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Black Grouper 
There are many kinds of grouper and sometimes they are mistaken for some other fish. A fast way to identify your grouper is to look at the gill cover near the gill opening and you will see three flattened spines facing toward the tail. Check the anal fin (on the bottom of the fish near the tail) and you should find three spines. Those are the things that make small holes in your hand if you get stuck. Their body color is somewhat grey or olive with black blotches distributed over its body. Amazing Phenomenon
The Fight Begins They are the strongest fighter of any of the fish in the grouper family. Hooking a black grouper and having a real down to earth fight on your hands is something you will never forget. Before becoming a polished grouper fisherman, I'll wager that your belly will still feel tender where the handle of your rod dug in and stayed until you brought that feisty fish to the surface. Fisherman call this tender, bruised spot a "belly hickey." Explain that when you get home! What do They Eat? Cut bait such as lizard fish, sardines, baby mullet, and squid are relished by grouper. Of course, if you are a dedicated artificial bait fisherman, use your favorite jig to entice them, or troll for them with a chartreuse bomber. Grouper can be caught in waters inshore and up to 600-feet for the big grand-daddies. They love rocky bottoms and structures on a hard bottom. Grouper Tips
A strike from a grouper is like suddenly having a 20 pound rock take your line to the bottom. Your reflexes immediately make you pull up, which is no easy feat, hoping to keep him off the bottom as your line shoots toward his hideout at the speed of a bullet. It's unbelievable the strength you must generate just to keep him off the bottom and out of his lair. That reluctant fish fights back savagely as it slowly comes to the surface. If you failed to overpower Mr. grouper, you probably will have a cut line, or your sinker will be snagged in a crevice, or if your brake was not set correctly there will be yards of line resting on the bottom. 3 to 4 lb. whole grouper 3 Tbsp salt pork, diced extra small 2 cups fish stock 1 onion, chopped 2 cups milk 6 potatoes, cubed Salt and pepper 1/4 tsp basil 
Fish Stock: Fillet fish, cube fillets to 3/4 inch cubes. Remove gills, entrails, and clean out cavity.
Place carcass in a large pot. Add water until the carcass is covered.
Boil for 1 to 2 hours. Strain in fine strainer. Put liquid in smaller pot and boil
to reduce to approximately 2 cups.Remove any meat from carcass and place aside. Rinse out large pot and add salt pork. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Add onions and cook over medium heat until onions are soft. Add fish stock, potatoes, and basil. Cook until potatoes are soft but not mushy. Then slowly add 1 to 2 cups of milk. Heat slowly until steaming. Add fish chunks, stir and heat on low until fish flakes, and is cooked. Then add the cream, salt, and pepper to taste. Thicken with flour/water or corn starch/water mixture. Serve topped with a sprinkle of paprika and a small dab of butter. |
Having a sex change is no problem with the black grouper. They are hermaphrodites. The
young are predominantly female, and then there is a sex change to male as they grow
larger. They can mature to a weight of approximately 100 pounds.
If you are eager to catch one, use heavy tackle. A good rig would be a 40 pound line, 80 pound
leader, a 2-ounce sinker, slip swivel, a grouper rod 6- to 7-feet long, and a reel whose drag can be tightened to stop the fish from running.