilizing the eggs. The black grouper is one of the best known of the large group of perciform fish called groupers. The black grouper is a fairly large marine fish, growing up to 150 cm in length and 100 kg in weight. It has an olive or gray body, with black blotches and brassy spots. The preoperculum is gently rounded. The black grouper is a solitary fish. The fish spawns between May and August. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, i.e. the young are predominantly female, but transform into males as they grow larger. Adults feed mainly on other fish and squid, though the younger fish feed on crustaceans, especially shrimp.

A monandric species. According to a study in Campeche Bank, females changed sex between 85.5 and 125.0 cm FL, with median length of 103.3 cm FL. At 114.5 cm FL, 50% of the females in the sample had transformed into males. Age at sex change = 15.5 years

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Bermuda and Massachusetts, USA to southern Brazil, including the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Adults are unknown from the northeastern coast of the USA.
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

	Gill nets Gill-nets are the dominant gear in the Indian Ocean. Gill-nets are used in artisanal and semi-industrial fisheries, contributing to 30-40% of the total catch. The net design is comprised of continuous panels of uniform mesh size, aimed to trap fish behind the gills. The International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF) notes that rates of sharks and turtle by-catch in Indian Ocean gill-net fisheries are high..
	Kite Fishing (Rig) A Kite Fishing Rig is....
	River Drift River Drift means to use the....
	Trawling Trawling is when....

For all-around work, ocean gear with lines of 30-pound test or higher gets the call. Light-tackle fishermen in South Florida, however, have caught many Blacks over 50 pounds. One key besides a huge helping of luck is to hook the fish while drifting, instead of at anchor. The drift of the boat adds to the power of the tackle and just might help drag the big fish far enough away from his rocky "hole" that he cannot get back. For drifting or still fishing, the best baits are frisky live fish, such as Blue Runners or other small jacks. Pinfish and Pilchards are good too, as are Mullet heads and other large cut baits. Best casting lures are leadhead jigs, weighing from 1-4 ounces, depending on depth. Trolling over the reefs with rigged, swimming Mullet, feather-and-strip combos, and large plugs also takes many.

Available Sizes: 22 in. - 55 in. Details: Fired-Enamel Glass Eye Product Options: Wood Plaque, Custom Base, 360°