Grouper are a favorite game fish among saltwater anglers. They are an excellent table fare, fun to catch and a challenge to reel in. When hooked, most grouper with make a mad dash for their favorite hole or the closet reef to seek shelter. If given the chance, they’ll break your line on the rocks or coral. Consequently, even small grouper can require heavy tackle because of the amount of initial drag they create.

While most grouper require hefty tackle, the size of your tackle will ultimately depend on the size of the grouper you’re targeting. Having sturdy tackle is essential to catching grouper. Luckily, grouper aren’t finicky feeders, and will take a variety of lures, dead bait, and live bait.

If you want to increase your catch rate and improve your change of snagging a giant grouper, we recommend using a fishing rig. Grouper rigs are designed to present bait in natural way that entices even the most finicky feeder to bite. There are several fishing rigs that work well for fishing grouper. The rig you select should be tailored to the bottom fishing technique you’re using, the water depth, bottom type, and currents.

The following are the most popular bottom-fishing rigs that experienced anglers rely on to fish grouper.