O.C. Gag Grouper

Type: Ocean
Region: Eastern
Location: Ocean City

Down the beach, was too windy to surf fish, so I fished at 4th street. Caught a mess of fish including a bunch of these, not sure what it is, looks like a cross between a tog and a seabass, and has a pretty nice set of teeth. Any ideas?

DNR Response: You caught a gag grouper. Gag are found in the western Atlantic, primarily form North Carolina to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, but juveniles are found as far north as Massachusetts. Young gag live in estuaries in �structured� habitats (seagrass beds, oyster reefs, shipwrecks, etc.).