Is there a Grouper shortage?

[ufgator2]

I've been 3 times recently and not caught a legal Gag or Red yet . Going to numbers that usually produce in fall, tons of shorts, like 1-2" under legal size, i for one didn't hammer these holes this spring, and i'm leaning to no one else did, but that's just a hunch. I don't know if grouper really migrate or not, heard they do and others say they don't really migrate much, just been loaded up w/ bait. Yesterday the small gags and reds were inhaling the live and cut bait as soon as it got down, literally w/in seconds. I've only been chasing the grouper for a few years, so i'm very much a novice, but if i remember right the last 2 or 3 years this time of the year we were catching nice sized grouper...

Curious what y'all think

[rammerjammer]

don.t think there is a shortage, went last Thrusday put 3 Gag 22 to 24 in cooler,tons of short reds,gags,grunts,bout 10 nice sea bass,great table fair,we just kept movin round till we found um, bout 40 feet depth average...pretty stiff wind but we stayed with it..out of Carrabelle off end if Dog Island

[captkeyser]

Got one 32"s two weeks ago in 16ft of water.

[ufgator2]

i guess i need to take up crochet instead of grouper fishing

[Jumptrout51]

Bunches and bunches of shorts speaks for itself. The grouper population is alive and thriving. You just have to get on the right hole at the right time. No animal eats 24/7.
(Just stay off my holes where they eat 23/6).

[ufgator2]

Oh i understand that, hehe, but the past 3 falls i've done respectable, my question was really do they really migrate, and is it still to early, water temps about 75 now...

[Jumptrout51]

Many have moved in to my near shore holes. You should stay deep.

[Lighterknot]

A friend moved here from Tennessee a few years ago and bought a commercial boat,licenses,permits etc.. and started fishing for a living, had a rough go at first with the hurricanes and tropical storms, not to mention the grouper quota was filled when the weather finally subsided. he went at it for 3 years, would spend 5 days/nights a week on the water,bringing in over a 1000lbs a week. each year grouper got harder and harder to find. purchased over $6000 worth of numbers.
says there just aren't any grouper left.
He blames it on the Longliners and trappers. said they are cleaning house. he has recently gave up the ship and moved back to Tennessee. know any one that wants to buy a good commercial boat??

[ufgator2]

Tell him to contact jumptrout51, think he's got some numbers in Lake Ella he swears catches grouper

[Jumptrout51]

Those Lake Ella grouper look like chill n grill "dork fish" but taste like grouper.

[Chill-N-Grill]

Picking on my poor Dork Fish

[groupertherapy]

He's not picking on the dork fish, it's an admission he has numbers in Lake Ella.

[Chill-N-Grill]

He's not picking on the dork fish, it's an admission he has numbers in Lake Ella.

[ufgator2]

I've given up grouper fishing and taken up shuffle board, those old bastids better watch out, i've been lifting weights and that 87 year old bully doesn't scare me anymore.

[pops]

gator2.....now i know why you was not in jax this w.e