Gulf Angler Catches Record Gag Grouper
Shimano pro Benny Ortiz caught the recently approved IGFA all-tackle length record gag grouper 100 miles off Madeira Beach, Florida.
Courtesy Shimano
Shimano Saltwater pro Benny Ortiz boated and then released a new all-tackle world length record gag grouper from the Gulf of Mexico on July 12. Recently approved by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the fish measured 98 cm (about 38.6 inches) on an official IGFA measuring device to beat out the previous record of 89 cm (about 35 inches), which has stood since 2014.
Ortiz was fishing with Figured It Out Charters about 100 miles off Madeira Beach, Florida, in 200- to 300-foot depths during Florida’s Gulf red snapper season. He was slow-pitch jigging with a Shimano Infinity Motive M rod and Ocea Jigger LD reel spooled with 20-pound-test PowerPro Depth Hunter and a 224g all-glow Shimano Butterfly Flat-Side Jig paired with a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader when the fish struck.
“We were already in the middle of a good red snapper bite when I got slammed about 40 feet off the bottom,” said Ortiz. “After a miss on the first hit, I kept the one-pitch cadence going and got absolutely smoked a few cranks later. The power and smooth drag of the Ocea Jigger LD stopped the fish and let me turn it with confidence.”
Upon landing the fish, it was quickly measured using an IGFA-compliant device, and photo and video documentation were both captured. The fish was then safely released using a Seaqualizer descending device.
Based on a length-to-weight calculator from the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, Ortiz’s length record might have weighed in the 20- to 22-pound range. That’s well below the current IGFA all-tackle world record by weight, a monster 80-pound, 6-ounce gag grouper caught out of Destin, Florida by Bill Smith on Oct. 14, 1993.
Still, a new length record gives anglers another bar to shoot for in a category that awards great catches while promoting conservation through catch-and-release fishing. For a species like gag grouper, which has varied and sometimes short harvest seasons, length records are much more attainable than weight records. If you want to chase length records, know the documentation requirements beforehand, and keep an IGFA-approved measuring device onboard.
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