For a fish that once was just a throwback on a reef fishing trip for red snapper, the gray triggerfish has become a popular target for anglers, and rightfully so.
Triggerfish is named for its “trigger’’ at the rear of its dorsal fin. Press it down, and it releases the larger spine at the front of the dorsal fin, which can be folded down. If you don’t press the trigger, the large spine will not move.
One of the reasons triggerfish were once a less-than-desired species is that they are somewhat difficult to clean unless you know the best techniques. The best one I’ve witnessed is using a box cutter to cut the rough skin all the way around the body on both sides. Cut enough skin back to get a good grip and then rip it off the side of the fish.
The flesh is delicious, and, dare say, it’s better than red snapper to me. But that could just be me, although I doubt it. You can fry it, sauté it, grill it, or make ceviche. It’s all delicious.
Of course, you’ve got to catch some first. The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish opens each year on March 1 and remains open until the annual catch limit is met or projected to be met. However, the triggerfish season is closed during June and July during red snapper season and January and February to ensure the stock can rebuild. The bag limit is one per person with a minimum 15-inch fork length, measured from the tip of the mouth to the fork in the tail.
Head into the Gulf just like you would on a snapper trip and find the structure, either artificial reefs or natural bottom, and drop down a bait. Understand that you will likely catch red snapper that must be released. Be sure to vent or use a descending device on those released fish to aid in their survival.
To increase your chances of catching triggerfish instead of snapper, significantly downsize your hook size to a No. 2 circle hook. You can use a double-drop rig, which is relatively common for most charter boats, or a single-hook rig with a fluorocarbon leader tied to a swivel with a three- to six-ounce weight, depending on the current.
Triggerfish are known to steal your bait, so most anglers opt to use cut squid for bait with its tough shell that keeps the fish from easily robbing you. You can use medium-heavy spinning tackle or the traditional saltwater reels to drop the bait to the bottom and then reel up a couple of cranks to be off the bottom to feel the strike. Most triggers are going to weigh from four to seven pounds, but every once in a while, you’ll get lucky and reel in a 10-pounder, which yields a pair of nice fillets.
If you fish in Alabama coastal and/or offshore waters, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Marine Resources Division (MRD) is beginning a pilot study this year and may ask for your help to compile data on recreational fishing efforts for Alabama’s private anglers and state for-hire captains.
MRD will contact licensed anglers and for-hire captains weekly to gather fishing trip information from the previous week. Anglers need to be aware that those receiving a call for the pilot survey will see a 985 area code, and the caller ID may say South Central Planning, the company hired to conduct the survey, which is the same company that is conducting the Louisiana survey.
Each week, a current list of licensed saltwater anglers and state-licensed for-hire captains will be used to randomly select a small group of anglers who will be contacted to ask about fishing trips finishing in Alabama in the prior week. Anglers and for-hire captains will be contacted by email first. If no email response is received within a day, telephone calls will be made over the next week. Surveys for private anglers will take very little time, with only eight base questions to answer. Results from the private angler surveys will be sent from the contractor to MRD staff. State charter captains will be contacted by MRD staff and asked similar questions.
Help MRD get the data it needs to make wise management decisions and plan a fishing trip to Alabama Beaches to catch a tasty triggerfish!
