Saltwater · Year-round on shallow reefs; Caribbean spawning aggregations in winter are seasonally closed — check current rules
Red Hind
Epinephelus guttatus
A small, pale grouper covered in red spots, common on shallow Florida and Caribbean reefs. Its famous spawning aggregations in the US Caribbean are seasonally closed, so always check the current rules before keeping one.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Pale whitish-tan body covered all over with red to reddish-brown spots
- Tail corners and the rear edges of the tail and dorsal fins trimmed in black
- Spots continue onto the head and fins, not just the body
- Stocky small-grouper build with a large mouth, usually well under 2 ft (60 cm)
- No large blotches or saddles — the pattern stays fine spotting overall
Habits
- Sits on shallow reef and ambushes shrimp, crabs and small fish
- Territorial around a home piece of reef or rock
- Forms famous spawning aggregations in the US Caribbean in winter, which are seasonally closed — check current rules
- A staple reef fish in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico that also reaches Florida and the Keys
- Feeds by day from the bottom, striking baits dropped close to its cover
Distribution
Where to find them
- Florida Keys shallow reefs and patch reefs
- South Florida reef edges and coral heads
- Atlantic-side rocky ledges off Florida
Where they live
How to catch them
Small baits over shallow reefs Boat
Rig: Light bottom rig with a small circle hook and just enough weight to reach bottom over reefs and rock in 10-100 ft (3-30 m)
Bait/lure: Shrimp, squid strips and small cut bait
Key tip: Drop the bait right next to reef cover — red hinds will not move far from home to chase food.
Light tackle on patch reefs Boat
Rig: Light spinning or conventional tackle with a knocker rig drifted or anchored over patch reefs, in the style used across the US Caribbean
Bait/lure: Shrimp and small bait pieces
Key tip: Keep tackle light and baits small; this is a small grouper and big hooks miss bites.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Light to medium-light 7 ft boat rod
- Line: 15-30 lb braid or mono with a light leader
- Terminal: Small circle hooks, knocker rigs, light egg sinkers
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
9' 5-weight fly rod outfit
≈ US$180-260
Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.
Flies · Budget
Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)
≈ US$25-40
Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.
Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.
Typical size
Common 1-3 lb (0.5-1.4 kg); large fish to about 5 lb (2.3 kg)
On the table
Good — white, mild, flaky flesh; a well-regarded small reef grouper.
Similar species
Speckled HindSpeckled hind has white speckles on a reddish-brown body and lives deep in 200-400 ft; red hind has red spots on a pale body on shallow reefs
Red GrouperRed grouper is much larger and mottled reddish-brown with blotches rather than fine red spots, and lacks the black-trimmed tail cornersRegulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
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