Gag

Inshore gag are juveniles living in the estuary for a few months; adults are offshore reef fish. Release them.

Season in Georgia

NOAA: juvenile gag use estuaries (seagrass, oyster reefs, wrecks) and adults live offshore. No Georgia-specific report found; months follow the Charleston juvenile pattern (in the creeks about April to October). Mostly small fish; see local notes. (Our inference)

Season by region

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.

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

Limits

FishOS has not checked the GA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division before you keep a fish.

Sources

• NOAA Fisheries: gag grouper (Official source)
• CharlestonFishing.com forum, July 2015: inshore gags (juvenile gag around Folly, Mt. Pleasant docks and oyster beds) (Angler knowledge)
• Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: gag grouper (Official source)

All the fish of Georgia