Species guide · Mississippi
Gray triggerfish fishing in Mississippi
Balistes capriscus, an offshore species also called triggerfish, trigger and gray trigger. Listed for the Eastern Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 10 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Mississippi Sound at 58.
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.
Where it's scoring now · 1
Mississippi bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's gray triggerfish score this hour.
Best window today 7-10 PM (58) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 PM (62) · 81 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
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Synced with MDMR Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed gray triggerfish rule for Mississippi is on file yet. Check with MDMR before you keep one.