# Goliath grouper/jewfish?



## lampern (Sep 5, 2021)

Do you think states like Florida and Georgia should open goliath grouper to keeping?

Its being discussed

https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/goliath/


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## fi8shmasty (Sep 5, 2021)

I think anything that can eat me ,.. is game on.  
Just saying


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## GeorgiaGlockMan (Sep 5, 2021)

Yes.  The charter that I went out last time in the keys said if we wanted to keep the 550+ lb Goliath we caught that "the game warden would just walk on by".  They all hated them fish stealing beasts.

True or not I dunno ...... we let it go after accidentally decking it one morning about 3or4 am when we were "unsupervised" and jacked up (jack Daniel's-ed up).

It weren't a happy fish while on deck.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 5, 2021)

Most definitely.
The reef fishing would pick up quickly.


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## lampern (Sep 5, 2021)

GeorgiaGlockMan said:


> Yes.  The charter that I went out last time in the keys said if we wanted to keep the 550+ lb Goliath we caught that "the game warden would just walk on by".  They all hated them fish stealing beasts.
> 
> True or not I dunno ...... we let it go after accidentally decking it one morning about 3or4 am when we were "unsupervised" and jacked up (jack Daniel's-ed up).
> 
> It weren't a happy fish while on deck.



Do you mean you landed it?


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## 1eyefishing (Sep 5, 2021)

They are making themselves a nuisance and other fish scarcer.
 What good is a one fish per man limit on red snapper a few certain days of the year when every short or out of season fish (and alot of the keepers) you incidentally hook is snarfed up by the fat man or the tax man?
 I've seen jewfish laying around the wreckage just being lazy slugs until a fish is hooked near them and then they come alive for lunchtime.
 They're like bald eagles at an Alaskan garbage dump.
 Or closer yet, the manatees that have been protected for decades and they now comes back to the point where their numbers are higher than they ever were naturally. And now because there's so many of them they are expanding the no wake, and no motor, and protection zones for them..
 Or the once endangered American alligator that will now eat your kid at Disney World instead of being exterminated.
 As with economics, the government thumb on the scale ruins the balance. They can be quick to act (or not), but hesitant unact.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 5, 2021)

You should be able to bring them to the surface, shoot them in the head and either keep them or cut 'em loose for chum.


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## GeorgiaGlockMan (Sep 5, 2021)

lampern said:


> Do you mean you landed it?


Yes.  Pictures and all.


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## georgia_home (Sep 5, 2021)

I’d imagine fish that big gotta eat a lot.

Some kind of special harvest program to study things. even if they just did special permits on a yearly basis. Fish over ??lbs/trophy size. $100?200?/permit. 500 permits issued each year, for 2 years. Then evaluate…

its be interesting…


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## lampern (Sep 5, 2021)

At least for Florida it looks like a harvest tag costing $$$ is being discussed


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## Rabun (Sep 6, 2021)

YES!!! Absolutely!!! Between the goliaths, sharks and dolphins a hooked snapper doesn't stand a chance.  A managed harvest is long overdue!


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## Darkhorse (Sep 6, 2021)

Those big dolphins can be just as bad as a jewfish. One fall day my brother and I ran out to a low relief ledge 25 or so miles so from North Tampa Bay. He called it "The Nursery" because of all the short grouper. But he had never seen a boat on it either so we decided to try it and hope some larger grouper had taken up residence there.
There was no boat on it that day either but there was a large and long dolphin. We caught a lot of grouper just under size and every one we released that old dolphin ate just under the boat.
Several times we'd pull anchor and run a few miles then ease back to the ledge and quietly anchor. Within minutes that old dolphin would be back.
It's a shame that we were fishing legal so we didn't keep any short fish and there were a lot of them. But every one we released was immediately eaten by that dolphin. So they never got the chance to grow up.
And this slaughter was caused by a couple of legal fishermen. 
There should be an answer to all these fish eating our released fish, the jewfish, the dolphins, barracudas and others.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 6, 2021)

Darkhorse said:


> Those big dolphins can be just as bad as a jewfish. One fall day my brother and I ran out to a low relief ledge 25 or so miles so from North Tampa Bay. He called it "The Nursery" because of all the short grouper. But he had never seen a boat on it either so we decided to try it and hope some larger grouper had taken up residence there.
> There was no boat on it that day either but there was a large and long dolphin. We caught a lot of grouper just under size and every one we released that old dolphin ate just under the boat.
> Several times we'd pull anchor and run a few miles then ease back to the ledge and quietly anchor. Within minutes that old dolphin would be back.
> It's a shame that we were fishing legal so we didn't keep any short fish and there were a lot of them. But every one we released was immediately eaten by that dolphin. So they never got the chance to grow up.
> ...




There is, but if the bleeding hearts caught wind of it they`d have an orangatang fit.


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## lampern (Sep 6, 2021)

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 protects the porpoises.


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## Rabun (Sep 7, 2021)

I've witnessed dolphins playing with hooked snapper until they killed it and then left it alone until the next one came up. Theses snapper were way too big for them to eat. They were like cats with a mouse. Some they didn't tear off the hook were just mutilated and we probably could have kept some of them if they were in season. We were fishing for vermilion and caught plenty of them. Dolphins weren't interested in those, just the larger reds. Now I just move on when they show up.


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## Ruger#3 (Sep 7, 2021)

Concerning the bleeding hearts, the GA aquarium is working on public opinion daily. We took visiting family there and part of the tour was a 10 minute presentation on protecting the giant groupers “due to slow reproduction rate.” They went as far as telling folks to avoid the menu item. It’s likely going to be a political battle to get some harvesting passed.


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## 1eyefishing (Sep 7, 2021)

Ruger#3 said:


> Concerning the bleeding hearts, the GA aquarium is working on public opinion daily. We took visiting family there and part of the tour was a 10 minute presentation on protecting the giant groupers “due to slow reproduction rate.” They went as far as telling folks to avoid the menu item. It’s likely going to be a political battle to get some harvesting passed.


That's as bad as the leftists trying to ban our everyday is assault rifle that shoots 13,000 rounds per minute.
Goliath grouper/jewfish is on the menu nowhere.


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## Ruger#3 (Sep 7, 2021)

1eyefishing said:


> That's as bad as the leftists trying to ban our everyday is assault rifle that shoots 13,000 rounds per minute.
> Goliath grouper/jewfish is on the menu nowhere.



The Goliaths are in their large tank and gravitate to the front like their curious. All the public knows is they see large curious fish swimming up and down the viewing window and the “experts” say they must be protected.

From their website of fish on display.

The goliath grouper, which may grow up to 8 feet (2.4 m) in length, is listed as “Critically Endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, due to overharvesting in the second half of the 20th century, before legislation was introduced in the U.S. to protect this species. This skilled ambush hunter can be found in shallow reef environments in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, where it feeds on crustaceans, rays, fish and even turtles. This grouper is known to exhibit territorial behavior near its preferred spot on a reef or wreck, and may threaten intruders by shaking its body, opening its mouth wide or even using its swim bladder to make a loud booming noise


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## notnksnemor (Sep 7, 2021)

I had never heard of IUCN and had to google it.

They still list jewfish as decreasing in population.
Credibility lost.


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## lampern (Sep 7, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> I had never heard of IUCN and had to google it.
> 
> They still list jewfish as decreasing in population.
> Credibility lost.



You do realize they could be declining in other countries?

Not every country has the protections and enforcement of the US


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## GeorgiaGlockMan (Sep 7, 2021)

The grouper grow real fast.

Each one will eat 20-30 slot sized snapper every day.

They are the reason for snapper decline.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 7, 2021)

lampern said:


> You do realize they could be declining in other countries?
> 
> Not every country has the protections and enforcement of the US



I don't want to kill them in other countries.
Just here.


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## lampern (Sep 7, 2021)

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2018/sep/28/grouper-protection-not-priority/

Legal to keep in the Bahamas


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## Ruger#3 (Sep 7, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> I had never heard of IUCN and had to google it.
> 
> They still list jewfish as decreasing in population.
> Credibility lost.



 Concur, but hundreds of thousands hear that perspective yearly.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 7, 2021)

I wonder if those big rascals are as good as a normal size gag or black grouper. Probably full of worms.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 7, 2021)

Nicodemus said:


> I wonder if those big rascals are as good as a normal size gag or black grouper. Probably full of worms.



The smaller ones are... uh, er, oh so I'm told.
Instead of a grouper cheek sammich, it would be a grouper cheek steak.


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## diamondback (Sep 7, 2021)

I think they should have a limited season or by permit harvest. But like some said if the bigger ones have worms and it wouldn’t be worth eating maybe a slot size limit. Here’s one we caught and release off the sgi pier this summer. First we’ve seen there in 40 years of fishing there


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## Rabun (Sep 7, 2021)

over populating goliaths here isn’t going to make a hill of beans anywhere else. What they should do is institute a sustainable harvest quota and tout to the rest of the world on how this species can be brought back and managed with some take. Gators, redfish, etc.


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## lampern (Sep 8, 2021)

Wow. Giant Goliath caught off SC this year, not a juvenile

https://www.wjcl.com/article/yeah-f...iath-grouper-off-hilton-head-island/36623888#


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## treadwell (Sep 9, 2021)

I hear wolves make great bait.......


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## GTMODawg (Sep 13, 2021)

lampern said:


> Do you think states like Florida and Georgia should open goliath grouper to keeping?
> 
> Its being discussed
> 
> https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/goliath/




Certainly should be some kind of harvest in Florida.  Very controlled yes but it should be done immediately.  They are out of control in some areas....


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## Robust Redhorse (Sep 14, 2021)

My son and I had to leave the Everglades in June, because Jewfish destroyed everything.

We were trying to catch tarpon, but the jewfish ate tarpon flies, tarpon lures, live bait meant for tarpon, almost everything.

They are now a PEST.


If they allow keeping them, you will probably have to buy a tag that cost more than the value of the grouper meat, and have a slot limit that will be the most undesirable.


Maybe, in a decade, the fishery will get managed properly.







Will they now be changing the name of Jewfish Creek, between the mainland and Key Largo?


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 14, 2021)

They have taken over inland estuaries where the nurseries for snapper and other species grow up as fry and decimate the population. Even stating a fish that reaches 800 lbs and is slow growing is asinine.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 14, 2021)

Nicodemus said:


> I wonder if those big rascals are as good as a normal size gag or black grouper. Probably full of worms.



Worked with a guy that had his own boat in the 60's that caught them and sold them to the fish market. What most of high end Miami restaurants served. He had pictures to prove it. No rod and reel. Rope, hook and winch.


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## crackerdave (Sep 14, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> Worked with a guy that had his own boat in the 60's that caught them and sold them to the fish market. What most of high end Miami restaurants served. He had pictures to prove it. No rod and reel. Rope, hook and winch.



Once the meat is properly cooked,you can't tell the worms are there.They won't hurt you.


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## GeorgiaGlockMan (Sep 14, 2021)

crackerdave said:


> Once the meat is properly cooked,you can't tell the worms are there.They won't hurt you.


That's what the manager of Long John Silvers told my friend the day he quit working there....true story.


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## pottydoc (Sep 16, 2021)

GeorgiaGlockMan said:


> The grouper grow real fast.
> 
> Each one will eat 20-30 slot sized snapper every day.
> 
> They are the reason for snapper decline.


No they don't. They actually grow much slower than pelagic fish. And if you are referring to ARS, they are not declining. They are a major pain, and I see no reason why hook and line rec guys aren't allowed to catch them.


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## pottydoc (Sep 16, 2021)

lampern said:


> You do realize they could be declining in other countries?
> 
> Not every country has the protections and enforcement of the US


It's not like they migrate. We can (and do) have a population that can very easily manage having fish caught by rev guys. And at the same time, another country's population can be very threatened. The fish here will never travel to another country. I've seen the same jewfish on wrecks for years while diving.


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## Snookpimpin (Sep 16, 2021)

they should make it a lottery like gators apply/pay for your permit/ if you get it you can kill two. you couldn't have an open season they would be gone in two years. any reef you dive on in florida they are everywhere and they swim right up to you. would be like shooting fish in a barrel


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## cracker4112 (Sep 16, 2021)

Snookpimpin said:


> they should make it a lottery like gators apply/pay for your permit/ if you get it you can kill two. you couldn't have an open season they would be gone in two years. any reef you dive on in florida they are everywhere and they swim right up to you. would be like shooting fish in a barrel



This.  Someone mentioned it earlier as well, but they are very curious, which is the reason we almost wiped them out.  Perhaps hook and line only with some sort of tag system.  They certainly need thinning out.


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## pottydoc (Sep 16, 2021)

cracker4112 said:


> This.  Someone mentioned it earlier as well, but they are very curious, which is the reason we almost wiped them out.  Perhaps hook and line only with some sort of tag system.  They certainly need thinning out.


That's what is being discussed by FWC at the present time. The tag will cost $300.00, and get you one fish. It's got a slot limit also, but I don't know what it is. I think a maximum of 100 tags. Hook and line only. That number won't even put a scratch on the present population. Plus, I don't see a bunch of folks lining up to pay $300 bucks to catch and keep a jewfish. You can catch and release all you want for free. The bigger ones aren't worth crap to eat either. That's not something I heard, we've caught a bunch from little to huge when they were legal.


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## cracker4112 (Sep 16, 2021)

Agreed, 100 tags is not gonna cut it.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 20, 2021)

No tag fees are going to cut it. As long as politics are involved. If you give the recreation anglers leeway than you have to the commercial. If you do commercial than you have to let your allies come and commercially rape your water of what they lack. Politics plain and simple.

The bleeding "Jew" fish huggers have thier goliath reproducers off shore. Let the recreational fishermen keep the inshore juveniles. No bag limit and no permit.


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## lampern (Sep 20, 2021)

In Florida anyway there is going to be a permit and permit fee.

No reason not to make some money


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## notnksnemor (Sep 26, 2021)

lampern said:


> In Florida anyway there is going to be a permit and permit fee.
> 
> No reason not to make some money



Please explain.
They're devastating the reef fisheries.


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## lampern (Sep 26, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> Please explain.
> They're devastating the reef fisheries.



Because the state of Florida wants the money. Hence the discussion of a permit/tag to keep goliath grouper.

Can you blame them for making money?


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## notnksnemor (Sep 27, 2021)

lampern said:


> Because the state of Florida wants the money. Hence the discussion of a permit/tag to keep goliath grouper.
> 
> Can you blame them for making money?



Should it be about revenue or what's best for the resources?


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## pottydoc (Sep 27, 2021)

lampern said:


> Because the state of Florida wants the money. Hence the discussion of a permit/tag to keep goliath grouper.
> 
> Can you blame them for making money?


Last I read it was 100 tags at $300.00 each. That's a drop in the bucket compared to the other resources that FWC is funded from. The whole tag thing is to try to placate the ref guys who are tired of losing fish after fish after fish the the dang things. It ain't nothing but a smoke screen, and won't cut down the amount of Jew fish at all


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## lampern (Sep 27, 2021)

Yep but nothing final or proposed yet .

The price tag was just discussion so I understand


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## lampern (Sep 27, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> Should it be about revenue or what's best for the resources?



You mean the goliath grouper resource thats been rebuilding since 1990?


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## notnksnemor (Sep 28, 2021)

lampern said:


> You mean the goliath grouper resource thats been rebuilding since 1990?



No. The reef fisheries that's been declining since 2000.
You don't fish the gulf, do you?


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## lampern (Sep 28, 2021)

Only a very few times

There isn’t going to be unregulated fishing for the grouper


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## pottydoc (Sep 28, 2021)

No one is looking for unregulated fishing. We are just tired of the dang jewfish eating more fish off our lines than we end up taking home. Between them, the sharks, and the porpoises there's days you can't get a fish to the boat without it getting ate by one of them or the other.


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## lampern (Sep 28, 2021)

pottydoc said:


> No one is looking for unregulated fishing. We are just tired of the dang jewfish eating more fish off our lines than we end up taking home. Between them, the sharks, and the porpoises there's days you can't get a fish to the boat without it getting ate by one of them or the other.



No I get it but the regulations are going to be strict in Florida if any harvest is allowed.

Thats reality


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## jdgator (Sep 28, 2021)

I could be very wrong, but I have the feeling Florida fisheries managers are more concerned about the massive fish kills and oyster/seagrass die offs resulting from polluted waters being discharged into their bays. 

From my perspective, Florida's biggest problem is decades of unchecked growth. Its people are going to have to start making hard choices.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 28, 2021)

lampern said:


> No I get it but the regulations are going to be strict in Florida if any harvest is allowed.
> 
> Thats reality



And why is that?
Why would the state manage one species, jewfish, to the detriment of many species of reef fish?

ARS, Gag grouper, black grouper, red grouper, mangrove snapper, black sea bass, almost every species except lionfish are harmed by the "management" of the jewfish.


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## saltysenior (Sep 28, 2021)

in a lifetime of watching saltwater laws being put in place in all Atlantic states , I honestly believe 50% were placed in a form of job security for the commissions , the scientist , the biologists , and the enforcement.......also a great way to get federal grants and $$$$.


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## 1eyefishing (Sep 28, 2021)

I'm hearing:
 200 permits for the entire state.
 $10 cost to enter the lottery.
 $500 fee if you win a tag.
Slot limit 20-36".


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## lampern (Sep 28, 2021)

*



			Item Requiring Action – Draft Rule – Goliath Grouper
		
Click to expand...

*


> Staff will present a draft rule proposal for a limited, highly regulated harvest of goliath grouper. This proposal includes a special opportunity for harvest through a lottery draw, while enacting area and seasonal closures, size and gear restrictions, and post-harvest requirements. The proposed limited harvest would allow users additional access opportunities to this species and provide researchers with needed biological data, while allowing the population to continue to rebuild and excluding harvest from areas of heavy dive ecotourism. _*Public comment on this agenda item will be limited to no more than 2 hours.*_



October 6th 2021 meeting in St Augustine Florida


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## lampern (Sep 28, 2021)

https://myfwc.com/media/27535/6-sm-goliathgrouper.pdf

Read this- details of proposal


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## 1eyefishing (Sep 29, 2021)

"Dive ecotorism" is the driving force against the harvest.


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## lampern (Sep 29, 2021)

And thats mostly in the Keys right?


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## 1eyefishing (Sep 29, 2021)

lampern said:


> And thats mostly in the Keys right?


 Mostly I guess, but I think it's growing around the entire state. Lots of dive charters out of Pensacola and a number of self proclaimed spearfishermen in the Big Bend.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 29, 2021)

1eyefishing said:


> Mostly I guess, but I think it's growing around the entire state. Lots of dive charters out of Pensacola and a number of self proclaimed spearfishermen in the Big Bend.



Don't shoot a big jewfish with a speargun.
You will end up a loooong way from the boat and lose your speargun.


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## lampern (Sep 29, 2021)

The proposal says hook and line only


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 29, 2021)

1eyefishing said:


> I'm hearing:
> 200 permits for the entire state.
> $10 cost to enter the lottery.
> $500 fee if you win a tag.
> Slot limit 20-36".



That is plum stupid.


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## Bigbendgyrene (Sep 29, 2021)

A well managed harvest, 100% yes.   All the local reefs I fish in 20+ feet of water have multiples sitting on them almost all the time.  DEFINITELY NOT SCARCE anymore in anyway, shape, manner or form.


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## lampern (Sep 29, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> That is plum stupid.



Eating size fish.


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## pottydoc (Sep 29, 2021)

I bet they will have a really hard time getting people to shell out $500.00 for a grouper that's not even all that good on the table. Plus, even if they take 200 a year, it wound change one thing in the amount of fish lost to them. And whoever mentioned the dive  industry being behind the PBC to the Keys not being included is dead on.


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## notnksnemor (Sep 29, 2021)

Shoot on sight.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 29, 2021)

lampern said:


> Eating size fish.



200 to 300 lbs is eating size. Leave the 400 + lbs for seed. Let them be allowed in the recreational fishermans creel for the same as grouper. $510.00 for a 50 lb or less fish is plain stupid.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 29, 2021)

I'm sure the dive industry would love getting rid of some of the beasts that steal their fish and even attack them. Maybe not. Maybe they want to spearfish one they could handle. Things that make you go Hmmm?


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## GTMODawg (Oct 4, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> I'm sure the dive industry would love getting rid of some of the beasts that steal their fish and even attack them. Maybe not. Maybe they want to spearfish one they could handle. Things that make you go Hmmm?



I was putting the boat to bed one evening when a truck load of young sailors came skidding up to the dock and wanted me to look at the "big fish" they had speared.  I knew what it was from the dock....could see the tail sticking up by the tailgate.  I told them they had taken an endangered species (this wasn't in the US but was governed by Florida Fish and Game laws).  They were scared to death and asked what they should do....the only answer was to fillet that puppy and get rid of the evidence.  This was a juvenile Jewfish...about 150 pounds or so.  Everybody on the base got some grouper over the next couple of days!  The locals and foreign nationals ate on that thing for about a month.  It wasn't bad.  Not the best grouper but close.  Big cheeks and as good as any grouper cheek....

Apparently they killed it with one shot?????  Straight through one eye and into and through the brain.  Apparently it did not flinch and other than sinking in 60 feet of water was as easy to harvest as any grouper.....


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## pottydoc (Oct 16, 2021)

We killed one a little over 250 lbs on a reef off Boynton Beach back when it was legal. Shot him with two pole spears, both in the head, and stoned him grave yard dead. They're fairly easy to kill spear fishing, they dang sure aren't scared of you, and will let you swim right up to them for an easy shot. Commercial divers spearing them was the main reason for them getting to the point of being endangered.


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## asc (Oct 22, 2021)

you blame everything on commercial, sad tool you are.


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## Lukikus2 (Oct 22, 2021)

Save the Manatees!


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## pottydoc (Oct 22, 2021)

asc said:


> you blame everything on commercial, sad tool you are.


I call them like see them. In this particular case, there's plenty evidence to back it up. You really don't think hook and line recs caught them out do you? Or that the long lines and fish traps that the commmercial guys use don't kill undersized, out of season, or fish with no commercial value? Do you believe that the Gill nets banned a number of years back didn't catch non targeted fish, and scoop up 10's of thousands of kingfish while using planes to locate the fish? Name for us one species of fish that has ever been fished almost to the point of extinction by rec hook and line fisherman. Most commercial guys are fine, but there's too many out there who will catch every fish they can, to the point of extinction, and then move on to the next species. I'll even take a little of the blame for the Jew fish. I speared a number of them when it was legal. Sold every one of them. And that was the only reason I did it, to get paid for it. It was stupid easy.


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## GTMODawg (Oct 25, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> Save the Manatees!




The young ones are delicious slow roasted in the ground like a a hog.  And a blast to catch on a fly rod....


JUST KIDDING....I asked my wife one time what size fly rod did she reckon I needed to catch a few manatees and some folks nearby over heard us and likened to have had a fit of the vapors LOL....I don't think we ever convinced them we were kidding.  Probably didn't help with me offering them a recipe for the things.....


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## Studawg170 (Oct 27, 2021)

GTMODawg said:


> The young ones are delicious slow roasted in the ground like a a hog.  And a blast to catch on a fly rod....
> 
> 
> JUST KIDDING....I asked my wife one time what size fly rod did she reckon I needed to catch a few manatees and some folks nearby over heard us and likened to have had a fit of the vapors LOL....I don't think we ever convinced them we were kidding.  Probably didn't help with me offering them a recipe for the things.....




There was reason they were nicknamed sea cows


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## Dr. Strangelove (Oct 27, 2021)

GTMODawg said:


> The young ones are delicious slow roasted in the ground like a a hog.  And a blast to catch on a fly rod....
> 
> 
> JUST KIDDING....I asked my wife one time what size fly rod did she reckon I needed to catch a few manatees and some folks nearby over heard us and likened to have had a fit of the vapors LOL....I don't think we ever convinced them we were kidding.  Probably didn't help with me offering them a recipe for the things.....




Never tried one myself, but living in Bradenton FL for 7 years, I ran into a few old-timers that have. Porpoises as well, these guys were savage. Apparently both are pretty darn tasty and red meat almost like beef.


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## Seanote (Nov 25, 2021)

Lukikus2 said:


> I'm sure the dive industry would love getting rid of some of the beasts that steal their fish and even attack them. Maybe not. Maybe they want to spearfish one they could handle. Things that make you go Hmmm?



It looks like the spearfishing guides were the primary opponents to the rule.  They make more money from tourists wanting to dive with them then kill them apparently.

I can't imagine why they would set the Max at 36".  With all the grouper at the reefs, for $500 I would want a grown one.


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## redneck_billcollector (Nov 30, 2021)

Nicodemus said:


> I wonder if those big rascals are as good as a normal size gag or black grouper. Probably full of worms.


As a young man and teen I harvested one to eat....it was around 100lbs or so (didn't weigh it, but it was dang big, was fishing for sharks in Panacea) and it was not what one would call good table fare as far as I am concerned.  Now I would be concerned with high mercury content in them and would not eat one were it legal. But then again, my favorite fish to eat is a fresh mullet.....so what do I know about eating fish...at least a lot would say that.


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## notnksnemor (Dec 1, 2021)

redneck_billcollector said:


> As a young man and teen I harvested one to eat....it was around 100lbs or so (didn't weigh it, but it was dang big, was fishing for sharks in Panacea) and it was not what one would call good table fare as far as I am concerned.  Now I would be concerned with high mercury content in them and would not eat one were it legal. But then again, my favorite fish to eat is a fresh mullet.....so what do I know about eating fish...at least a lot would say that.



Red Roe for the picky mullet pallet.


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## tjchurch (Mar 3, 2022)

Florida to allow limited fishing of goliath groupers (msn.com)


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## fairweather (Mar 3, 2022)

Dinky ones. 24 - 36.


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 3, 2022)

Pay $10 just to enter the lottery...
IF you win, pay $150 or $500 for the permit for a non-trophy fish you may or may not catch that may or may not be edible.


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## lampern (Mar 3, 2022)

1eyefishing said:


> Pay $10 just to enter the lottery...
> IF you win, pay $150 or $500 for the permit for a non-trophy fish you may or may not catch that may or may not be edible.



Grouper are indeed good to eat


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 3, 2022)

Large Goliath grouper are usually full of worms.
 Large ones of other grouper species often have the same problem.
 It can be just a matter of catching it, cleaning it and decided how much of the wormy meat you can cut and toss out in order to salvage some. My understanding is that the big Goliaths aren't worth eating. Don't know about the little ones... But I wouldn't say it would be a slam dunk great piece of meat.
YMMV.


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 3, 2022)

lampern said:


> Grouper are indeed good to eat


 Your average, everyday grouper, yes.


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## lampern (Mar 3, 2022)

1eyefishing said:


> Your average, everyday grouper, yes.



I bet small goliaths are just fine.

They used to salt em down and sell em (all sizes)

The big ones you won't be able to keep anyway


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 3, 2022)

My point was that that's a lot of red tape and money for such a sketchy result.
I don't see the point of trying to catch one that is not a big one.
And I don't want to have to enter a lottery and pay $500 dollars for a fish I may not catch and if I caught it to eat certainly not $500 for a 30 pound fish.


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## lampern (Mar 3, 2022)

Agreed but I bet a 24-36 inch juvenile eats fine.

But not $500 dollars fine.


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## tjchurch (Mar 4, 2022)

They are keeping the restrictions on without keeping the restrictions on. lots of trouble and money for a thirty pound fish.


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## Tugboat1 (Mar 4, 2022)

Doesn't seem to me a very effective approach if helping other reef fish is the goal.


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## lampern (Mar 4, 2022)

Tugboat1 said:


> Doesn't seem to me a very effective approach if helping other reef fish is the goal.



Thats not the goal.

They make a lot of money in FLA of people diving to see the monster mamas


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## 1eyefishing (Mar 4, 2022)

The goal of the fish and game commission should be the health of the reef ecosystem.
 It makes no sense what they limit recreational anglers to When they can't keep but one fish very few days of the year, yet you can sit on structure any time of the year and feed the Goliath's, the sharks, and the porpoises 20 fish in a couple hours.
 At times they will consume nearly every fish hooked. Either on the way up, or on the way back down.


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## lampern (Mar 4, 2022)

> The goal of the fish and game commission should be the health of the reef ecosystem.



Really the goal of fish and game departments is to generate revenue. Pure and simple


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## Tugboat1 (Mar 4, 2022)

lampern said:


> Thats not the goal.
> 
> They make a lot of money in FLA of people diving to see the monster mamas


Or from anglers willing to pay for a small one.


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## Wanderlust (Mar 5, 2022)

What's the fine for illegal harvest? Is it less than $500?


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## notnksnemor (Mar 6, 2022)

Wanderlust said:


> What's the fine for illegal harvest? Is it less than $500?



Make sure to pop the eyeballs or the carcass won't sink.

So I've been told.


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## pottydoc (Mar 19, 2022)

I've been told that same thing. ?? I wonder if it works......


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## GTMODawg (Mar 21, 2022)

1eyefishing said:


> Large Goliath grouper are usually full of worms.
> Large ones of other grouper species often have the same problem.
> It can be just a matter of catching it, cleaning it and decided how much of the wormy meat you can cut and toss out in order to salvage some. My understanding is that the big Goliaths aren't worth eating. Don't know about the little ones... But I wouldn't say it would be a slam dunk great piece of meat.
> YMMV.




I bet the cheeks of a Goliath are good though....

Most fish have some parasitic worms....they may not be visible due to their size but they are there in most species.  If you have eaten much fish chances are pretty good you have eaten the worms also.  Cooking or freezing makes it safe but even when they are eaten raw the risk is minimal.


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## GTMODawg (Mar 21, 2022)

1eyefishing said:


> The goal of the fish and game commission should be the health of the reef ecosystem.
> It makes no sense what they limit recreational anglers to When they can't keep but one fish very few days of the year, yet you can sit on structure any time of the year and feed the Goliath's, the sharks, and the porpoises 20 fish in a couple hours.
> At times they will consume nearly every fish hooked. Either on the way up, or on the way back down.




Dolphins have gotten cocky about it.  I don't know if their numbers are way up or they have just grown accustomed to more boats and those boats representing an easy meal but it used to be rare to have dolphin hanging around a small boat waiting to steal a fish, usually after being released instead of the way the tax man does it.  It is now uncommon in a lot of Florida to stop a boat for long that at least one of the beggars aint hanging around looking for a hand out.  I thought it was illegal to feed dolphins?  If it ain't it ought to be.  It also ought to be permissable to transport an undersized or oversized fish some distance from where it was boated if there are dolphin present because they are going to make short work of a out of slot fish almost every time if released at the boat when caught.  I bet you'd have some 'splaining to do though if checked by the man with a couple of over size snook in the live well....


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## Ihunt (Mar 21, 2022)

I bet 360 degree peanut oil kills all of the worms! ?

I have a buddy that now keeps a small propane cooker on his boat. He eats a lot of fresh fish.


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## GTMODawg (Mar 21, 2022)

Ihunt said:


> I bet 360 degree peanut oil kills all of the worms! ?
> 
> I have a buddy that now keeps a small propane cooker on his boat. He eats a lot of fresh fish.




It'll absolutely kill all of them.  I make it a ritual when bottom fishing the first fish over the gunwale is eaten on the spot.  Nothing like a fresh mutton or such, a little wasabe, a cold beer and the sun just up on the water.  Worms ain't gonna hurt you most likely.  I eat a LOT of ceviche....lime juice and salt will kill me quicker than a few parasites once in a while.  

I know an old boy with a big green egg on his charter boat....its part of the deal to cook something as soon as it comes over the transom and have it for lunch on the boat.  He does a lot of business and ain't ever had to bury anyone....


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## notnksnemor (Mar 22, 2022)

GTMODawg said:


> It'll absolutely kill all of them.  I make it a ritual when bottom fishing the first fish over the gunwale is eaten on the spot.  Nothing like a fresh mutton or such, a little wasabe, a cold beer and the sun just up on the water.  Worms ain't gonna hurt you most likely.  I eat a LOT of ceviche....lime juice and salt will kill me quicker than a few parasites once in a while.
> 
> I know an old boy with a big green egg on his charter boat....its part of the deal to cook something as soon as it comes over the transom and have it for lunch on the boat.  He does a lot of business and ain't ever had to bury anyone....



You might want to include where you are fishing for clarification.
In Florida, fish must be landed whole.


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## Ihunt (Mar 22, 2022)

notnksnemor said:


> You might want to include where you are fishing for clarification.
> In Florida, fish must be landed whole.



Please explain the landed whole. What happens when a shark takes a bite? Can’t land the whole fish in that scenario.


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## GTMODawg (Mar 22, 2022)

notnksnemor said:


> You might want to include where you are fishing for clarification.
> In Florida, fish must be landed whole.




I have been checked many times by the man in Florida and nary once has he thought to take a fecal sample....the carcass ain't catching a ride back to the hill, its going to be fed to the fishes.  I wouldn't do it with anything that wasn't legal because that would just be wrong and I always count the fish toward any limit but if the man wants to know what I have eaten while on the boat he and I both are in for a pretty disgusting experience and he is going to be on the more disgusting side of it.....considering their salary and the fact that it is way to easy to write a heaping pile of tickets for other things in Florida I will take my chances....most of them ain't nearly interested enough to biologically get into what I have eaten that day....


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## GTMODawg (Mar 22, 2022)

Ihunt said:


> Please explain the landed whole. What happens when a shark takes a bite? Can’t land the whole fish in that scenario.




I have always wondered about that also...are you supposed to release a half eaten fish that was legal until the tax man showed up but won't measure now?  Its bad enough that there are so many snappers floating belly up because venting only works about 80% of the time when done perfectly and never when it isn't but now the man wants the tax man to be made whole when he comes collecting?  I would bet they can and do write that one often....It ain't ever happened to me but knowing the Florida FWS it seems like it would be par for the course....they will definitely do so with a out of season fish no matter how obvious it is that the tax man collected his due....better dump that fish and let it decide to survive or not...like Jerry Clower and the coon jumping in amongst all them dawgs it is strictly left up to the coon....


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## notnksnemor (Mar 22, 2022)

GTMODawg said:


> I have been checked many times by the man in Florida and nary once has he thought to take a fecal sample....the carcass ain't catching a ride back to the hill, its going to be fed to the fishes.  I wouldn't do it with anything that wasn't legal because that would just be wrong and I always count the fish toward any limit but if the man wants to know what I have eaten while on the boat he and I both are in for a pretty disgusting experience and he is going to be on the more disgusting side of it.....considering their salary and the fact that it is way to easy to write a heaping pile of tickets for other things in Florida I will take my chances....most of them ain't nearly interested enough to biologically get into what I have eaten that day....



Just pointing out the regulations, not judging.



https://www.eregulations.com/florida/fishing/saltwater/snapper


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