Red grouper off Fernandina Beach
Red grouper fishing out of Fernandina Beach is grouper fishing. Reds come up on the same structure anglers fish for gag and other groupers. They are one of several groupers in the mix, listed among several port groupers, and boats don’t run for them on their own. Local charters name gag as their target. For the wider coast, see the red grouper fishing in the Atlantic Southeast and the wider Atlantic Southeast guide.
Boats leave Fernandina Beach through St. Marys Inlet and fish Atlantic water on nearshore reefs, wrecks and The Ledge. For identification and range, see the red grouper species picture. Below you’ll find when grouper are around, how far boats run, and the published reef positions with depths.
When grouper are around
Grouper fishing here follows the seasons, and red grouper ride along with the rest of the catch.
- Grouper peak fall through spring.
- Gag close in shallow water in summer.
- Red grouper are one of several groupers in the catch and don’t have a season pattern of their own.
Summer trips that stay shallow fish around the gag closure. The Regulations section below points to where the rules live.
Where boats run
From the inlet outward, the run breaks into three tiers:
- Nearshore wrecks and artificial reefs: 60 to 83 ft on the published reef sites.
- The Ledge: The named grouper ground, toward the deeper end of the working range.
- Gulf Stream temperature break and weed lines: 100 to 1000 ft, 50 to 70-plus miles out of the inlet. This is the outer limit of the run and isn’t grouper ground.
The grouper working range is about 60 to 200 ft. Big Fin’s booking page names gag in that range. Before committing to a run, check the official NWS marine forecast and the wind and wave numbers for sea state.
Grounds and structure
The positions and depths below are published FWC figures, shallowest first. They mark the structure and don’t guarantee where fish sit on it.
FB-6 and BA reef sites
The FB-6 culverts site sits at 60 ft, about 30 39.9 N, 81 11.0 W. The BA reef sites (BA Reef, BA Site) sit at 60 to 65 ft.
Captain Daddy reefs
FWC lists Captain Daddy (CD-06-#01) at 67 ft, 30 25.920 N, 81 15.953 W. Captain Daddy (CD-06-#02) is also at 67 ft.
Snapper Banks culverts and the Barbett
The Fernandina Snapper Banks culverts are the FC sites, concrete culverts placed 1988 to 1991, at 70 to 83 ft. They sit at about 30 36 to 30 38.7 N, 81 11 W. The Fernandina Banks Barbett, a wooden boat, lies with the 1989 culverts at 70 ft, about 30 36.6 N, 81 10.6 W.
The Ledge
The Ledge is the named ground boats run to for grouper, toward the deeper end of the 60 to 200 ft working range.
| Site | Depth | Position |
|---|---|---|
| FB-6 culverts | 60 ft | 30 39.9 N, 81 11.0 W |
| BA Reef / BA Site | 60-65 ft | |
| Captain Daddy CD-06-#01 | 67 ft | 30 25.920 N, 81 15.953 W |
| Captain Daddy CD-06-#02 | 67 ft | |
| Snapper Banks culverts (FC, 1988-1991) | 70-83 ft | 30 36 to 30 38.7 N, 81 11 W |
| Barbett and 1989 culverts | 70 ft | 30 36.6 N, 81 10.6 W |
| The Ledge |
Load these as waypoints and check them against the Chart Contours layer. Chart layers are not for navigation.
How it is fished and who runs here
Locals fish heavy bottom rigs with cut bait, and private boaters and charters work the same structure.
Method
Locals fish heavy bottom rigs with cut bait in about 60 to 200 ft. For rigging depth beyond the local line, see reef fish and grouper technique.
- Heavy bottom rig
- Cut bait
- 60 to 200 ft
Who runs here
Private boaters on their own boats fish this structure, and so do charters. Big Fin’s booking page names gag grouper in 60 to 200 ft.
FAQ
Is red grouper fishing out of Fernandina Beach a main target?
No. Reds are one of several groupers caught on the same structure fished for gag. Local charters name gag as their target.
What depth do grouper hold in here?
About 60 to 200 ft. The reef sites sit at 60 to 83 ft, and The Ledge sits toward the deeper end of that range.
How far out is the Gulf Stream break?
50 to 70-plus miles out of the inlet, in 100 to 1000 ft. It marks the outer limit of the run.
What is the shallowest artificial reef with published coordinates?
FB-6 sits at 60 ft, at 30 39.9 N, 81 11.0 W. Captain Daddy CD-06-#01 sits at 67 ft, at 30 25.920 N, 81 15.953 W.
What bait do locals use?
Cut bait on heavy bottom rigs in about 60 to 200 ft.
