The Sheepshead and Grouper in Florida Waters 85 
cut or whole; the latter being more at- 
tractive, and taking the larger speci- 
mens. It is voracious, but shy, and 
easily alarmed, and after one has es- 
caped from the hook, or after the cap- 
ture of two or three, the others seem 
to take fright and will seldom take a 
bait in that place for some days. When 
hooked—and it is always near its hole 
that a grouper takes a bait—it makes , 
straight for the roots, and can only by 
main force be kept from getting under 
them, so that only those of moderate 
size can be taken with rod and reel— 
Say up to five or six pounds weight. 
The larger ones can only be landed 
with a heavy hand line. It is a trial 
of strength between the man and his 
tackle and: the fish; the latter, if of 
large size, often proving the stronger, 
and breaking line or hook, or reaching 
its fortress, from whence it cannot be 
dislodged, the result being loss of 
tackle and of patience. The rod fisher 
loses half the number of groupers that 
he hooks. I think I have never been 
able to kill on a rod a grouper over five 
pounds in weight. If he would only 
fight in open water like the red bass, 
he could be tired out; but he gives the 
angler no play. 
The flesh of this species is fine, rich 
and well flavored, and is highly prized, 
perhaps partly on account of the 
scarcity of the fish and difficulty of tak- 
ing it. It much resembles the red bass 
when in good condition. There is no 
record of its having been captured 
north of Florida, according to Silas 
Stearns, who has made the Florida 
coast fishes a special study. It is ex- 
tremely abundant in the Gulf of Mex- 
ico, as well as on the south Florida 
coast, and is found throughout the year 
on ‘‘the grounds” at sea, and in sum- 
mer in some of the bays. He thinks it 
spawnsin June and July in both places. 
Young groupers an inch long have been 
obtained in June. While it takes mul- 
let bait, itis even more fond of crabs, 
of which it consumes enormous quanti- 
ties. Large horny crabs in almost per- 
fect condition.are often found inside of 
it. At Key West a large fleet of smacks 
is employed in its capture for the Cu- 
ban market. It is very tenacious of life 
and will remain alive several hours out 
of water. Itis admirably adapted for 
long transportation on this account. 
Garroupa is a Spanish name, of which 
grouper and groper are corruptions. It 
is often seen in the New York market, 
where it brings twelve to fifteen cents 
a pound. 
