Marine News

BoldWater TV News Port Canaveral, 11/14/06 A new record for Gag Grouper has been set at Port Canveral, Florida. Adrian Martinez of Satellite Beach, pulled up a 54.3 pounder while bottom fishing in about 90 feet. He was using butterflied pin fish for bait and landed the gag using one of his own custom-made Handler rods. The gag came in at the end of the day after Martinez and fellow anglers Ryan Mick and Mark Earl pulled in a 40-pound wahoo and two red snappers at 17 and 26 pounds.During the weigh-in at Sunrise Marina, Martinez told Boldwater TV, “We didnt’t catch a whole lot, but the ones we did were good quality.” Referring to the port record-setting-gag, “You fish forever trying to catch one of these.” It’s no coincidence that Martinez caught the gag with one of his own designed-and-built Handler custom rods. ”It’s the only brand we have in the boat,” Martinez boasted. Martinez’ gag beat the old Port record by 7.3 pounds. Trivia… Martinez grouper is almost 17 pounds short of the Florida record caught in Destin in 1991. Gulf gags are typically larger than those caught in the Atlantic. Other common names for a gags are black belly grouper and grey grouper.