Grouper rigging question..........

[sundown]

Couple of weeks ago was fishing out of St Marks for trout and along about noon it got glass calm......Figured it might be a good time to run out to deep water and see if I could hook a grouper....

Ran out to about 23 ft and found some irregular bottom.....depth finder showed fish all around it.....(marked it !)

I had half a dozen pretty good sized pinfish in livewell which I hooked through both lips with a 6/0 circle hook..was using a piece of 60# mono for leader about three ft long under a 3 oz egg sinker..

Dropped this to bottom and reeled up a few ft to where the depth the bottom machine showed fish....Wasn't but a minit and something hit it like a bream....a hard tap and nothing else....reeled in and pinfish was gone ! This went on for four more pinfish....nothing but a bare, shiny hook after they hit... had the clicker on and in freespool.....each bite would pull some line out and before I could think about engaging spool fish had cleaned hook and was gone... Probably oughta had the spool engaged and drag set to slip a little....With last pin I hooked about a six ft shark that occupied me for quite awhile.....

Question: Is this rig adequate for fishing bait for grouper in this kind of water ? Also how about fishing frozen ly's and bait like this...do you fish em whole or cut them up and how do you hook them ? Figuring on trying it again a couple days next week if the weather settles down a bit....
Sure would appreciate some input !

[Tom Keels]

You didn't say what rod/reel combo you were using but the other part of the rig is fine.

Problem comes in that you had the reel in freespool with the clicker on. This is the worst thing you can do with a livebait/circle hook combo and for grouper. You can get away with it with speedsters like mackerel that are likely to still be running when you set the hook.

Grouper, especially on the live bottom we have don't run. When they hit they generally run down or just a few feet to a hole and stop to swallow the bait. If you would have had the line and drag tight he would have been hooked by the circle before he could figure out somethings not right and spit the bait.

Ask Chalk or Tin Can how I grouper fish. They will tell you it works pretty good. I fish with the rodholder and really don't get excited until the rod tip touches the water. Now I don't recommend this with trout tackle, but using this technique I've caught a bunch of fish.

Now as for loosing bait, it could have been mackerel or sharks plucking them off, but chances are a few bites were grouper.

As for LY's, I fish them the same way. Cut them in half (or thirds if they are big) and do it just like I said.

[Sawbones]

Bait's fine, leader's fine, might want to go up a hook size or two. Use whatever amount of weight it takes to stay near the bottom. What size main line? I'd suggest 60#, but lots of folks use less. Frozen LY's cut in half or 1/3's work great. One important suggestion: take your reel out of freespool and hammer your drag down, otherwise the fish will be in the rocks before you can react. No need for the clicker, you'll know it when you hook him.

[Sawbones]

This forum abounds with good advice!

Why aren't you fishing Tom?

[sundown]

I bought two sets of Penn 112's , (3/0's) and put them on six ft medium heavy standup rods....Have 30lb. Ande mono on them.....rodholders are Driftmaster pro series....These tend to hold the rods more horizontal than the trolling models...using rail mounts for these around the boat...

Wondered if I should have put them on longer rods with a little more flex in the tips....Also planning to do my trolling with this combo...

[Chalk]

Next time your in the tackle shop make note of the gap size on the circle hooks. Alot of the circle hooks have the same gap from the 4/0-6/0 the only difference is the wire and circle.....What I am saying is you can get a smaller hook with the same gap....It depends on the brand....I use nothing larger than 4/0......

Yeah it's pretty funny watching Tom bottom fish.....If your gonna use circle hooks take his advice the rod holder is your friend.....

You really need to post the numbers to that spot so we can verify if it was triggers or not

[Tom Keels]

This forum abounds with good advice!

Why aren't you fishing Tom?

Have you seen the weather?

[tin can]

All good advice. I have seen Tom grouper fish. His hookup ratio is pretty high.

You indicated you are using rail mount rod holders. Tom is very fond of those.

Tom, since when did the weather stop you?

[dstockwell]

Tap, tap and circles, start reeling no jerk, just reel.