Florida Keys • Upper and Middle Florida Keys
When do black grouper bite in the Florida Keys?
Black Grouper are open May through December, closed January to April, on the reef ledges and the deeper drop-offs. No temperature range is published for this species in this water yet, so the rating leans on season, depth and structure instead.
How does FishIntel forecast the best days to catch black grouper?
FishIntel reads NOAA and satellite ocean data, including sea surface temperature breaks and chlorophyll edges, and turns changes near your zone into a plain-English black grouper forecast. See a sample report at fishintel.ai/sample-report.
Open 1 May to 31 December and CLOSED 1 January to 30 April in Atlantic state and federal waters, which FWC applies to all Monroe County state waters on both the ocean and Florida Bay sides. 24 in total length; 1 gag or black grouper within the 3 grouper and tilefish aggregate; no more than 2 black grouper per vessel; captain and crew on a for-hire trip keep none (FWC, read 2026-09-30). Gag, which shares that one-fish bag, has been CLOSED in the Atlantic since 2 August 2026, so the shared bag is not a gag permission. Past the 9 mile state line on the Gulf side the federal Gulf rule applies instead: 4 per person within a 4 grouper aggregate, closed 1 February to 31 March seaward of 20 fathoms (FWC Gulf table, read 2026-09-30). Private-boat anglers need the free State Reef Fish Angler designation, and reef fish gear rules apply, including a descending device or venting tool rigged and ready (FWC, read 2026-09-30). Regulations change, so check the current rules for the species you are targeting before treating a rating as a plan.
Confirm current rules before you keep a fish. Official rules: FWC, NOAA Fisheries.
No temperature range is published for this species in this water yet, so the rating leans on season, depth and structure instead.
A season and a depth tell you whether black grouper is on the cards this month. They do not tell you where the water is doing something today. A FishIntel report reads the actual sea surface temperature, chlorophyll fronts and current convergence over your own zone every morning, and says which of those edges is worth running to.
FishIntel was co-founded by Captain Kit Carson and Alan Lanham.