Roving coral grouper Fishing

Called 'najil' in the Red Sea and rated by Egyptian fishermen as the most valuable coral grouper; it lives in the 15-50 m band of the Safaga and Marsa Alam reefs. Unlike other groupers it chases its prey, so it also takes slow jigs and slowly retrieved shads. For live bait use a small emperor or a sardine. Work close to the reef wall but pull the fish away from it at once. It is a Red Sea species and is not to be expected at any Mediterranean spot.

Plectropomus pessuliferus

Roving coral grouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus)
Photo: jon hanson from london, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Season calendar

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Active periodSpawning period — release what you catch

Season
January–December
Water temperature
23–31 °C
Spawning
April–June
Behaviour
Ambushes from structure

Techniques

  • Slow jigging
  • live bait
  • bottom rig

Frequently asked

When is the best time to catch roving coral grouper?
The productive window for roving coral grouper runs January–December. April–June is the spawning period; releasing your catch during these months is strongly advised.
What water temperature does roving coral grouper feed in?
Roving coral grouper is most active between 23 and 31 °C. Outside that band its feeding rate drops off.
How do you fish for roving coral grouper?
Common methods: Slow jigging, live bait, bottom rig.

Species that fish under similar conditions

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