Groupers can be very tricky and fast predators -way too fast for the average surprised angler that didn’t adjust the reel’s drug level right.
To the isolated hotspot
The weather forecast predict a very cold morning with showers of rain, but because fishing will be impossible for the next days we decide to give it a chance.
We arrived to the beach in the early morning to find a clear blue sky with reasonable temperatures. We both wear fishing vests above rain coats above fishing overall and after 1 mile of fast walking it feels like sauna. After passing several hotspots with no fish signs we continued another mile to my isolated hotspot- the point where I catch most of my bluefish last summer.
The Groupers
One hour later, just when I was shelling of my clothing layers I saw medium seabass enter to the small bay carried by a wave, so I switched to Yo-zuri minnow and ran to cast to the current assumed location and bingo- immediate strike.
I knew it wasn’t the seabass according to the steady resistance style and after 10 seconds I land a small 1/2 pound grouper. Quick picture and Veale ! the grouper is released back to the water. 30 minutes later my fishing body lands another grouper with soft plastic lure with bombette based rig.
We both where very pleased with the action so I didn’t care too much about a huge dark cloud arriving from south west; the south wind on the beach has made me to believe it will pass few miles in front of us above the sea - but I was totally wrong.
As I turned my eyes back to my fishing body to signal about the near cloud- a 4 pound grouper jump few feet in the air and successfully grab the lure, my partner had a short fight that ends with a loud frustration shout– the grouper succeed to rush back to a nearby rock with the lure and by doing so, breaks the base ring of the rod.
Murphy’s lows
My partner was really pissed of so I took control over the rod and opened a generous slack to allow the grouper to move away; and then- the rain starts. With the slight movement of the grouper to better is locked position I pulled; the lure jump out of the water, the grouper stays.
The rain became a storm so I had to cover the Olympus sp-550’s large body inside my raining coat all the way back in the soaking rain.
Finally, after long two miles walk, just when we finally arrived to a shelter - the rain stopped 
and the dry report details…
Fish- 1 pound Grouper- one item
Reel - Shimano stradic 4000FH
Line - Berkley Fireline 0.15 ~ 15 pound test
Lure -Yo-zuri minnow
Lure activation- Medium speed retrieve
Rod - Shakspear Trour legend 10-40 gram
Waves - 1 ft
Water visibility - low
Time of the catch - 10:00
Light condition - partial clouds
Water depth estimation of the catch spot- 5 feet
Hookset - by the fish
« Small Bream with Bombette 2008-01-02
Seabass-Jackson dead float lure 2008–01–10 »
2 comments ↓
Those grouper shots are beautiful. Good looking fish!
Thanks mate !
I’m still learning about this new camera
Leave a Comment