The Golden Grouper, BAD LUCK FISH!

[gonetobaja]

As a guide in the Northern Sea of Cortez, I encounter lots of strange animals. One of the most beautifull ones I have seen is the Golden grouper. Its a mutation of the regular lepoard grouper in the area. This is the only place in the world I now of where this particular speices of fish changes colors. Its said to be a 1 in 100 mutation, but could be more rare than that. The reason I am writing this thread is to alert people to the Myths and Customs surrounding this fish.

Myth: The Golden Grouper brings with it bad luck. I can attest that there have been two taken from my boat during dive trips and both times we had problems right after the kills. One situation the diver lost all of his fish and gear on a non related problem right after he shot the Golden, another time the boat just would not start after the Golden was brought aboard. I have heard many other storys about the bad JUJU associated with this fish, so I leave it alone.

Customs: The locals of the area call the Golden Grouper "REINA" or Queen. They believe that the Golden is the leader of the school and leads them to food and breeding areas. It has been observed that a Golden grouper using its color to scare a school of baitfish into its much better camo cousins. Locals kill alot of things in this area of mexico, but they seem to always let this fish go.

This fish is still on the legal take list in Mexico, I for one have put it on the "pass over" list to customers when on trips with me. If you see this fish in Baja you may consider passing it by. Its bright orange color make it not very challenging, and we dont really know its place in evolution to support the others in the school.

If you have already shot one of these fish, that is not a big deal, Im just trying to begin promoting the non-take of these fish in my area. I like to see them underwater and it seems like the right thing to do to stay with local customs.

Any opinions and experineces are welcome.

Again, this is a legal fish to shoot and not shooting it is only MY opinion.

With the amount of Grouper in the area where I run trips I feel there is no real reason to shoot these.

These pics where taken about 5 years ago. This guy lost all of his gear and his fish(4 other real nice grouper) when his connector ring that held his gear to the boat just snapped for no reason. (it snapped right after he shot the fish)

GTB
www.gonetobaja.com

 

[SpeerO]

Well i hope i never encounter this fish:martial

Thanx for the headsup!

Zane

 

[Old Man Dave]

Shame they don't live in fresh water. I reckon a Japenese Koi carp collector would pay an absolute fortune for a fish as pretty as that.

Dave

 

[sickbugs]

very pretty fish, id possibly pass on it just because of how pretty it is

 

[podge]

I’ve always been a sucker for beauty, I’d pass it by.

 

[trux]

Myth: The Golden Grouper brings with it bad luck. I can attest that there have been two taken from my boat during dive trips and both times we had problems right after the kills. One situation the diver lost all of his fish and gear on a non related problem right after he shot the Golden, another time the boat just would not start after the Golden was brought aboard. I have heard many other stories about the bad JUJU associated with this fish, so I leave it alone.

Ha! Golden fish bringing bad lack! What a mistake! We can see you did not read classical fairy tales when you were small. Namely the old Russian baïka The Golden Fish, also known as The Fisherman and The Fish. The most famous is the one written as poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin (probably the ever greatest Russian poet). You can find a narrative translation (no poem) for example here and another version by Lilian Gask here.


Bad Luck Fish!? The exact opposite is true! In fact the fish fulfills your wishes! Well, yes, if you kill it (or abuse it like the fisherman's wife), then you are out of luck, so to some extend the myth about the bad luck is right, but largely misinterpreted - the fish is not a bad luck bringer - it is a good luck fish! It all just depends on the way you handle it!

image credit Story-lovers.com​

 

[gonetobaja]

Ha! Golden fish bringing bad lack! What a mistake! We can see you did not read classical fairy tales when you were small. Namely the old Russian baïka The Golden Fish, also known as The Fisherman and The Fish. The most famous is the one written as poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin (probably the ever greatest Russian poet). You can find a narrative translation (no poem) for example here and another version by Lilian Gask here.


Bad Luck Fish!? The exact opposite is true! In fact the fish fulfills your wishes! Well, yes, if you kill it (or abuse it like the fisherman's wife), then you are out of luck, so to some extend the myth about the bad luck is right, but largely misinterpreted - the fish is not a bad luck bringer - it is a good luck fish! It all just depends on the way you handle it!

View attachment 12248 image credit Story-lovers.com​

I agree, I should have titled the thread differently. I ment to say that it is bad luck to kill it. I have seen the Golden grouper many times under the water. I have had my gun aimed at his head but did not shoot. Very soon all of the other grouper seem to think that because the Golden one is out it is safe to move around and give up their camo. position. Thats when I get em. I use the Golden Grouper to tell me if there are lots of regular grouper in the area.

I have never checked my luck after a sighting to see if things are better. Maybe because Im in such a good mood after seeing one of these fish in the wild that I never notice my good fortune.

I feel fortunate enough just to see one.

I hear there is a salfin grouper that can turn Golden also. It lives over by the Galapagos.

GTB
www.gonetobaja.com

 

[fuzz]

I've taken a Golden Grouper for all the wrong reasons - thought it was damn cool. Looking bad, it was a bad reason, but we proudly ate it & made good use of it. I have not shot one since.


I am not one to tell people what they should or should not shoot, but nature has basically made this fish a glowing neon target... so out of sportsmanship, I'll plug one of it's camouflaged cousins instead.

 

[gonetobaja]

So you have found me on this board......I see your kung fu is good, but not as good as mine!!!:martial

Ive never shot a Golden Grouper, I may be the ONLY guide in the Northern Sea of Cortez. I may be promoting commerce in the area. I may even tell people where there are great spots to get fish, but there is no reason that I cant speak of conservation.

Just cause Im a paid killer does not mean I dont have a soft side.....rofl

Besides Fuzz I know that you have read the story about how the Golden Fish gave me a truck and a Castle. I would have gotten a 65 foot boat also but someone shot my Golden Fish!!

Sometimes I feel sensitive, and I want to protect pretty things.....(lights a scented candle)

GTB
www.gonetobaja.com

 

[naiad]

A nice picture of a Golden Grouper...
diver.net Image

IMO, rare and beautiful enough to leave it alone.

Lucia

 

[Virgili]

in my opinion his thread opens an interesting debate about superstitions in the spearos circle...good/ill omen? Fisherman set has a lot of old beliefs but are there specific spearfishing belief? Personnaly and spontaneously: not any idea!

 

[azapa]

sorry to dig up an old thread, but here in Chile we have a 1:1000 mutation of a Jergilla, called the jerguilla reina. I was told very early on by a local spearo that these are very bad luck to shoot. I have seen very few with a gun in my hand, but heeding his words, never shot them. They are bright bright yellow, in an otherwise quite monochrome ocean....
Larompiente.com: Ficha pez - Jerguilla Común y Jerguilla Reina (Aplodactylus Punctatus)

 

[naiad]

Most brown/green/gray fish are also available in gold. These are less likely to survive in the wild because they are a target for predators, but some may make it to adulthood, and then they have nothing to fear if they are of a big species. One of my favourites is the Golden Tench. It is lemon yellow, but as a bottom-feeder, it tends to keep out of trouble.

 

[jpb69]

Hey guys,
Yeah 'golden' fish apparenly arise in quite a few species, and probably a vast number. The coloration is most often due to a mutation (which can be passed on), inhibiting melanin production. Essentially a form of albinism. An albino lacks the ability to produce melanin and thus color itself as would its brothers and sisters. I know the same color arises in trout also.
As for the superstition? I do my best to not succum to superstition. However, despite being trained in the sciences I would probably leave him alone also. Would also keep the locals happy. Also I imagine he'd already have his work cut out for him/her. I don't imagine a beacon like that would have the darwinnian fitness of its camo cousin. Purdy though. Not too sure about the whole 'queen' 'leader' thing either. No offence intended good hunting.

 

[tuffstuff]

wow hes like a nightlight I don't think I would shoot them if they were rare. But if I saw like 4 or 5 in one day id plug one.

 

[arielval]

I fish this one 3 weeks ago 20 miles southeast of Bahia de los Angeles Baja.

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[scole]

In years of diving the Sea of Cortez I have only seen a few grouper in the golden phase. Early on I thought they were pretty cool, and would have shot one in a second, but fortunately I always missed. Now that I have seen just how rare they are I always pass them up. they are beautiful to see, but there always seem to be many of their regular cousins around