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Going to try trolling for some Gags when I am in Steinhatchee next week. Any keepers still to be found in state waters or am I too late?

I have two conventional trolling setups with 65lb braid. Are you running a fluoro leader to wire or just running a fluoro leader straight to the plug? What lb leader or wire?

I'll be pulling Manns Stretch 25s in 35 ft or less.

Seriously? 130+ people viewed the post and nobody has ever trolled for gags? I'm not looking for any spots, just want to know what line people prefer.

Angler85 wrote:Seriously? 130+ people viewed the post and nobody has ever trolled for gags? I'm not looking for any spots, just want to know what line people prefer.

Just not a style of fishing I’m knowledgeable enough to speak on.




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Yea, this is mostly inshore guys, and not a lot go to steinhattche.
On a side note, i dont appreciate redbeard sharing a picture of my favorite fishing hole...

Angler85 wrote: ↑May 13th, 2021, 10:28 pm Seriously? 130+ people viewed the post and nobody has ever trolled for gags? I'm not looking for any spots, just want to know what line people prefer.

I haven't tried to catch a grouper since 2002 when I had a bigger boat. I felt the same way when several hundred users viewed my question about Cedar Key and none replied

6 to 12 foot section of 50-60lb mono leader. I like mono because it has more stretch and not as thick as fluorocarbon. The thinner the line the deeper the plugs will dive. If you start loosing plugs to kings then add a foot of wire.

I use braid and 6’ fluro to the plug. Some like mono because of the stretch.
You may let your question sit for more than 20 minutes before you get upset about lack of responses.

Thanks for the info guys! Sorry if my second comment came off wrong, just figured there would have already been some response.

Fish Masterson wrote:Yea, this is mostly inshore guys, and not a lot go to steinhattche.
On a side note, i dont appreciate redbeard sharing a picture of my favorite fishing hole...

Ha ha


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I'm using 80lb fluro. About a 6ft length. I pull stretch 30 and Z Rap 40's. Usually start in 50ft of water and catch snapper and grouper that way but the king's were thick this past Saturday.

Angler85 wrote: ↑May 13th, 2021, 10:28 pm Seriously? 130+ people viewed the post and nobody has ever trolled for gags? I'm not looking for any spots, just want to know what line people prefer.

I can only tell you that it is a bad idea to try to troll 5 big plugs at the same time behind a 20' bay boat. I tried it several years ago when I had hoped to catch grouper. What happened is that the lines got massively tangled up together. We stopped the boat to untangle the lines, and we lost the first plug. Something big hit a plug as it was just drifting on the surface behind the boat. Somehow we didn't learn our lesson and kept trolling with too many lines. At the end of the day, between break-offs and snags, we lost about $80 in lures. I haven't tried trolling for grouper since.

However, I am grateful that someone kept this thread going. I'd like to learn how to properly troll. My theory as to why there is so little comment is that with the advent of GPS and trolling motors with spot lock, people don't troll for grouper so much any more.

I use mono 35 to 50 pound line on my reel and 60 to 80 pound floro as a leader. If pulling in 25 to 35 feet you will need to use the 25's. If in 40 feet or more the 35"s work great. In the deeper waters I like to pull one 25 and one 35 to cover more of the water depths. I pull two lines at between 4.5 and 5.5 mph. When you get a strike, don't stop the boat or the fish will go into the rocks, keep good forward motion until you get the fish on top.

Last Friday was my first time out this year and we had three hookups with one 30 incher in the boat. Was too rough to anchor or drift, so trolled. All strikes came on the changing tide.

I also recommend using a soft tip rod and a lever drag reel. Adjust the drag to just hold while trolling. Then you can tighten when you pick up the rod to the strike position when hit. I never use more than two lines at once.