Some Facts On Goliath Grouper

The largest bony fish that inhabits Florida waters on a year-round basis is the Goliath Grouper. They have been known to reach weights of over 700 lbs. and live for 37 years or more. In 1990 the Goliath Grouper was listed as critically endangered in Florida, and protected ever since.

Since then, it's numbers have increased many-fold, to where they have become a nuisance to many trying to catch or harvest other species of fish. This is due to the fact that a Goliath Grouper will attack and eat a fish that an angler is fighting, or a scuba diver has speared. Goliath Grouper tend to live and hold up in locations that make it difficult to catch them. This includes gnarly artificial reefs, bridge supports, piers, caves and jettys. The fact of where they live, coupled with their size, make them a formidable species to target and challenge to land, even on the heaviest tackle.

More Goliath Grouper Facts: Most groupers are born female and turn into males. This is yet to be proven in goliaths.

The largest specimens are almost exclusively male. They primarily spawn in offshore congregations on shallow reefs. Florida's goliath grouper record is 680 pounds, caught in 1961. The goliath grouper's diet consists mostly of invertebrate species, primarily crustaceans, calico crabs being number one. It is believed that goliath grouper in Florida spawn around the full moons of August and September. A 72 inch Goliath weighs about 300 lbs.

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