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 27 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound at 59, one of 28 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 27 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- 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 27 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- 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
Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Off season
- Apr: Off season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Off season
- 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.
Best window today 1-9 PM (60) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (63) · 109 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (62) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 11 AM (63) · 82 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (62) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 11 AM (65) · 6 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (59) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (70) · 16 named spots
Best window today 12-7 PM (56) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 5 PM (58) · 13 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (59) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 AM (59) · 46 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (60) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 AM (62) · 79 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (60) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (60) · 23 named spots
Best window today 4-8 PM (60) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (63) · 199 named spots
Best window today 5-10 PM (60) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (62) · 24 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (60) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 2 PM (61) · 39 named spots
Best window today 1-8 PM (58) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (63) · 131 named spots
Best window today 4-8 PM (59) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 PM (61) · 4 named spots
Best window today 5-10 PM (58) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (60) · 126 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (56) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (61) · 88 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (54) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (60)
Best window today 6-10 PM (58) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (61) · 195 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (61) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 PM (63) · 22 named spots
Best window today 3-11 PM (57) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (60) · 92 named spots
Best window today 4-8 PM (58) · Best day Thu, Sep 24 at 12 PM (59) · 49 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (58) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (62) · 21 named spots
Best window today 3-7 PM (59) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (59) · 81 named spots
Best window today 6 PM-12 AM (47) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 5 PM (58)
Best window today 1-10 PM (48) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (49) · 11 named spots
Best window today 3-7 PM (53) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 11 AM (60) · 20 named spots
Best window today 4-7 PM (48) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (54)
Best window today 4-7 PM (56) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 PM (59)
Best window today 4-7 PM (56) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 PM (57)
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
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Sep 17, 2026.
No reviewed red grouper 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
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Permit
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Sheepshead
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Bluefish
- Striped bass