Species guide · North Carolina
Gag grouper fishing in North Carolina
Mycteroperca microlepis, an offshore species also called gag and gray grouper. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm at 58, one of 9 North Carolina 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 Atlantic
Shoulder season, about 6 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 · 9
North Carolina bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's gag grouper score this hour.
Best window today 5-9 PM (61) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 3 PM (62) · 1 named spot
Best window today 1-6 PM (58) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (64) · 21 named spots
Best window today 1-7 PM (58) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (64) · 26 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (61) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 7 AM (62) · 260 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (60) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 6 PM (62) · 7 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (60) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 AM (62) · 134 named spots
Best window today 1-10 PM (59) · Best day Mon, Sep 28 at 7 AM (63) · 331 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (61) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (64) · 49 named spots
Best window today 5-8 PM (60) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 5 PM (62) · 75 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
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Sep 19, 2026.
No reviewed gag grouper rule for North Carolina is on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep one.
Other North Carolina species
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Crevalle jack
- Gray snapper
- King mackerel
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spot
- Spotted seatrout
- Summer flounder
- Black drum
- Black sea bass
- Cobia
- Florida pompano
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sheepshead
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Bluefish
- Sailfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Atlantic bluefin tuna
- Striped bass