350 Pound Record Grouper Caught Southwest Florida

Samuel Chase
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According to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, a 350-lb Warsaw record grouper was caught by hook-and-line on December 29th 2019, off Southwest Florida in approximately 600 ft of water. 

Record Grouper

The photo is stunning of the angler posing with the massive grouper he caught and is making the rounds on social media.

Record Grouper
350-lb Warsaw Grouper

Biologists estimated the age of the fish at 50 years old and noted that the fish was extremely valuable as samples from older fish are rare.

Officials with FWC stated that Warsaw Grouper are characterized by an elongated second dorsal spine. They’re the only grouper with 10 dorsal spines; all others have 11. Although adults usually occur in depths of 180-1700 ft, juveniles are occasionally seen around jetties and shallow-water reefs in the northern Gulf.

Despite the stunning picture, this was not a world record. The record is held by Steve Haeusler who caught a mammoth 436-lb Warsaw Grouper in 1985 off the coast of Destin, Florida.

Steve Haeusler with his world record catch.
Angler, Steve Haeusler with Captain Kelly Windes.

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