Embarking on How to Catch King Mackerel or kingfish requires a strategic approach to understanding their habits and habitats. As avid anglers seek the thrill of reeling in these formidable predators, a variety of factors come into play. From water temperature preferences to the allure of underwater structures, finding king mackerel demands a nuanced understanding of their behavior.
What Are King Mackerel:
A king mackerel, scientifically known as Scomberomorus cavalla, belongs to the family Scombridae. These predatory fish are found in subtropical and tropical waters, particularly in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the western Atlantic. King mackerel are characterized by their silver-colored bodies with a distinct lateral line and irregular spots on their sides. They have a deeply forked tail and are known for their speed and agility in the water, as well as their sharp teeth.
King mackerel are known for their seasonal migrations, moving closer to shore during certain times of the year. Anglers often use various fishing techniques, such as trolling with live bait or artificial lures, to target these fish, particularly in areas with underwater structures, currents, and concentrations of baitfish.
A lot of times, these offshore hunters patrol the seas near reefs, wrecks, and ledges, following schools of baitfish and showcasing a penchant for areas with strong currents and tidal movements. Whether trolling in pursuit of a lively catch or strategically deploying chum to entice these predators, king mackerel fishing is a dynamic mission. It blends traditional knowledge with the advancements of modern technology to navigate the vast expanses of the ocean in search of this prized species.
Being located on the East Coast of Florida, I will talk about how to catch King Mackerel. This post covers everything from getting live bait to putting the line in. Catching big King Mackerel is a team effort; however, it can be done by oneself. Summer kings are some of the best fish to target, and in this post, I will tell you everything you need to know on how to catch King Mackerel.
When To Fish For King Mackerel:
How To Catch King Mackerel In The Summer Time:
The best time of year to target King Mackerel is in the summer. These fish move closer to the beaches in the early summer months through September. During this time, they become one of the most targeted species.
They can be found anywhere from 100 yards off the beach to 80 miles off the beach in the Gulf Stream. Most of the time, big king mackerel are found near the beach. This is because female kings spawn close to shore. I’ve caught my biggest fish closer to the beach. On the other hand, the majority of the fish that are on the wrecks and reefs are “snake kings,” which are your smaller kings. There are a ton of them out there, some big kings mixed in, but mostly, they are your smaller king mackerel, and they are plentiful.
How To Catch King Mackerel Based On Location:
How To Catch King Mackerel Inshore:
In the summertime, the spawning fish come inshore to release their eggs, and the biggest king mackerel are often caught within a mile of the beach. When fishing for big kings close to the beach, the most important thing is the wire leader. It is easier to catch these toothy critters with a wire leader. I recommend slow trolling for them using live bait. However, you can also catch them using diving lures such as Rapala X-WRAP and Yozuri’s.
Kingfish run together, so if you are catching the smaller fish, you will continue to catch smaller fish in that area; it is essential to move away when searching for the big kings. The by-catch when fishing inshore will be Jack Crevalle, sharks, and barracudas. Sharks are a pain. Often, they wrap themselves in the wire, making it impossible to get any hooks back.
How To Catch King Mackerel Offshore:
Offshore fishing for king fish is more fun, in my opinion, than catching them inshore. *
There are a few different ways that you can catch them.
- Free-lining dead cigar minnows behind the boat with a wire trace or slow trolling for them. The free lining would be successful with live cigar minnows, but I have found that a dead bait works well, too. Use dead baits such as dead sardines or cigar minnows. When free-lining, it is best with a spinning reel. You can find them in open water and close to the structure when fishing for them. But most of the time, I find them around structure due to the amount of bait that congregates on the live bottom.
- Live Menhaden also works very well for trolling. You can catch them on the beach and slow troll them around the live bottom. This live bait works great offshore; other live baits include blue runners, cigar minnows, and sardines.
How to Catch King Mackerel Trolling:
There are a couple of different ways to set up for king mackerel fishing. I slow troll for King Mackerel with live bait. This means I barely put the boat in gear, allowing my live baits to swim naturally alongside the boat. You can also troll faster with hard baits such as XRAP 30s and Yozuris. There are many ways to target King fish. However, I recommend slow trolling. It’s the easiest way and works best for me in my area.
Wire Leader:
The most important thing to note when targeting king fish is that they are very fast and have sharp teeth. You must use a wire leader such as a stinger rig. This comprises two to three small treble hooks connected with a wire trace; the wire trace goes to a small swivel connecting to your fishing line. This wire prevents kingfish from cutting you off with their sharp teeth during the initial strike. I recommend tooth-proof 44lb single-strand wire; I also like brown wire.
These fish are speedy and will melt line off your reel quickly. Usually, the first run they take is the longest and the hardest. That is when many fish are lost. They either spool the line completely, and the boat cannot catch up to them, or there is too much pressure on the fish, and the treble hook is ripped out of its mouth.
Main Line:
I recommend a 20-30lb Monofilament line. I like using a 25lb or something in the middle. Monofilament is very important because it can be very forgiving, and that stretch allows the angler to have a little cushion when fighting the fish. It is important that you use Monofilament, if you want to learn more about Fluorocarbon and Monofilament check out my other post on line!
A bright line color is essential so the angler can see the line cutting through the water when that fish takes off the boat. I tie my stinger rig directly to my main line. I recommend a Medium light rod with a light tip. Rod is very important as well; I like a longer rod somewhere around the 7 to 8 ft range. This will be more sensitive and be able to catch up to the fish easier than with a shorter rod. This long rod will give you leverage on the fish.
Reels:
For my reels, you must use a smooth drag. A rough drag can often rip those stinger hooks out of the fish. I run a Speedmaster 16; it holds a lot of lines, and the drag increase is easy with the lever. The Daiwa Saltist is also a great option; it has many lines and lets you tighten the drag with a star drag on the side of the reel. With these reels, they have a high line capacity. It is vital to have as much line as possible on these.
Down Riggers:
Downriggers are giant fishing reels that allow anglers to place their fishing line into a release clip. When a kingfish hits your bait on the downrigger, the lines come out of the release clip.
*Be careful and ensure nothing can prevent your line from getting stuck in the clip. They have a heavy weight on the bottom, which allows the bait to stay down. These can be bought online or at your local tackle shop.
If fishing in shallow water, you will most likely use a downrigger. I have caught big king mackerel on downriggers, and you never know when you might need it, so it is nice to have at least one bait in the spread that has a downrigger.
Baits:
Everyone has different opinions on what is the best bait for King Mackerel. Personally, I have had the most success on live menhaden, AKA Pogies. There are a couple of different ways to get live menhaden. The best way is with a cast net; in the summertime, they ball up when the sun gets up along the beaches. Once you find the big birds such as pelicans, this is a good indicator that there are Pogies around. It would help if you watched your fish finder and their depth to see how far your cast net should sink. If you want to learn more about the best offshore baits check out my other post!
You’ve heard big baits equal big fish. Therefore a large live menhaden is a great bait for big kings. It will not entirely weed out the smaller kings but increase your chances of enticing a big king mackerel.
Another fantastic bait is blue runners. These fish are hardy and last a long time in the live well. Blue Runners can be caught on a small hook with bait, or the best way is with a sabiki rig.
Many people swear by ribbon fish. Often, these are used dead and require multiple stinger hooks; this is a big kingfish’s favorite bait. They look like a silver eel. These fish are very mushy and are expensive at the bait shop. Therefore I don’t use them that often.
Running Baits:
When running live baits, there are many different methods used. This is my go-to if I have live pogies. It can also work with blue runners and other live bait. I will put one bait on a downrigger roughly 30-40 ft down in the water column. Next, I will put bait in what they call the shotgun, which is very far back, roughly 100-150 yards back—ensuring that your live bait does not skip on the surface and swims naturally is essential. Now, I place it in the prop wash for my final bait. This live bait is within 30 feet of the stern. Kingfish are curious fish who will hear an engine’s sound, see the live bait, and crush it.
Trolling Strategy:
Now, let’s say you decide that you are going to fish the beach for king mackerel. These are my first steps on how to catch King Mackerel. Check your local fishing report and see if some fish are holding in a particular water temperature or a certain depth. I spend my time in that depth and water temperature. If I search for where the kings might be, I like to zig-zag. This allows my baits to pass through different water depths and temperatures.
If fishing an offshore structure, I spend my time working all parts of the structure and trying to locate where the bait is located. Once the bait is found, the kings will be close by.
In the Gulf of Mexico, people often troll the oil rigs. Kingfish are plentiful in the Gulf of Mexico. When fishing lives bottom, some of the by-catches can be surprising. As a by-catch, you catch Amberjack, Barracuda, Sharks, Red Snapper, Bonita, Mahi, and sometimes the occasional Black Fin Tuna.
Frequently Asked Questions:
King Mackerel can grow to impressive sizes, with average catches ranging from 10 to 30 pounds. However, they can exceed 50 pounds, providing exciting opportunities for anglers.
Look for diving birds, surface activity, or schools of baitfish on your fishfinder. Birds and active baitfish can indicate the presence of feeding King Mackerel.
Use a gaff or net to secure the fish. Be cautious of their sharp teeth, and avoid placing your hands near their mouth. Move quickly to reduce stress during the landing process.
*When fishing, it is important to follow all local regulations for your state*
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