Species guide · Florida
Gag grouper fishing in Florida
Mycteroperca microlepis, an offshore species also called gag and gray grouper. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico, around Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John at 57, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
South Florida and the Keys
Shoulder season, about 25 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Off season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Off season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
No peak months. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to Apr.
Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region
Present on Keys reefs and Southwest Florida ledges, best in the cooler months; fewer fish than on the West Florida Shelf. Regulatory: Atlantic and Monroe County waters follow the shallow-water grouper closure Jan 1-Apr 30.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Eastern Gulf
Peak season, about 8 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Peak season
- Dec: Peak season
Peak: Oct to Dec. In season (shoulder or peak): Sep to Jun.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
From Tarpon Springs to Cedar Key fish move onto rock piles in 15-20 ft each fall, starting as water drops to about 76 F and peaking near 70 F (Florida Sportsman). Females gather offshore November-February and spawn on the shelf edge in February-March. Regulatory: the Gulf recreational season is short and set yearly (Sept 1-14 in 2025, state and federal waters, excluding Monroe County).
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
South Atlantic
Peak season, about 8 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Peak season
- Dec: Peak season
Peak: Nov to Dec. In season (shoulder or peak): Sep to May.
Research notes, South Atlantic region
Ledges and live bottom off Northeast Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas in 60-200 ft. Regulatory: shallow-water grouper close Jan 1-Apr 30 for spawning; NOAA sets the gag season length each year from May 1.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 31
Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's gag grouper score this hour.
Best window today 1-5 PM (58) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (60)
Best window today 2-6 PM (54) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (56)
Best window today 9-11 AM (53) · Best day Sun, Nov 15 at 5 PM (56) · 11 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (53) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (58)
Best window today 10 AM-12 AM (45) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (47)
Best window today 10 AM-12 AM (45) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 6 AM (58)
Best window today 2-8 PM (49) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (56)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 49 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 199 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 82 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 126 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 39 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 20 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 81 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 22 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 6 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 24 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 4 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 131 named spots
Best window today 8 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 13 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 21 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 109 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 16 named spots
Best window today 8 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 46 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 88 named spots
Best window today 8 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 79 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20)
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 195 named spots
Best window today 9 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 92 named spots
Best window today 8 AM-12 AM (20) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 12 AM (20) · 23 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 56°F to 84°F, best between 62°F and 76°F.
- Water depth
- 10 to 250 ft of water.
- Structure
- Ledge, reef, wreck, bank and pinnacle, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with light current.No published tide effect. Light current makes it easier to hold a live bait or trolled plug tight to the rocks; tide stage matters less than finding the right rock pile.
- Light
- Some lift around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Gag hold on ledges, rock piles and wrecks, from 15 to 40 feet in the fall on Florida's Gulf coast out to 250 feet the rest of the year. Troll deep-diving plugs to find productive rocks, then anchor and drop or freeline live pinfish or pigfish on a strong circle hook. Keep the drag tight and turn the fish in the first few seconds or it will reach the rocks.
- Methods
- bottom fishing, trolling deep-diving plugs, freelining live bait, vertical jigging
- Lures
- deep-diving trolling plugs (30-ft class), bucktail jigs, heavy jigs tipped with squid
- Bait
- live pinfish, pigfish, grunts, cigar minnows, squid, octopus
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Nov 4, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
No retention
Season: Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2026
Closed for the rest of 2026 (Executive Order 26-26). The 2027 season has not been announced.
FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026
No retention
Season: Aug 2 to Dec 31, 2026
FWC closed Atlantic gag grouper, including all state waters off Monroe County, for the rest of the 2026 season (Executive Order 26-10). The 2027 season has not been announced.
FWC news release, May 13, 2026: Atlantic gag grouper closes August 2 (EO 26-10) · verified Sep 13, 2026
No retention
Season: Aug 2 to Dec 31, 2026
FWC closed Atlantic gag grouper, including all state waters off Monroe County, for the rest of the 2026 season (Executive Order 26-10). The 2027 season has not been announced.
FWC news release, May 13, 2026: Atlantic gag grouper closes August 2 (EO 26-10) · verified Sep 13, 2026
No retention
Season: Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2026
The closure also applies in state waters aboard vessels with a federal Gulf charter or headboat permit for reef fish. The 2026 recreational gag season is September 1 through September 30.
Federal Register 2026-10200, 2026 Gulf gag recreational season and closure · verified Sep 13, 2026
No retention
Season: Aug 2 to Dec 31, 2026
The 2026 recreational gag season was May 1 through August 1, shortened because 2025 landings went over the limit. The 2027 season is scheduled to open May 1, 2027.
Federal Register 2026-07792, 2026 South Atlantic gag recreational closure · verified Sep 13, 2026
Other Florida species
- Black sea bass
- Bluefish
- Bonefish
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Florida pompano
- King mackerel
- Little tunny
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spanish mackerel
- Spotted seatrout
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Black drum
- Cobia
- Gray snapper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spot
- Striped bass
- Summer flounder
- Yellowfin tuna
- Mahi-mahi