Gag Grouper.
Cool-water grouper. Mid-shelf structure, winter peaks.
How they feed in the Keys
Gags are the cool-water cousin to black grouper, more abundant on Florida's Gulf side and along the Atlantic shelf. In the Keys they hold on mid-shelf wrecks and ledges 60–250 feet, often deeper in summer and migrating shallower into winter. Average 8–15 lbs with trophies pushing 30+. Less common than blacks in the Keys proper but a regular catch on Gulf-side trips out of Marathon and Key West.
62–74°F
Active 56–78°F · Cold-water aggressive
Strong current, similar to black grouper.
1.5–3 knots over deep structure. Critical for feeding.
Cold-front following days are excellent — gags are cold-water hunters.
Falling pressure intensifies the bite.
Dawn and last light strongest.
Spawning Jan–Apr at offshore aggregations. Federal Atlantic gag harvest is closed Jan 1 – Apr 30 for the spawn.
70+ for productive deep-edge feeds.
Gags shift shallower in fall (October–December) as water cools, then back deep for spring spawn. Fall is the year's best window for shallower-water gag fishing.
12-month outlook
What they eat, what catches them
Live pinfish
5–8" pinfish hooked through the back. The standard.
Live blue runner
Bigger fish prefer larger live baits.
Cut bonito chunks
Strong scent for the deep ledges.
- Vertical jigs· 200–300 g for deep-ledge jigging.
- Diving plugs (trolling)· Stretch series for the shallower fall fish.
- Deep-ledge live bait
Live pinfish on 8/0 circle, 100 lb fluoro, 12-oz lead. Drop and reel up 2 cranks.
How top captains rig it
Spin: 65–80 lb braid. Conventional: 50 lb class.
Spin: 8000+. Conventional: 30W–50W.
Heavy stand-up class.
100 lb fluorocarbon.
- Deep-ledge
7' heavy spin + 80 lb braid + 100 lb fluoro + 8/0 circle + live bait + 12-oz lead.
Recreational rules
24" total length (Atlantic).
2 per harvester per day in Atlantic; counts in 3-fish grouper aggregate.
Atlantic: closed Jan 1 – Apr 30. Open May 1 – Dec 31.
Powerheads prohibited in state waters.
Note · Gulf state-water rules differ. Federal closures occasionally extend.
What actually moves the bite
Each factor is rated by how much it shifts the bite for this fish in the Keys. Calibrated against the Bite Score weights — see the Bite Score reference for what each factor measures.