Gag: season, lures and limits

We picked these fish for Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA, the region closest to Columbus, Ohio, based on the approximate location of your internet connection (IP geolocation, looked up on our own server). It is about 436 miles away; FishOS covers the coast from Maine to Florida and the Gulf of America, and adds regions as they are checked. Pick another region if that is not where you fish.

Fishing region

FishOS has not charted gag in Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA. The regions where it is charted are below.

Season by region

Charleston	JFMAMJJASOND
Georgia	JFMAMJJASOND
Northeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Florida Keys	JFMAMJJASOND
Tampa Bay	JFMAMJJASOND
Big Bend	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Rocky bottom, ledges, reefs and wrecks; juveniles around docks, oyster beds and grass in the estuary.

On the bottom near rock, ledges, reefs and wrecks; adults in groups of 5 to 50 or alone (Florida Museum).

What to look for

Ledges and hard bottom on the depth finder.

Bait

Live pinfish, Live pogies (menhaden), Live mullet, Pigfish, Cigar minnows, Threadfin herring, Grunts. .

Leader

Common mistakes

Keeping small inshore gag; they are juveniles

Landing

Turn the fish up quickly before it reaches cover.

Handling

Unhook with pliers; release undersized fish quickly.

Keep or release

Inshore gag along the Atlantic coast are usually juveniles; release them. Rules differ by state and by federal season; see the regulations file. Florida Museum notes ciguatera has been reported but is very rare.

Recipes for gag

Typical: unknown. Large: More than 3 ft and up to 50 lb (NOAA); maximum 4.75 ft and 80.5 lb (Florida Museum).