This subject didn’t draw much attention last year, so probably not this year either, but worth a look. Apparently not too many novice KM fishermen in Chucktown, I live in Charlotte; my son lives in Summerville, and my boat is in S’ville. The Charlotte Offshor Sportfishing Club has always been primarily a KM club, I’m a 26 year member. Again, my interest is novice not pro, but I did teach a beginner KM school back in the early 90’s. In Nov. ‘06 my son and I caught 35 or so schoolie kings on the 60 reef, only kept 5, I believe in conservation, that was a 2 day total, so we could have kept I believe 20, can’t remember. I retired and sold my boat shortly after that, now I just bought an older 21’ cuddy, ready to go again, just couldn’t stay away. So, any interest post here or PM me, see ya…
Hey, I have some interest in KM fishing. I have a 22CC single motor and I’ve never been over 5 miles out, but I’m ready. I don’t know how to catch a king and never have, but I have a whole bunch of crap that I bought to get me started. I would like to have a part in a KM club and I think I could find another member or two. Would you mind PMing me any details?
Big Mac Daddy Don had to say that sorry you know I am a fishing unit and I would be in like flynn!!! I have probably Two other guys that would be interested also cheap fun!!! We need to get together and meet with some people and try to get some things in the running on trying to get a club started and do little weekend pots for a big fish!!! And you (Don) cant win them all!!! HA HA keep me posted and if anyone else has any ideas please express them or feel free to email/pm me or Don I am located here in CHUCK TOWN!!! Thanks Tommy
Wishin I Was Fishin
I’m in!!! love to chase the kings I have a 18’cc on good days I can reach the 60 reef.I would be in for helping to start a king club. Just keep me informed this could be the start of something great.
That sounds like a plan don we are starting to get a nibble now!!! Thats a good handful to start and meet to try to get some stuff lined up!!!
Wishin I Was Fishin
Hey I will be down for a week in July, how bout a small tx then??
I will be down a couple of other weeks/weekends but have a lot of work to do on our house at IOP so may not bring my boat.
Sea Pro 210cc
Yamaha 200 4 Stroke
Dodge 1500 4x4 HEMI
Count me in! I know of 2 friends w/21’ CC’s that would probably be interested too. One is a KM novice like me and the other has some experience and we did pretty well on his boat last year. Not sure how it would work out as far as any meetings as we are in Columbia, but I’d love to fish a few “mini tournaments” and get together afterwards and share info (and maybe a cold beverage or two 
.
Besides the fun of having a “tournament”, I really like the idea being out and having radio contact with others I know should any of us need help, especially since it looks like most of us have relatively small boats.
I’d suggest maybe one a month once they come in (May?)
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
Count me in as well. i did a good bit of king fishing last year with a buddy and did pretty good just outside the jetties. Keep me informed on whats going on.
I’m in. Sounds like fun
I’m in… I have 21 foot boat, lots of money for stuff, and absolutly no idea how to fish past the jetties. Anyone interested in teaching someone the ropes.
quote:
Originally posted by SlowpokeI’m in… I have 21 foot boat, lots of money for stuff, and absolutly no idea how to fish past the jetties. Anyone interested in teaching someone the ropes.
Kingfishing is not that hard but some things that are good to have a good reels (I use TLD 15’s) with a light drag. When a king hits it will make a very good first run and it is very easy to pull the hooks on them.
I like 7’ live bait rods, these will have a fast tip
Good cast net to catch nice big pogies and sometimes they may be deep so you need one that sinks fast.
Last summer we were catching them right as soon as we left the jetties in the shipping channel. I use downriggers and most of the bites seem to come on the deeper baits.
We just slow troll the shipping channel in and out and if they are there you will hook them, seems like most of our action last summer came around the 2nd and 3rd bouys out of the jetties.
If a shrimp boat comes by and you end up behind them hold on cause 9 tmes out of 10 you are going to hook a nice black tip, these are a lot of fun on 20lb test line.(I use 20lb test on most of my reels and this is plenty but I do have two new Avet’s spooled up with 65lb power pro that I am itching to try out)
Trust me if I can catch kings you can too, I do not get that much time in saltwater overall but this is one thing I enjoy and I am like a lot of people in that I do not venture out too far in my 21’ boat either.
I am thinking of adding a kite this year just to see how that works as well
We started catching them in mid June last year and they were also there when we cam back in July so I assume once the water temp warms up they move in to stay as long as the bait is there, hope so since I will not be down until mid July this year due to work schedule.
You can also drif
I agree with tprice on things used and things needed. We caught a good bit in the same place last year. All i have to use is tld25’s. they might be alittle big but they do the job just as good.
So far we have about 10 interested and at least 10 more on the plan. Good start, we started the Charlotte club with 5 members, got up to a high of about 130, now about 60 or so after 30 years, very sad! So many mistakes I can help prevent those for you guys, #1 is guys who DO NOT fish, can you believe that? We probably have about 50% of our club who don’t even fish, they just like to dream and eat fish at the meetings. Some wives come occasionally, and children, not many anymore since the club got so boring with speakers who aren’t interesting, and no money to pay good speakers. I will be glad to give a seminar, and the most interesting program I did was to have a cookout at the lake park and demo’d with the boats using bream for live bait, and showing new members on hand how to run lines, cast nets for bait, making rigs, using electronics, safety, etc. We’ll do that soon, so everyone help find a spot with docks, pit for cooking if needed, or we can bring snack food and of course a place that allows beer drinking. We meet at a seafood rest. private room for our meetings, if someone can check into that also, or a clubhouse to start. We also could rent school meeting halls, not church of course with fishing and beer drinking going together. Schools probably wouldn’t allow drinking on premises either, so someone may have a LARGE basement or home theatre room, too. My guess the first meeting will probably be 25-40 people. Also someone may know a hunting club that may have a clubhouse. When inviting new candidates be sure they are not SKA tournament guys or heavy King fisherman, because that means those guys DOMINATE all the winnings, and the leadership roles, and there goes the “fun only” aspect. I saw that element destroy our club, and you can’t help but get some of that; however there are plenty of local KM tournaments every week to keep those fishermen busy.You MUST keep this thing on a small scale money wise, or you’ll get charter captains and every kind participating. No slam against those guys, that
Follow-up on info: I’ve been busy, how ‘bout that in this economy? I still work 2-3 days a week. Since some guys may need help on eqpt. now, I’ll give info on that subject. tprice had some good stuff for sure on tackle, so I’ll talk a little on boat eqpt. and a few tackle things. First on tackle, #4 2x strong Eagle Claw treble hooks, I ONLY use 2hooks, some use 3. The reason being “less hardware, more bites”, especially inside 5 miles fish get more spooky. I like my hooks no more than 6" apart, also keep some 4" apart for smaller bait. Primary factor here is bait must SWIM even frozen cigar minnows. I typically like only 1 color, chartreuse, but black, pink and white work on some days too, for my skirts imean of course. I run most on skirts because I like Cigars better than pogies, because live bait can be problems at times, and I like quantity rather than size as my priority, for size go live bait definitely. I started out running 6 lines, now i run 4-5; 2 down, 2up 1 behind prop wash about 20’ or so depending on sea condition. If you are buying skirts King Buster brand 2-3 inches long if you can find them. Live bait should be run naked or without skirts, so they can breathe well. Use 3’ 30lb. or less tobacco colored wire leader attached to Coast-Lock swivels, NOT plain snap swivels, Sampo brand best. I like SMALL diameter line like Silver Thread which is 20lb. test/14lb. diameter. mono only for stretch, NOT braid, because KM need to be handled gently with treble hooks, their mouth is very tender. Reel should be lever drag, not star drag, again because gentle pressure. Lever drag limits your selection, as tprice said TLD means Triton Lever Drag, 15 will handle everything you need except maybe huge sharks, Barracuda, Amberjack. With that small reel you need small diameter line for large capacity too. As tprice said 7’ Power Stick or Ugly Stick, Ugly Stick has better warranty; VERY light tip with strong butt. All matching rods/reels looks sweet and keeps everything equal. I use 2-3-4 oz. egg
PS: If these rod/reel combos are too heavy for the budget use heavy spinning reels with medium spinning rods, with light tip.
Keep in mind that the information given, is not ALL a must have just to catch kingfish. Each of the things mentioned by Mac Daddy above will improve some part of your game, but if you are rigged somewhat different, or your equipment is somewhat different, you can get it as you go. Here is a link to an article on choosing king fishing rods and reels. This article was written by the best King fisherman I know. Other than this article, the site contains a lot of other usefull information.
One other thing. I am FAR from being a pro, but I learned from some of the best fishermen in the US. I am free most evenings (my family lives out of state), so if anyone wants to get together, I would be more than happy to show/teach anyone the basics of rigging for Kings. I am located in N Chas.
Kingfishing is like eating, it is soooo ■■■■ ez. I put a team together and in the second tourny won money.
“You are the offspring of 5 monkeys having But Secs with a retarded fish squirrel………. CONGRADULATIONS”!!!
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Originally posted by haz-r-dous1Kingfishing is like eating, it is soooo ■■■■ ez.
Well said and trust me if I can catch kings consistantly almost anyone can.
They are a blast to catch
By the way I do have a decent to cook them, it is called poor mans lobster
Just filet the fish and cut skinless meat into chunks. Get a pot of crab boil going just like you would for shrimp or crabs and drop the chunks in. Boil them a few minutes and scoop them out and dip in melted butter.
Not bad at all
Sea Pro 210cc
Yamaha 200 4 Stroke
Dodge 1500 4x4 HEMI
OK guys, didn’t take long to get on the subject of tournaments, as I expected. captstanman is light years ahead of us, thus the word novice; if tournaments are your goal, this should not be the club for you, unless the majority votes that way. If these suggestions and comments are allowed to take hold, this club’s leadership will concentrate on the pro aspect of king fishing, not novice and that will be the end of the “just for fun club”. So you guys decide what you want from the club, and take it in that direction. Just be aware this is the example I gave from the beginning posts of what CAN destroy your club, unless that priority is what you think you want. Short of it, where do you want to end up 1 year from now, pro or novice?