Fishing “king green” water is one key to finding and catching 50- to 60-pound smokers — the big kingfish that win tournaments.
Sometimes, catching just one fish can make everything perfect. Nowhere does this ring truer than on the kingfish-tournament circuit. In these competitions, each team is only permitted to weigh in one king mackerel per competition day. Thus, the magnificent 50 to 60 pounders known as smokers are the ones who receive the eye-catching jackpots, gaudy trophies, and the unique glory that comes with winning a king mackerel fishing competition.
However, the road to success is paved with more than just optimistic thinking and a dash of good fortune. A championship team and the first-place loser (also known as second place) could be separated by just one hundredth of a pound on this fiercely competitive trail that runs from the Carolinas to the Florida Keys to the Texas coast. The characteristics of the most competitive teams include emotional commitment, intense preparation, financial resources, teamwork, high-quality equipment, and strong boat-handling abilities, as well as a few secret weapons.
However, learning how to catch king mackerel can be challenging. We polled some of the top mackerel fishing tournament anglers to identify key elements to catching these cunning, sharp-toothed speedsters. We were able to condense these 12 steps to glory despite the fact that opinions on many subjects varied as widely as chili recipes at a county fair. Advertisement.
King mackerel can be caught from nearly any boat, but the most successful anglers frequently arrive in 23- to 45-foot center-console kingfishing vessels from manufacturers like Contender, Everglades, Invincible, Intrepid, Jupiter, Regulator, SeaVee, and Yellowfin.
Since serious competitors need speed, the majority of these boats have twin, triple, or even quad outboard motors. Scott Smith, the North Carolina-based captain of the 31-foot Yellowfin Instigator with twin Mercury Verado 300 outboards, says, “You want to get to the fish first.” He reveals that it’s common for the first boat to arrive at a location to catch the biggest fish.
Power is one thing, but a hull made to function in adverse conditions is also necessary because the seas aren’t always calm on competition day. Jack Bracewell Jr. says, “That’s why we fish out of a boat like the Contender 32ST.” , whose South Carolina team competes in 15 kingfish tournaments annually on board the twin-outboard Eren’s Addiction Too. He claims, “A boat like this can take a beating and still get us to the fish and get us home. Advertisement.
How to catch king mackerel
King mackerel are typically found between a few miles and 15 miles from shore by anglers seeking them out. The forage species like threadfin herring, cigar minnows, menhaden, and blue runners are frequently found in this area. These substantial schools of bait draw king mackerel as well as tarpon, cobia, sharks, jacks, and other fish.
By far the most effective and popular method used by anglers pursuing king mackerel is trolling. This enables them to present numerous baits at various depths in the water column while covering a large area of water. Spoons and plugs are the best artificial lures, and they are very effective. The majority of tournament anglers use a technique called slow trolling with live bait fish, which frequently yields the larger king mackerel.
5) The correct leader is important when fishing for king mackerel
King mackerel have a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth, just like all other mackerel do. Wire leaders do not, however, have to be used all the time. The longer the leader, the better the action, within reason. A 20-foot section of fluorocarbon weighing 50–80 pounds works well for anglers trolling spoons. Very few cutoffs occur when trolling with these larger spoons. The length of the leader must be manually lined with the fish.
Anglers typically combine a shock leader with a small trace of wire leader when trolling plugs. The best rig uses a spider hitch or a Bimini Twist to attach 5 feet of doubled line. A 5′ piece of 80 lb flourocarbon leader is added. Finally, a short piece of wire completes the rig. When using a hook to free line live bait or pieces of cut bait, this works well.
FAQ
What is the best bait for catching king mackerel?
Almost all of the top tournament anglers agree that silvery live baits like pilchards, threadfin herring, menhaden, mullet, and blue runners are preferable to dead baits. These same anglers also bring frozen baits like cigar minnows, ribbonfish, and Spanish mackerel because live bait is not always readily available.
How do you rig up for king mackerel?
Use a string of Sabiki Bait Lures with a pear-shaped lead weight attached at the lower end of the string while the boat is drifting with the motor off (otherwise, it might spook the mackerel). Jigging is the practice of fishing with a jig, a type of fishing lure. Lower this slowly. A jig is made of a lead sinker with a molded-in hook and typically has a soft body to draw fish. Jigs, as opposed to spinnerbaits, are designed to produce a jerky, vertical motion as they move through the water. https://en. wikipedia. Jigging – Wikipedia it up and down while doing this until you sense a fish strike.
