Goliath grouper season

[PatW]

With the Goliath grouper breeding season approaching, I'm looking forward to seeing some for the 1st time. My question is the best period to see them? I understand the breeding season lasts from August till October and I may not have a chance to do the dive till September. Also, were would be the best area/op to dive them near Palm Beach?

Thanks

i went down down last year in early August to Jupiter. We saw a couple of dozen Goliath Grouper on each dive. If you just float in the current, you can get pretty close to them. I understand that if they are going to a site for the purpose of seeing Goliath Grouper the success rate is very high.

 

[scubadada]

With the Goliath grouper breeding season approaching, I'm looking forward to seeing some for the 1st time. My question is the best period to see them? I understand the breeding season lasts from August till October and I may not have a chance to do the dive till September. Also, were would be the best area/op to dive them near Palm Beach?

Thanks

Wow, did this thread get derailed. I'm looking at mid-August to mid-September as likely being the densest aggregation. They are said to spawn around the new moon, that would be August 26 and September 10. My favorite dive site is the Castor in Boynton Beach. There are good sites in Jupiter also like the Zion Train and others.

Even if there are larger numbers of Goliath Grouper now, loss of the mangrove habitat puts the juvenile fish at risk for not surviving to adulthood. I'm for continued protection, they are like sharks, worth far more alive than dead.

 

[Superlyte27]

FYI, the Jew Fish was named in 1697 and not by Indians. It was named for the Jew's who ate it, being it was a clean (Kosher) fish.

---------- Post added July 13th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ----------

I'm for continued protection, they are like sharks, worth far more alive than dead.

The same thing was said about Alligators 20 or 30 years ago. There will become a point when a fish who has no predator will be so abundant that it's causing issues with other creatures. Is that time now? I guess we leave that up to the researchers. But, a time of harvest is coming, that is for sure.

 

[PartyStar]

We tried to see the Dry Tortugas on an un-named vessel to scuba dive for a few days and not spearfish. The company took my reservation, I sent a deposit, paid for an airline ticket and this particular entity did not fill up its boat in time, so they cancelled and I was left with a throw away airline ticket because I didn't go with the right Spree. The Dry Tortugas livaboard will be so fun! There are lots of guys who go there only to kill kill kill and I bet that particular boat is stinky any way. Grouper are like big puppydogs and they are being overfished and are endangered. A few fellas down in the Keys think nothing of spearing them out of season and I hope they get busted sooner than later. See you on the Spree...

 

[Wookie]

We tried to see the Dry Tortugas on an un-named vessel to scuba dive for a few days and not spearfish. The company took my reservation, I sent a deposit, paid for an airline ticket and this particular entity did not fill up its boat in time, so they cancelled and I was left with a throw away airline ticket because I didn't go with the right Spree. The Dry Tortugas livaboard will be so fun! There are lots of guys who go there only to kill kill kill and I bet that particular boat is stinky any way. Grouper are like big puppydogs and they are being overfished and are endangered. A few fellas down in the Keys think nothing of spearing them out of season and I hope they get busted sooner than later. See you on the Spree...

Did I do this to you? I try to make it right when I do....

 

[PartyStar]

No, Sir. But I would like to go on your boat soon. Can I bring my own food and wine?

 

[Wookie]

No, Sir. But I would like to go on your boat soon. Can I bring my own food and wine?

Wine, yes. Food, no.

 

[sheeper]

Jewfish is fine by me. I don't find that offensive at all. Just don't call me JewDiver!

 

[HalcyonDaze]

1000 years? What, the Native Americans knew that there were Jews in the middle east and called them Jew Fish? Whatever.

Why do we want to kill Jewfish?

1) there are too many of them. There are too many fish in the ocean? Bunk
2) they eat other fish. Yes, that's what fish do. They eat fish. Bunk
3) they eat MY fish. I guess that makes them better fishermen than you are. It's what fish do. Bunk
4) I just want to kill something. Groovy. More folks pay way more to see them than eat them.

The FWC is paying lip service to the anglers who want to open a limited season, but it isn't going to happen. A healthy GG population means far more revenue than a few folks who want to "be able to shoot them right in the face. I can't wait.". I wouldn't hold my breath. Besides, aren't you in Cave Country now?

This attitude towards sharks and goliaths is why I generally can't spend more than ten minutes reading Spearboard threads before my blood pressure goes into the red zone. Some folks forget the ocean is a wilderness and not their own personal game larder. Occasionally the fish will get the better of you; if you can't deal with that pick up another hobby.

 

[Wookie]

This attitude towards sharks and goliaths is why I generally can't spend more than ten minutes reading Spearboard threads before my blood pressure goes into the red zone. Some folks forget the ocean is a wilderness and not their own personal game larder. Occasionally the fish will get the better of you; if you can't deal with that pick up another hobby.

You misread my post.