Red Grouper

At their largest, they can be up to 50 inches long and more than 50 pounds. Common at 1-10 pounds; maximum perhaps 40 pounds. World record 42 pounds, 4 ounces;

Mero, Cherna De Vivero

South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Widely distributed from close inshore in many areas of Florida to ledges and wrecks in up to 300 or so feet of water. Great majority of sport catches are made in 10-100 feet. A solitary species usually found on rocky bottoms; juveniles are occasionally seen on jetties and shallow reefs. Adults feed on a variety of crabs, shrimps, lobsters, and fishes.

Color brownish red Lining of mouth scarlet-orange Blotches on sides in unorganized pattern Second spine of dorsal fin longer than others Pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins; squared off tail Margin of soft dorsal black with white at mid-fin Black dots around the eyes The Red grouper (Epinephelus morio) is brown with reddish jaws and pale blotches on the sides. It weighs up to 40 pounds (18 kg). It is found from the coast of southern Florida to tropical South America. Red grouper are easily recognized by their color and by the sloped, straight line of their spiny dorsal fin. The fin has a long second spine and an unnotched interpine membrane. Most epinepheline groupers have a notched dorsal spine membrane and a third spine longer than the second. The body is deep brownish-red overall, with occational white spots on the sides. Tiny black specks dot the cheeks and operculum. The red grouper is most closely related to the Nassau grouper, Epinephelus striatus, which has several verticle bars and blotches, and is found more commonly on coral reefs in the West Indies.Red grouper are distributed from North Carolina to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. The species is most abundant along Florida's east and west coasts, and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. It inhabits ledges, crevices, and caverns of rocky limestone reefs and also lower-profile, live-bottom areas in waters 10 to 40 feet deep. The red grouper is a protogynous hermaphrodite, and females are capable of reproducing at 4 years of age. Spawning takes place from March to July. Females usually release an average of 1.5 million pelagic eggs that remain at the surface for 30-40 days before settling to the bottom. The maximum age of the red grouper is 25 years, with older fish reaching a size of 32.5 inches and 25 pounds. Red groupers usually ambush their prey and swallow it hole, preffering crabs, shrimp, lobster, actopus, squid and fish that live close to reefs.

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA to the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, Trinidad, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil. Rare in the West Indies (Cuba, Haiti, and Trinidad). Reports from the eastern Pacific are apparently misidentifications of Epinephelus exsul.
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

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The standard tackle is a boat outfit with 40-pound line or more, but heavy spinning and baitcasting tackle with 15- or 20-pound line can easily do the job in water less than 100 feet deep. Reds will hit all the baits and lures recommended for Gag and other Groupers, but they are also very fond of crustacean baits, particularly shrimp and crab. They are ready strikers on leadhead jigs, fished with light tackle.