What depth and best bait for kings in may please?
Depth is not as important as what’s under you.
When the menhaden show up, the kings aren’t far behind them. Slow troll, as slow as you can go, live menhaden over live bottom, the edge of the shipping channel, and/or over the artificial reefs. Kings will be where the bait is. You can catch them as close in as the jetties (they can be caught off the Folly Pier at times) or as far out as the ledge, but the bottom is most important.
“Another poon dream splintered on the rocks of reality.” --Peepod 07-25-2017
Thanks 23 Sail. Always appreciate your posts, very informative, I haven’t caught any inshore yet.
Also haven’t seen any good bait balls inshore yet, but still looking. Are you looking for pogies flipping, or bait pods, or both I guess?
Any particular buoys better than others, or depth?
Do u use skirts mostly or naked?
Tide and tide change matter? Do I need to find clean water?
Any congregated bait, I would certainly investigate. When the birds are working on something just outside the harbor, around the jetties behind the fort, wherever, there’s likely to be kings or spanish or bluefish around. Watch your sounder too; learn how to identify bait balls at depth. Spanish will hit a live bait, but they are the most fun on light tackle and gotcha plugs. Anything flashy will get their attention and they are aggressive. A ton of fun for the kids.
There are most certainly hardcore kingfish guys; I’m not one of them. I’ve caught my fair share though. I’ve caught them trolling skirted/non skirted ballyhoo at the ledge as well as with a drift bait out the back of the boat at the jetties while sheepshead fishing. The pro guys will tell you you need light leaders and light drag to catch them. I haven’t found that to necessarily be the case for me, but I’m rarely targeting kings specifically. You do want to use steel as they have some seriously sharp teeth.
I don’t think the tide matters if you’re outside the jetties. Everyone has an opinion and that’s mine. Personally I like slow trolling with the current to keep my bait alive as long as possible. If I have dead bait, horse mullet, I’d prefer to slow troll against the current to give the bait more life. I don’t know if this matters or not, but its how I approach it. If you’re slow trolling live bait, every so often put the boat in neutral and let those baits sink down 10-15’, then start trolling again. I’ve hooked a lot of fish this way.
The preferred bait of choice by most people is the biggest menhaden you can get and keep alive. Its big, flashy, and smelly, just what the fish love. No skirt. Have a reasonably light drag setup, but no reason to overdo it. You’ll catch sharks and barracuda with this method and its just part of the game you have to deal with. You can also get lucky and catch cobia this way too.
I’ve had luck trolling over live bottom (marked o
Great post again man, that should get me going, didn’t realize the HOT weather was good, I thought they moved out after early June to cooler water.
Good to know I have a hot weather fishing spot in close, also liked your suggestion to troll according to condition of the baits and tide direction. Never thought about light lining at the jet ties either, good stuff, or behind the fort. I know the bait hangs out behind the Fort, so makes sense some kings would hang there too, thought the dirty water and hot temp would keep them away.
You prefer spinners or bait casters for reels? Also, what length gaff do I need in order to keep them from pulling the small treble hooks at the boat? What size trebles 2 or 4? Leader length?
Like I said, I’m no expert, but its not rocket science either. You can make your rigs yourself or buy premade stuff. With or without skirts. Both work fine. Take extras with you, because if you start catching fish, you can ruin these quickly. If you get a sharp bend, the leaders will break off easily.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMg6b2jYjLE Skip to 3:00 mark, or watch the whole thing for entertainment purposes.
“Another poon dream splintered on the rocks of reality.” --Peepod 07-25-2017
Days of old cfc good solid advise! I wish we had cero mackerel off our coast.
I am by no means an expert and really have limited experience with such fishing but I’ll share. A couple of years ago we were on the west coast of Florida and saw birds hitting the water like crazy. We motored over and saw enormous schools of bait so, we rigged up with shiny lures (Clark Spoons, and such) and began casting into the schools of fish. We started catching Spanish Mackerel like crazy. Every time we cast out, we got a hit. These large schools of bait stuck around for 3 days so for 3 days, we had a blast catching Spanish. The sharks figured out a pattern after a while as well. I know that is different from Kings but, I learned to not ignore schools of bait.
"Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It's Hand", but really, who cares?
Easy rider, we’ve caught alot of kings in May in 40’-80’ range trolling larger Clark spoons, Russel lures and Rapalas. Live bottom is key to finding them. good luck
Much less fuel than running to the ledge and farther for dolphin/tuna/wahoo!!!
Kencraft 23T twin 175f Suzuki's
Consider water temperatures as well. Usually, the water is warmer further out in spring. My earliest kings are normally caught in deeper water. Have caught kings as early as around April 1 but in 100 feet of water which is a long way out from St. Helena.
If you don’t use them already, Rutger’s Sea Surface temperature maps are helpful in giving an idea of what depth or areas would have suitable temperatures for kings.
Thanks Triple T, always enjoy your reports, please send more this year, with updates on bait, lures, etc. as the season moves along.
New format coming here next month, hopefully better for all users.
Thanks, Coosaw, keep the info and reports coming please.
Roger on the 100 ft. and the Rutgers temp site, it is free also.
Lost a big Cobia at the 60 Mon., so they are in the nearshore area now too. Caught on cigar on Carolina rig fishing for Grouper.
I am somewhat of a newbie to Kingfishing myself, but in my little experience I can tell you that I most definitely have better success with livebait- big menhaden or big mullet IF you can find them. Kind of depends on the time of year for where I troll but in essence, Ill slow troll my livebait on a king rig made with about 40lb wire. I make mine myself and typically troll them naked. If I have a spread of say 4 rods, ill have three of them naked with maybe a green or pink skirt on one of them. Never a bad idea to throw a planer on a rod, to get that bait down. Size 1-2 works fine for me. Many different ways to run it but i prefer to use a bridle - Gale force twins has a great vid on youtube of how to set it up.
Maybe its the start of the season or for whatever reason cant seem to find any good live bait. Ive still had decent success by pulling drone spoons, divers (mann stretch 25 seems to be a favorite) and bead bait rigs with cigars or mullet. Hell, sometimes when I want to familiarize myself with an area and do some scouting ill use only artificial because I can cover way more water- and kings are always moving. Ill pull drone spoons with 8-12 feet of 40lb fluoro attached to a small planer or 4-8oz trolling weight. Cedar plug is never a bad option either.
As far as where I’m going, looking at a lot of things. I’m a smaller 23’ cc so I really have to pick my days this time of year. Livebottom in that 80-120’ area will probably be my go to early in the season. If the water is not consistently above 70 in that area I probably wont be going. In the late summer you can catch them practically right off the beach, just look for birds, rips in the current or clear(er)water.
I’ll say that the best setup to use is the setup that you have available. When I’m pulling artificial or deadbait I’ll run them on Shimano Tld25s. Really doesn’t matter but those seem to be a kind of -jack of all trades but master of none- Plus they’re cheap and reliable. But, IMO, I really like a long
Finally May, and hot weather, time for pogies and kings.
Triple T, you said you use Clark spoons and lures in May, what area your favorite in May(general)?
PM me if you like, I would like to keep in touch with you, and maybe buddy boat or keep radio contact out there.
23 CC, with 017 250 Yammy, all good condition, and safe, using In Reach, and 2 VHF, with auto inflate vests, and kill switch, safety first.
Pretty good with 8 ft. cast net 1.5 wt., also good stock of deep running lures, mostly Rapala, have Drone spoons though not used them in a long time.
Been working the 18 mile area, hope to work the Gardens, Y73 area this year, occasionally push out to 40 miles, maybe 2 times?
Hooked Soul on 68, auto 16 too, new radios with DS, and new antennas.
Always bottom bump and light line some too, troll first for the early bite.