Species guide · Florida
Gray triggerfish fishing in Florida
Balistes capriscus, an offshore species also called triggerfish, trigger and gray trigger. Listed for the Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 10 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM at 59, one of 17 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.
Eastern Gulf
Shoulder season, about 10 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Nov.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
Common on Panhandle and Alabama artificial reefs and natural ledges. Telemetry on northern Gulf reefs shows movement tracking water temperature, with less activity in winter. Nesting runs late spring through summer. Regulatory: Gulf recreational harvest closes Jan-Feb and June-July (Reef Fish Amendment 46).
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
South Atlantic
Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Peak season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Oct.
Research notes, South Atlantic region
Hard bottom and wrecks from Northeast Florida to Cape Hatteras in 80-300 ft; spawning in spring and summer (NCDMF). Usually caught while bottom fishing for other reef species.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 17
Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's gray triggerfish score this hour.
Best window today 8-10 PM (59) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (62) · 24 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (59) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (63) · 4 named spots
Best window today 7-11 PM (59) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 AM (62) · 79 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (59) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (61) · 92 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (58) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (61) · 46 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (58) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (61) · 23 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (57) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 PM (62) · 39 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (57) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (62) · 131 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (54) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (60) · 126 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (54) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (61) · 88 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (54) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 11 AM (60) · 20 named spots
Best window today 8-10 PM (53) · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 9 AM (60) · 81 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (61) · 21 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (51) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 11 AM (59) · 49 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (61) · 195 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 7 PM (59) · 13 named spots
Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (55) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 PM (64) · 22 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 60°F to 86°F, best between 68°F and 82°F.
- Water depth
- 30 to 300 ft of water.
- Structure
- Reef, wreck, ledge, bank and pinnacle, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with light current.No published tide effect. Light current keeps small baits near the reef where triggers hover; heavy current sweeps baits away from them.
- Light
- Little tied to 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
Gray triggerfish hover a few feet over reefs, wrecks and ledges, usually in 60 to 200 feet, and often show up while snapper fishing. Use small, strong circle hooks with small pieces of squid or cut bait on a short bottom rig, because they nibble and strip big baits. Keep the bait just off the bottom and reel steadily at the first solid pull.
- Methods
- bottom fishing, chumming, light bottom rigs
- Lures
- small jigs tipped with squid
- Bait
- squid, cut cigar minnows, shrimp, cut bonito
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed gray triggerfish rule for Florida is on file yet. Check with FWC before you keep one.
Other Florida species
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Gray snapper
- King mackerel
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spot
- Spotted seatrout
- Summer flounder
- Black drum
- Black sea bass
- Bonefish
- Cobia
- Florida pompano
- Gag grouper
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Bluefish
- Striped bass