Saltwater · Year-round in very deep water; best in calm summer weather

Yellowedge Grouper

Hyporthodus flavolimbatus

One of the deepest-living Gulf groupers and a premier deep-drop target, marked by a yellow edge on the dorsal fin and dark saddle blotches along the back. Among the best-eating deep-drop groupers. Deep-water grouper rules change often — check the current rules before keeping one.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Yellowedge Grouper — Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

A clear yellow edge along the dorsal fin (also on other fin margins of young fish)
Dark saddle blotches along the back under the dorsal fin
Brownish body, paler below, with a stocky grouper build and large mouth
Juveniles are brighter, with stronger yellow fin edges
Rounded tail and no white snowflake spots (unlike snowy grouper)

Habits

Lives very deep, mostly 600-1000 ft (180-300 m) along the shelf edge
Feeds on fish, squid and crabs over deep mud-and-rock bottom
Slow-growing and very long-lived, so big fish are decades old
A premier deep-drop target in the Gulf, usually taken on electric reels
Deep-water grouper seasons and rules change often — always check the current rules before a trip

Distribution

Venice, LA · Louisiana & Gulf Shore★ Primary

Galveston, TX · TexasCommon

Emerald Coast, FL · FloridaCommon

Florida Keys, FL · FloridaCommon

Where to find them

Louisiana shelf-edge deep-drop grounds
Texas coast shelf break in very deep water
Florida Panhandle and Keys deep slope bottom

Where they live

Shelf-edge bottom in 600-1000 ft (180-300 m)Deep muddy and rocky bottom along the shelf breakDeep ledges and rises on the Gulf slope

How to catch them

Deep dropping with cut bait Boat

Rig: Heavy deep-drop rig with large circle hooks and 5-8 lb of lead, fished on the bottom in 600-1000 ft (180-300 m) along the shelf edge

Bait/lure: Cut fish and whole squid

Key tip: Mark productive bottom carefully — in 1000 ft, small position errors mean empty drops.

Electric-reel deep-drop rigs Boat

Rig: Electric reel, heavy braid and a multi-hook deep-drop rig with lights, worked along the Gulf shelf edge — the standard yellowedge setup

Bait/lure: Bonito strips, squid and cut bait

Key tip: Use lights and big, oily baits; scent matters when fish are spread over deep bottom.

Best baits & lures

Cut fish (bonito or mullet)Whole squidBonito or mackerel strips

Techniques for Yellowedge Grouper →

Baseline setup

Rod: Heavy bent-butt deep-drop rod with an electric reel
Line: 80-100 lb braid
Terminal: Multi-hook deep-drop rigs, 7/0-9/0 circle hooks, deep-drop lights, 5-8 lb sinkers