Grouper - Fishing Shallow Water with Dan Clymer

Targeting gag grouper in shallow water is really fun. These fish do not play around. Your reaction time better be hair trigger. Once hooked there is no guessing what is going to happen. The grouper fish is heading to the house. You have to put a stop to that. This In The Spread fishing video gives you the nuts and bolts of how to fish for grouper in shallow water using three effective techniques. Learn how to bottom fish, troll and cast plugs for grouper.

Florida grouper fishing is some of the finest fishing you can do. There is not much better than grouper for dinner. There is a guy in Crystal River, Florida that is an absolute grouper fishing wizard. Capt. Dan Clymer is hands down one of the very best fishermen on the west coast. He is one of those fishermen that has a deep understanding of the fishery and how any given atmospheric or tidal condition drives fish behavior. He knows the habitat so well. It is great to learn next level intel from really smart cats. Dan is not going to blur the lines as he lays out how to catch grouper with dead bait on the bottom and how to use lures to trigger bites on the troll and casting. Now, this is shallow water, so the bites are fast and the action faster. Learn how to cover productive areas and take your limit to the house.

Bottom Fishing

Bottom fishing is a great way hit rocks in shallow water where the grouper like to hang out. Dan will talk about how he positions his boat relative to the target zone and how he drifts baits into the lions den. This style of fishing is very straightforward. You just need to know a few “simplish” fishing tips.

For bottom fishing bait, you can use live or dead. Dead bait is the easier course. Learn why the dead bait works better than live in the fall. For this presentation, Dan is using frozen pilchards. He will show you how he chunks it up a few for chum and how to hook bait. In Florida, circle hooks are required when targeting reef fish. Since you are trying to stop a powerful fish close to his house, you will need some stout tackle and high speed reels. Dan will explain everything about the tackle, tactics and the grouper rig. See what kind of monofilament he uses, how much weight, the swivels, leader material and hooks. Circle are required when targeting reef fish, in Florida. Know your local laws. Don't get hung up.
Bait

Trolling

Casting

The act of casting a big plug and cranking it back only to have it get smashed by a powerful fish with the sole intention of getting into the rocks is the thrill. It is what drives so many anglers. When it comes to fishing for grouper, it is no different. All along Florida's Gulf coast, there are rock piles in the 6-8 foot range that offer excellent gag grouper action. See how Dan positions his boat to begin his stalk. Boat positioning is critical. You cannot disturb the fish. Once you are in position to start bombing the rocks, it is game on. Get ready to get hammered. See which plugs Dan likes to fish and why, the size/class of rod and reel he prefers for casting long distances, the line he spools his reels with, and how much drag he prefers. It is all here. There is so much to learn in this fishing video.

Dan is F'ing good at fishing for damn near every nearshore, inshore or backcountry fish that lives in the Gulf. The one thing he loves more than any other is grouper fishing. You can feel it. His passion comes through in how he teaches and shares his knowledge. This is fun for him and a true benefit for us. Learning how to fish for grouper from a guy that knows this game so well is so nice.

Never Stop Learning