King Fishing

This is the time of year when pier fisherman and small boat fisherman anxiously anticipate that a "smoker" king will find the bait they have dangling from their lines. Kings are migratory, but unlike many other pelagic species that visit out coast, they move more in an east-west direction than a north-south. This is the time of year they spawn and the time the really big fish can be found up near the beach.

Fishermen refer to the really big kings, those more than about 20 pounds, as "smokers." Some say the slang term is used because once they get that big, the best way to eat them is to smoke them on a cooker. Others attribute the moniker to what a fish of that size does to the drag on your reel. Regardless of where the term originated, it represents the prize fish every king fisherman hopes to catch.

One columnist once wrote that smoker-sized king mackerels "race like a greyhound and fight like a cornered hog." This is a very appropriate description in my opinion. In fact, I think it describes the basis for why king mackerel are such a popular fish to catch. The adrenaline rush produced by fighting a 30-pound fish on light tackle is enough to keep fisherman on the lookout for hours and days at a time.

Big kings move in this time of year following the bait schools that can be found right now off our beaches. Sometimes these schools are the size of a football field and can be spotted from the beach. These attract those spawning kings hungry for an easy meal.

Boat fisherman will head just off the beach, find some clear water and look for the schools. Then they troll their baits near them, waiting for the kings to show up. While patience is required, it is a technique that is often rewarded with multiple hook-ups of prize fish.

Pier fishing for kings is done from the very end of the pier. Most of the piers on our coast have special set-ups at the end reserved just for king fisherman. Local king fisherman often use a two rod configuration to extend their live baits out off the end of the pier and get the best coverage possible from a fixed location.

The thrill of catching a 20- to 30-pounder makes the wait worth while!

Catching Report

Inshore the Black drum bite has picked up with some nice catches of flounder and Red Drum also being reported. There is plenty of bait in the creeks and waterway too.

The King bite has been very strong this past week, especially near shore, in fact the pier fisherman have enjoyed a sensational week! Many of the fish caught off all three of our island’s piers have been in the 20 pound and up range. Also some catches of Spanish, blues, pompano and flounder are being reported on the piers.

Mahi are being caught in the 10-30 mile range using ballyhoo and squid chains. Some nice gag grouper are being caught in the 15 mile and out range however you may have to throw back 3 or 4 undersize ones for every keeper you cactch (min. size is 24 inches).

Tight Lines to all!