# Flats Grouper



## fairweather (Oct 13, 2017)

I was stalking reds and trout in St. Joe Bay yesterday, and much to my surprise I caught this guy in three feet of water over grass.







He's about 12 inches and went back in the water to grow up. I thought it was a total fluke, but today I caught another one in three feet of water. With a little Googling, I learned that it's not all that uncommon, although in ten years of fishing this bay, I've never caught one until now.

Have any of you guys ever caught a keeper size on the flats?


----------



## Michael F Sights (Oct 14, 2017)

Not on the flats, but in Marathon we caught 7 keepers & many,many 1/4 inch short gags in 10' of water off a sunken pontoon boat.


----------



## Spineyman (Oct 14, 2017)

fairweather said:


> I was stalking reds and trout in St. Joe Bay yesterday, and much to my surprise I caught this guy in three feet of water over grass.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That is where they often go as juveniles to the bays and estuaries until they get big enough to go offshore.  very common on both east and west coast.


----------

