Grouper

While Port Gibson isn't directly on the coast, it serves as a convenient inland access point for anglers targeting Grouper in the brackish waters and nearshore areas of Mississippi. The key is to monitor seasonal forage patterns. Grouper here key in on shrimp, crabs, and smaller baitfish, particularly during the spring and fall migrations. Focus your efforts around structure like submerged timber, artificial reefs, and channel edges in the Mississippi Sound and its tributaries. Water temperature and salinity play a crucial role; Grouper tend to move deeper during the hotter summer months and prefer stable salinity levels. For a natural presentation, live bait like pinfish or croakers fished on a Carolina rig is hard to beat. A practical tip is to use the public boat launch at Grand Gulf State Park to access the river and then navigate towards more saline waters. Remember to check local tide charts, as Grouper often become more active during tidal changes.