Goliath Grouper on Fly

Image via Wikipedia

Susan Cocking’s story in the Miami Herald reminds me of the almost startling recovery of Goliath grouper (formerly known as the jewfish, back when they were hunted as table fare) in south Florida. It’s not at all uncommon to see Goliaths on the flats of the Keys, and if you are lucky enough to fish the 10,000 Islands and Everglades National Park you will see Goliaths in potholes and hovering in mangrove edges. Best of all, they will eat a fly.
Cocking connects with Goliath grouper that emerges from a shallow wreck near Key West to eat her fly: “I made another cast, let the fly sink, and was rewarded with a sharp tug on the other end. This time, I yanked back sharply on the fly line, and felt something of significant size yank back. Suddenly, fly line began peeling off the reel as the mystery monster powered away.”