Fish

Broomtail grouper (garropa)

Garropa (cabrilla escoba)

Mycteroperca xenarcha

SaltwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

15–60 lb.

Depth

5–150 ft.

Best time

Dawn and dusk.

Found in

6 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Big grouper, gray-brown to olive with pale blotches; adults have a tail with a ragged, jagged edge like a broom.
Typical size: 15–60 lb.
Maximum size: About 5 ft and 200 lb.
Diet: Fish, crabs and squid.
Behavior: Lives in rocky areas and mangrove-lined bays; young fish grow up in mangroves and estuaries.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Baja & Sea of Cortez, Pacific Mexico, Pacific Central America, Pacific Colombia & Ecuador, Peru and Galápagos Islands. Rocky reefs, boulder shores and estuaries from Baja California to Peru and the Galápagos (rare north of Baja).
Habitat: Rocky reefs, boulder shores and estuaries from Baja California to Peru and the Galápagos (rare north of Baja).
Depth: 5–150 ft.
Fishing depth: 15–80 ft.
Best season: All year.
Best time: Dawn and dusk.
Best tides: Moving tide.
Best weather / conditions: Calm seas.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Leader Hooks Descender

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Rocky reefs, boulder shores and estuaries from Baja California to Peru and the Galápagos (rare north of Baja).
Rig up: Heavy rod (50–80 lb class). 80–130 lb mono.
Pick your bait: Live mackerel, mullet and sardines. Lures: Heavy jigs and swimbaits.
Fish it: Fish a live bait over rocky structure with a tight drag and pull it up fast.
Time it: Dawn and dusk. Moving tide.

Fishing techniques: Fish a live bait over rocky structure with a tight drag and pull it up fast.
BigJoe's tip: Big fish hang around the same rock piles year after year.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Firm white fillets; great fried or grilled.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Heavy and strong; sharp gill covers.
Regulations: Countries set limits; many anglers release big groupers. Rules vary by country: Mexico requires a CONAPESCA sport fishing license for everyone aboard a fishing boat, Costa Rica requires an INCOPESCA license, and Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru set their own rules. Many islands and coasts (Coiba, Isla del Coco, Malpelo, Gorgona, the Galápagos and others) are marine parks with strict limits or no fishing.
Conservation: Little is known about its status (data deficient); release the big breeders.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits