Yellowedge Grouper(Epinephelus flavolimbatus)
Quick Facts
- Size Range: The yellowedge can grow to around 50 pounds.
- Native Species?: Yes
- Food Value: They are excellent eating with a firm white flesh.
State Record
- Louisiana State Record: 41.9lbs
- State Record Date: 7/1/2009
- State Record Holder Dustin Mule
This deepwater grouper has a tan to grey colored back and upper sides, shifting to white on the belly. The pectoral, dorsal and caudal fins have a yellow trim on the edges. Young specimens may also have a black blotch on the tail and white spots on body.
Yellowedge live around deepwater structures and rocky bottom from 600 to 800 feet in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
Dropping cut bait with electric reels is the most common way to catch yellowedge, but jigging will also catch them.
Yellowedge Grouper Rules and Regulations
All recreational anglers, including those not normally required to have a fishing license, and charter captains must obtain Recreational Offshore Landing Permit to possess grouper.
There is a closed season for the recreational harvest of gag from January 1 through June 30. A closed season for the recreational harvest of black, red, yellowfin and yellowmouth groupers as well as rock hind, red hind and scamp has also been established from Feb. 1 - March 31 of each year. Size, bag and possession limits have been removed for rock hind, red hind, misty grouper, black sea bass, dog snapper, mahogany snapper, schoolmaster, blackline and anchor tilefish.
Other seasons and rules are currently in place in Federal waters off of Louisiana. Please check those rules at www.gulfcouncil.org under “Fishing Regulations.”
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Related Fishing Methods
Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing is normally about fishing bottom structures in order to target benthic or bottom dwelling fish. There are a wide variety of techniques, but the common element is the targeting of species who dwell around or hide in natural and man-made structures. Fish like grouper, snapper, amberjack and catfish would be considered bottom fish. It is very popular amongst anglers and success is often determined by the fishermen's ability to crank a fish away from the structure before the fish can duck into it and cut the line. Anchoring or drifting the boat over the structure is key to having success. There are many versions, and many of the bottom fish are prized eating.
Dead Bait
Dead bait consists of many different types of bait that is no longer alive. Dead bait is still attractive to many fish as they are normally feeding by smell and dead bait is the ticket for smell. Fresh cut fish, dead shrimp, half crab, shucked clam, cut squid and all popular examples of bait that will catch a wide variety of fish. Many sport fish that are predators, will gladly take the opportunity to slurp up a fresh dead bait. A redfish is equally happy to chase down a baitfish or slurp up a dead shrimp on the bottom. Dead bait has the benefit is being easy to obtain, maintain and transport, as opposed to live bait which takes livewells, quality water control and can be harder to obtain.
Jigging
A versatile method of fishing for many types of fish in both freshwater and salt. A jig is a lure, normally a lead-headed lure with many various types of body/tail configurations made of rubber, hair and feather. Jigs are one of the most versatile of all lures and can be tipped with bait or not. Traditionally jigs are worked in variety of up and down motions, and can be fished throughout the entire water column, depending on the fishery. A modern form of jigs called metal jigs has taken hold and many varieties and shapes have been developed to work different ways. Made famous by the Shimano Butterfly Jig and now produced by many companies in many variations. If I could only have one lure to fish with it would be a jig.
