We have been out the last two weekends in a row. Live bait and dead bait seem to work equally well.
The snapper like the pin fish and squid.
The grouper will hit anything in reach.
To minimize the the shorts on the grouper I put the largest bait on the hook. I have had good success using frozen LY's. I do not cut the LY's,I put the whole fish on the hook.
In Carrabelle you can get the pin fish from Franks Bait and Tackle or go behind Dog Island and catch them.
C-Quarters will have the squid and LY's.
The Red Grouper above was caught in 85' using LY's. The keeper Gags should be 65'+ but don't rule out good bottom in shallower water. With the cooler temps lately the grouper should start to move off soon (if the temps stay low). If you want gag keepers you gotta stay away from the crowds and use big baits to keep the snapper and others off the hook. The snapper are thick in our area. To thick in my opinion. If you go out on Friday, post up and let me know if you had any luck.
On our next trip out we will be on the hunt again, searching a new area I have only been to once this year.