UTERGag grouper fishing in Louisiana Coast
In Louisiana Coast, gag grouper peak August–November and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Gag on the deeper reefs and rigs; the Gulf gag season is a short fall window — check LDWF / NOAA.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Gag grouper in Louisiana Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeakGag on the deeper reefs and rigs; the Gulf gag season is a short fall window — check LDWF / NOAA.
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberAround
Where to fish gag grouper near Lake Charles, Cameron, Cocodrie
Millions of acres of marsh, ponds and bayous — Calcasieu, Barataria, Terrebonne, Lake Pontchartrain, Breton and Chandeleur sounds — fringed by barrier islands at Grand Isle, Elmer's and the Chandeleurs, the Mississippi River passes at Venice, and thousands of oil and gas platforms from the beach to blue water.
Fish Scouter charts 1,239 wreck, 438 artificial reef spots in the The Louisiana Marsh map area — the kinds gag grouper hold on.
What to use for gag grouper
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- PigfishFree-lined or under a cork on a 2/0 circle hook for gator trout; on the bottom for grouper.
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader50–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook5/0–8/0
- Braid50–80 lb
Feeds in 58–84°F water, best at 64–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch gag grouper in Louisiana Coast?
Peak season is August–November. Gag grouper are here year-round. September: Gag on the deeper reefs and rigs; the Gulf gag season is a short fall window — check LDWF / NOAA.
Where do gag grouper hold in Louisiana Coast?
Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Lake Charles, Cameron, Cocodrie, Port Fourchon, Grand Isle, Lafitte.
What is the best bait for gag grouper in Louisiana Coast?
Live bait: pinfish, pigfish, cigar minnows, squid. Pinfish: Hooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig. Tackle: leader 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 5/0–8/0, braid 50–80 lb.
What are the rules for gag grouper in Louisiana Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and change — read the current rule at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/seasons-and-regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/recreational-fishing-licenses-and-permits.
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All about gag grouper · The Louisiana Marsh, the whole year