Waterlands

Species guide · Florida

Red grouper fishing in Florida

Epinephelus morio, an offshore species also called reds and grouper. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 21 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM at 62, one of 28 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Shoulder season
Where it's scoring nowAll Florida waters

Season 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 21 more weeks
  1. Jan: Shoulder season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Peak season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Peak season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.

Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region

Southern end of the West Florida Shelf off the Ten Thousand Islands, plus Keys reefs. Regulatory: check whether Gulf or Atlantic grouper rules apply; Atlantic waters close Jan 1-Apr 30.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Eastern Gulf

Shoulder season, about 21 more weeks
  1. Jan: Shoulder season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Peak season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Peak season
  7. Jul: Peak season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Apr to Jul. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.

Research notes, Eastern Gulf region

The West Florida Shelf is the center of the US fishery. GSMFC reports adults more abundant in the summer fishery and moving offshore in winter; spawning is April-May in Florida at 65-330 ft. Regulatory: Gulf federal waters beyond 20 fathoms close to shallow-water grouper Feb-Mar; the red grouper season was open year-round in 2026.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

South Atlantic

Off season, about 25 more weeks
  1. Jan: Off season
  2. Feb: Off season
  3. Mar: Off season
  4. Apr: Off season
  5. May: Shoulder season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Off season
  12. Dec: Off season

No peak months. In season (shoulder or peak): May to Oct.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Present on Carolina and Georgia live bottom, but catch is mostly incidental to gag and snapper trips. Regulatory: closed Jan 1-Apr 30, and federal waters off NC and SC stay closed until June 1 (SAFMC).

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 28

Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's red grouper score this hour.

1
62Good
Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6-10 PM (62) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (67) · 131 named spots

2
62Good
Western Choctawhatchee Bay

Best window today 5-8 PM (62) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 3 PM (65) · 23 named spots

3
61Good
Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to West End of Seven Mile Bridge

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (66) · 199 named spots

4
61Good
Biscayne Bay

Best window today 6-11 PM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (66) · 82 named spots

5
61Good
Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM

Best window today 6-10 PM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (64) · 20 named spots

6
61Good
Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (64) · 109 named spots

7
60Good
Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound

Best window today 6-10 PM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (65) · 126 named spots

8
60Good
Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm

Best window today 6-11 PM (61) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (67) · 39 named spots

9
60Good
Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6-10 PM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (63) · 81 named spots

10
60Good
Tampa Bay waters

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (65) · 195 named spots

11
59Good
Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (64) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (69) · 16 named spots

12
59Good
St. Andrews Bay Waterways

Best window today 5-8 PM (59) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 3 PM (66) · 79 named spots

13
58Good
Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm

Best window today 6-11 PM (59) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (64) · 49 named spots

14
58Good
Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (59) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (66) · 24 named spots

15
57Good
Coastal waters from Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (68) · 6 named spots

16
56Good
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM

Best window today 6-11 PM (56) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (60)

17
55Good
Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico, around Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John

Best window today 7-10 PM (55) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (60)

18
54Good
Pensacola Bay Area including Santa Rosa Sound

Best window today 5-9 PM (56) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 3 PM (64) · 46 named spots

19
51Good
Coastal Waters from Cabo San Juan to the waters between Anegada Island and Virgin Gorda and North 10 NM

Best window today 7-10 PM (52) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (59)

20
51Good
Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay

Best window today 8-9 PM (53) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 3 PM (62) · 13 named spots

21
46Good
Lake Okeechobee

Best window today 6-10 PM (46) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (50) · 11 named spots

22
46Good
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM

Best window today 7-11 PM (53) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (60)

23
41Fair
Caribbean Waters of Puerto Rico from 10 NM to 17N, including the Coastal Waters of Saint Croix

Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (44) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 8 AM (58)

24
35Fair
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35) · 22 named spots

25
35Fair
Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35) · 4 named spots

26
35Fair
Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35) · 21 named spots

27
35Fair
Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35) · 88 named spots

28
35Fair
Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 12 AM (35) · 92 named spots

Not scored in this forecast: Anegada Passage east of Virgin Gorda and Saint Croix south to 17N, Atlantic Waters of Puerto Rico AND USVI from 10 NM to 19.5N and Mona Passage Southward to 17N.

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 59°F to 86°F, best between 66°F and 77°F.
Water depth
30 to 300 ft of water.
Structure
Reef, ledge, bank and wreck, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers moving water, with light current.No published tide effect. Light current keeps baits on the bottom over small patches of hard bottom and helps when drifting to find fish.
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

Red grouper live on low limestone ledges and potholed live bottom across the West Florida Shelf, mostly in 60 to 250 feet. Drift to find hard bottom, then anchor and fish live pinfish, grunts or squid on the bottom with stout conventional tackle. Reel hard right after the bite, because they dive into holes, and use a descending device on fish released from deep water.

Methods
bottom fishing, drifting, anchoring over hard bottom
Lures
bucktail jigs tipped with squid
Bait
live pinfish, grunts, squid, octopus, cut bait, shrimp

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Nov 4, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

GulfRetention open

2 per day (4 Gulf grouper combined) · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Charter captain and crew bag limit is zero in state waters. No more than 4 grouper combined per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open year-round in Gulf state waters. Federal waters close February 1 through March 31 seaward of 20 fathoms.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026

AtlanticRetention open

3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined) · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Jan 1, 2027

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. Special rules apply in Biscayne National Park. No more than 3 grouper and tilefish combined per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open May 1 through December 31. Closed January 1 through April 30.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026

Monroe CountyRetention open

3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined) · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Jan 1, 2027

Private-vessel anglers need the State Reef Fish Angler designation. No more than 3 grouper and tilefish combined per person per day. Reef fish gear rules apply. Land with head and fins intact. Open May 1 through December 31. Closed January 1 through April 30.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Groupers · verified Sep 13, 2026

Federal waters (Gulf)Retention openFederal

2 per day (4 Gulf groupers combined) · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to special rules on Feb 1, 2027

Captain and crew of a charter boat or headboat may keep none. Excludes goliath grouper. No more than 2 gag or 2 red grouper. Off Florida, fishing is closed year-round in the Madison and Swanson sites and Steamboat Lumps, and January through April in the Edges, except for highly migratory species such as tunas and billfish (50 CFR 622.34(a)).

50 CFR part 622, subpart B (Gulf reef fish) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Federal waters (Atlantic)Retention openFederal

3 South Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined per day · Minimum 20 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

Changes to closed on Jan 1, 2027

No separate red grouper limit off Florida. Red grouper count toward the 3-fish grouper and tilefish bag. Open between the dated closures unless NOAA closes the season early. No snapper-grouper fishing in the North Florida, St. Lucie Hump and East Hump marine protected areas or the Warsaw Hole/50 Fathom Hole spawning area (50 CFR 622.183(a)).

50 CFR part 622, subpart I (South Atlantic snapper-grouper) · verified Sep 13, 2026

Other Florida species