Gag grouper stocks appear healthy in Gulf waters. Out of Suwannee, this angler and a partner got their limit: five apiece, 22 inches or larger.

I decided many years ago that there must be a secret society into which offshore grouper anglers are initiated at an early age.

I must have missed the secret handshake, and the ceremony when young, virgin fishermen were rubbed with pogy oil, sun-baked threadfin herring and sweat, then beaten for days in 4-foot seas.

I’ve always preferred my grouper fishing low-key and close to shore. The days are shorter, the ride is smoother, there’s less pain at the gas pump—and the fish are just as tasty.

This fall, such an outlook makes sense for another reason. By some twist of statistics, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) determined that sportsmen caught too many red grouper last year. The agency reacted with unusual swiftness by closing the whole Gulf of Mexico recreational grouper fishery in federal waters for the last two months of 2005. Not just reds—no species of grouper would be taken in federal waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in charge of state waters (that means anything within 9 miles of shore on the Gulf) disagreed with NMFS, and opted to allow Florida anglers to continue fishing for gag grouper close to home. Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) and other sportfishing advocates filed a lawsuit against NMFS, trying to keep the offshore fishery open.

In the midst of all this, the best advice we can offer is, check with authorities and sources like floridasportsman.com before you head beyond 9 miles from shore. On the other hand, you might not want to leave state waters this winter anyhow. Why? Because there are plenty of fish available close to shore. You just have to know where and how to look for them.

Inshore grouper fishing requires more precision than the offshore game.

The bigger the lip, the deeper the dive. High-strength, small diamerter braid helps, too.

“Patience is essential,” said Tommy Hines, veteran grouper angler and past president of the Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club.

In areas like the waters off Cedar Key, Suwannee and Steinhatchee, many anglers motor over good bottom on the way to what they think will be more productive spots offshore. “Most of them don’t even have their bottom machines running,” said Hines, “and that’s a sure way to miss finding new grouper spots!”

The arrival of jacket weather usually signals an inhore push of keeper-class gags.

There are hundreds of numbers for wrecks, reefs and “grouper holes” available to all of us. However, finding a spot of our own is what we all dream of, and it can still be done on Florida’s Gulf Coast. As waters cool, grouper begin to move closer to shore, seeking bait and the comfort of warmer, shallower water. This doesn’t necessarily mean the flats, but could easily mean deep cuts through the shallows. Rockpiles, like those scattered between Hudson and Crystal River, typically hold fish, as do channels such as the Tampa Bay ship channels and the Cross-Florida Barge Canal at Yankeetown.

Start at home with a chart and some aerial photos. You won’t likely find rockpiles or wrecks using them, but you might find spots where they might be. Look for deep cuts in shallows that are near deeper channels, or for shoals that might have newer wrecks close by. Deep, dead-end gouges several miles out can also hold grouper over rocks that have accumulated there over time. I once found the remnants of a shrimp boat in 10 feet of water with a few legal gags hanging around. It wasn’t much more than the shadow of the original hull on the bottom and had only been there a few years, but the grouper found it attractive. Next, take your homework or research out on the boat and poke around. “Poke” is a good term, as you’ll want to take a slow and methodical approach to searching for new grouper spots.