Gag Grouper

Can reach 50 pounds on deep offshore wrecks and ledges, and has been recorded to 80 pounds, but 20-30 is the usual maximum range, and most catches now fall between 2 and 12 pounds. Many juveniles are caught from inshore grass flats. World record 80 pounds, 6 ounces;

Gray Grouper, Grass Grouper, Copper Belly, Black Grouper

The Gag 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. Gag Groupers are found mainly on rocky bottoms and in coral reef environments. Their depth ranges from anywhere from 19 to 108 feet. Juveniles occur in estuaries and seagrass beds; adults are usually found offshore on rocky bottom (rarely to 152 m), occasionally inshore on rocky or grassy bottom. It is the most common grouper on rocky ledges in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Adults are either solitary or in groups of 5 to 50 individuals; feed mainly on fishes, some crabs, shrimps, and cephalopods. Juveniles (less than 20 cm) feed mainly on crustaceans that live in shallow grass beds.

The Gag Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci) is one of the best known of the large group of perciform fish called groupers. Gag 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 Gag Grouper is one of the best known of the large group of perciform fish called groupers. The Gag 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 Gag 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.

Indeterminate, multiple spawner

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA (with juveniles occurring as far north as Massachusetts) to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Rare in Bermuda; one record in Cuba; also reported from eastern Brazil.
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....

Just about anything goes. Offshore bottom fishermen tend toward stout rods with 50- and 80-pound-test lines, but such "grouper digging" rigs are strictly necessary only in very deep water. Up to about 50 feet, lines in the 20-30-pound range are adequate and allow much more sport. Many anglers catch lots of Gags on spinning and plug tackle. This is also the best of the Groupers for fly fishermen, since they are frequently found in fairly shallow water and will eagerly take a large streamer fly. Hard-lure casters use leadhead jigs, mostly, while trollers rely on large deep-diving plugs. Live baitfish of various sorts are the best natural offerings-try Pilchards, Pinfish, Grunts or Sand Perch (Squirrelfish). Dead small fish and large cut baits also work well.

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