What's your Grouper rig?

[Reel Sharp]

I have mulling over the last few day about different techniques for grouper fishing since it will be upon us here soon and was wondering what sort of rigs do you prefer and why. I was talking to my buddy the other day and he uses 8 ounce, I like to use 16 banks where others use eggs and Carolina live bait rigs and so on. I know regions have different methods but I would like to know why you use your rig where you fish.

[Kahi]

This is from a great Article in Florida Sportsman ( http://www.floridasportsman.com/feat...r_bottom_rigs/ ) from Nov. 2008...I archived it, and re-read the article once in while.

Caught me the fish in my Avatar.

It breaks down the diff approaches to heavy bottom fishing and has a few other images like this one.....

[PurpleGold]

If I'm targeting Grouper here in SE NC it is usually over live bottom or ledges which means there are lots of places to get your weight snagged if it is dragging the bottom. That is why I like to use a carolina style rig so I can keep the weight off the bottom and just let the bait(usually dead) flutter behind it in the current. Amount of weight depends on amount of current that day. Usually fish in 80-140'. Sometimes it only takes 8 ounces, sometimes it takes 24 ounces. i like 8/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circles, snelled to 100# mono, about 4-6' long.

Whatever you do keep it simple and make sure you have lots of bait...

EDIT: Meant to say 150# mono. Used to use 100# but switched to heavier for the extra stiffness whick keeps the bait from getting tangled in mainline while going down.

[Reel Sharp]

Yeah I saw that image of the rig last night. That's what got me wondering what others were using when I saw all the rigs side by side and regions fished. I was showing my father some pics of some Grouper I had caught and he was asking about specifics about rigs so I was google-ing and it got me wondering.

[Capt. Lyndon]

I use 150 lb. braid main line, to a 3 way swivel. I tie a 2 ft. loop of 50. mono for the weight, and around 8 ft. of leader. In water up to around 75 ft. I like to use 80 lb. fluoro, 75-120 I use 100 lb fluoro, and over 120ft, I use 130 fluoro. I typically use 24 oz. bank sinkers. As far the leader tangling on the way down, the stiffness of fluoro helps prevent this, as helps with chafing. I also crank it up off the bottom 6 or 8 ft, so no hanging of the weight.