Big Bend Florida Sportsman Guide

Fishing Tactics

Goliath Grouper

“I Don’t Think I am Ready for This!”

by

Capt. Ken Roy, WHOPPER STOPPER Sport Fishing

My bright yellow buoy, anchored about 20’ behind the boat, disappeared in a mighty splash and boil.  I hadn’t seen whatever had eaten the buoy but I was pretty sure it was a big Hammerhead or maybe a Tiger.  I have seen both species eat buoys more than once. 

“What in the heck was that” all four of my clients asked in unison.  Since I hadn’t actually seen the fish, I said “doggone big fish.”  Then I added, “maybe a sea monster.”  Whatever it was  had eaten a gallon Prestone Antifreeze jug and it didn’t come back up.  The jug was filled with Styrofoam so it would float whether punctured or chewed up.  It didn’t float back up.

The previous week, this spring hole had been  loaded with Cobia and Jack Crevalle.   It was mid June and I was hoping for a big Cobia. The guys had $5 on the first fish.  I baited all 4 hooks with live Greenbacks and told the folks to hold them on the surface so that everybody would have the same chance.  That didn’t work. 

As I baited the last hook, there was another huge splash followed by “Hellllppp.”  A 50# plus Cobia slipped out from under the boat and ate one of the helpless baits right on the surface dragging David Stiff down against the gunwale.  Locked drag on 80# test line is very hard to handle.  I backed off on the drag a little to keep the Cobia from tearing the hook out or pulling David overboard.  Four other Cobia followed the hooked fish.  One of them was huge, the other two were barely legal.

Twenty minutes later we had a 55# Cobia photoed and in the box.  Now it was time to get down to business.  All 4 baits went down together.  All were eaten before they reached bottom.  Three of the lines went tearing all over the place while the forth just pulled down hard.  The forth bait was eaten by a ten pound Gag Grouper, the other three by four or five pound Jack Crevalle.  I put the Grouper in the fish box, released one Jack, put  another Jack into the livewell then pinned the forth Jack on a 20/0 circle hook on a 9/0 Penn reel with 55! 0# test parachute cord line and a 4# dive weight for a sinker.

I handed the big rig to a 16 year old who looked like a weight lifter.  He passed the rod to his Dad and said “I don’t think I’m ready for this.”  Michael Stiff said, “surely you are kidding,” as he lowered the bait.  I wasn’t joking at all.

I knew what was going to happen.  Any time you drop a big live bait down into one of these small spring holes, a Jewfish will eat it.  No exception this time.  I saw the rod tip buck then tie into a knot as soon as big Mike put the reel in gear.  I am sure he thought the initial bump was the Jack moving around.  Then all hell broke loose! 

There must’ve been 200 pounds of drag on the reel.  Certainly it was as tight as I could get it with a 6” tubing “cheater.”  Everybody in the boat was helping.  Next summer I am going to shoot some video footage of Jewfish fishing.  Pandemonium!

It was over quickly.  You win or loose in under 2 minutes most times.  With four folks pulling on the fish, he didn’t have much of a chance.  Evidently there isn’t much to go under or into in this spring because we seldom loose a Jewfish here.

He soon popped up and laid quietly on the surface.  I measured him at 71” with a girth of 56”.  If  you apply the standard fish weight calculating formula of length X girth squared divided by 800 you get 278# or about the average size of an adult Jewfish.  My measurements may have been off by a few inches since I measured him hanging over the side of the boat.  Any you cut it though, he was one big fish.

The 20/0 circle hook was firmly imbedded in the corner of his jaw.  Hanging out of the other corner of his mouth was a length of 550 cord.  The end of this cord disappeared into the depths.  I pulled it up.  There was my buoy weight.  I pulled on the line that disappeared down into the fish’s gullet and guess what popped out?   The gallon Prestone Antifreeze jug.  Of course, we released the Jewfish.

This particular spring hole drops about forty feet from the surrounding depth of fourteen feet or so.  The Jewfish could see the antifreeze jug flopping as it unrolled.  He simply rolled up and ate it like a Largemouth Bass eats a top water plug.

These tiny spring holes are hard to find and, when found, become closely guarded secret spots because they produce year around.   They will not support heavy fishing pressure so I seldom fish for Grouper on these springs.

 Perhaps the best reason for keeping a secret spot to yourself is you alone have control of the population.  If you keep your limit on one of these tiny spots and fish it often, you can easily wipe it out.  Once wiped out, it may never bounce back.

 Fish responsibly.

 

Jewfish

Goliath Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Epinephelus itajara

Description: head and fins covered with small black spots; irregular dark and vertical bars present on the sides of body; pectoral and caudal fins rounded; first dorsal fin shorter than and not separated from second dorsal; adults huge, up to 800 pounds; eyes small.

Similar Fish: other grouper.

Where found: NEARSHORE often around docks, in deep holes, and on ledges; young often occur in estuaries, especially around oyster bars; more abundant in southern Florida than in northern waters.

Size: largest of the groupers.

*Florida Record: 680 lbs.

Remarks: spawns over summer months; lifespan of 30 to 50 years; feeds on crustaceans and fish. NOTE: jewfish are totally protected from harvest in Florida waters.

* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.

Regulations

It is unlawful to harvest, possess, land, purchase, sell or exchange the following species:
Nassau Grouper, Goliath Grouper (Jewfish), Sawfish, Basking Shark, Whale Shark, Spotted Eagle Ray, Sturgeon, White Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Big Eye Sand Tiger Shark, Manta Ray
 

Min. Size Limits:

Closed Seasons: None.

Daily Rec. Bag Limit: 

Remarks: