Grouper and Bottom Rigging

Anglers in Florida recognize the grouper as a classic bottom fish and as a great catch for anyone who loves to fish. There are several ways to catch Florida Grouper. You could troll for it with either live or dead bait. However, since the grouper is your quintessential bottom fish, you would do well by using a bottom rig; the question now is – what bottom rig works best for you.

Here are some bottom rig systems that may work for you. Keep in mind that each rig works differently and would do well for certain water and weather conditions. Choose one that would be best for the situation you find yourself in.

  • Fixed Sinker Dead Bait Rig – This rig uses an egg sinker that comes with molded swivels. You would also need a 4 feet 80lb mono. A circle hook works best for this. It uses a dead bait; a cut ladyfish is a good idea.
  • Sliding Sinker Live Bait Rig – This uses an 8 to 12 ounce egg sinker and a 400-pound test barrel swivel. It also requires a 10-pound test mono. Use your live bait of choice; a Croacker would do well.
  • Three-Way Swivel Rig – This swivel bottom rig uses a bank sinker, a 5 feet 2-100lb mono. You would also need a 20 to 40 feet test leader. Use your live bait of choice. The bank sinker should be attached to the 3-way swivel with 3 feet of 60lb mono using a perfection loop.

Remember that when using live bait, be sure that the fish is rigged properly. You certainly would not want to loose your bait in deep waters.