Grouper

You have not really experienced the peak of offshore fishing trips in Port Aransas TX until you have caught either the black grouper or the gag grouper. They belong to the same family of fish but a number of Port Aransas deep sea fishing guides prefer the black grouper because of its large size, and significant weight. There are a number of Corpus Christi fishing charters that can help you catch both the gag grouper and the black grouper.

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How Port Aransas Deep Sea Fishing Guides Identify the Black Grouper And Gag Grouper

Black groupers have an oblong shaped body that is gray or olive in color with black blotches.  On your offshore fishing trips in Port Aransas TX, you will notice that black groupers have a protruding lower jaw and gently rounded cheeks. They can grow well over 4 feet long and can attain a weight of over 40 pounds. Lucky recreational anglers have been able to catch black grouper that weigh more than 100 pounds during their guided fishing trips in Texas. The dorsal and anal fins of a black grouper fish have rounded margins but its tail fin is square.

A gag grouper fish has a similar body shape to that of a black grouper, but they can only reach a maximum total length of 4.75 feet and a maximum weight of 80.5 pounds. Their body color is brownish grey with wavy markings on sides. Their fins are dark in color but their anal and tail fins have white edges.

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Habitats Of Black Grouper and Gag Grouper

What you will learn from your Port Aransas fishing guides captain is that adult black grouper and gag grouper can be found on rocky bottoms, reefs, and drop off walls in over 60 feet deep waters.  Young gag groupers can be found in shallow seagrass beds and estuaries. Adult gag grouper diet is made up of cephalopods, shrimps, small fishes and crabs. While adult black grouper also feed on crustaceans, they primarily target grunts, snapper, herrings and other smaller fish.

 

Techniques For Catching Black Grouper And Gag Grouper

To catch grouper, you need to go on your offshore fishing trips in Port Aransas TX during the cooler months when groupers move closer to the shore. Basic equipment for catching larger black grouper and gag grouper include a heavy spinning reel, a braided line, and a 7-foot conventional rod that has a strong backbone and allows for fast action. The reel should sit on top of the rod to allow you to put more pressure on the rod. Natural bait for both species of grouper fish includes pinfish, sardines, mullet, and squid.