On Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:26:46 -0400, HK wrote:


If you are bottom fishing in Florida, there is no telling what you are
going to catch. There is no reason to "boat" a giant grouper, except
maybe to demonstrate the fish has evolved more than the guy who caught it.

Those big Warsaw Grouper are found very deep. Talking +200.
Think the subject grouper was taken at +400.
According to something I read they often die from pressure change
even if released.
Think you have to go looking for them, but they boated a number of
other nice fish at that depth, so maybe they weren't after the big
one.
Never fished more than about 60-70' feet in the gulf myself, and have
taken some nice grouper, including a 60-70 pound Jewfish - before
taking a Jewfish became illegal.
Reason Jewfish became endangered was spear fishermen, or so I read.
In any case, big old fish aren't as good eating as the smaller,
younger versions, or so I've heard. Never ate a big, old fish.
Don't know if the subject grouper was good eating.
One guy in the thread said it was probably a hundred years old.
Don't know what age they quit spawning, which is as important as
anything.
It's best not to abuse the wealth of the sea.
I don't know if the subject grouper qualifies for that or not.

--Vic