The drag peeling, rod bending family of grouper requires tough tackle to reel them in. Consider the following when preparing for your trip.

Use 125-pound monofilament line because the stretch in monofilament acts as a shock absorber to keep the hook from tearing out of the grouper's mouth.

Tie on a 200-pound test barrel swivel up the line, and a 22-ounce egg-shaped slip sinker above the swivel. Tie a Johnny Dukes knot between the sinker and swivel. Put the tag end of the line under the knot, and pull the knot down to make it rest on the monofilament to prevent break-offs.

Cut the point off a Mustad 13/0 circle hook, since a thin, pointed hook often will bend and not set properly on big grouper. File the point razor-sharp. Snell the hook to the line to exert less pressure on the eye of the hook.

Control the amount of drag on the reel. To get the fish away from structure, have the drag set tightly, but continuing to battle a grouper with a heavy drag may mean the hook may break or tear a big hole in the fish's mouth, and allow the hook to fall out. To add and subtract the amount of pressure on the drag, put a piece of flattened copper tubing on one of the star's tips of your star drag - enabling you to find your drag with your thumb much quicker and easier.

Tape the reel key to the handle of the reel to prevent the bolt holding the handle of the reel from getting stripped from the force of the fish and the force the angler puts on the rod.