Mack fishing?

I always just anchored up at the North jetty and floated mullet or Big haden and did pretty good.This year I decided to troll for macks and just got a Penn downrigger.Never used a rigger before but I know how too.I used witches years ago and did get a few trolling.Caught a couple on a big drone spoon also.Have not King Mack fished in about 15 years.Question whats new for trolling.Nephew gave me a mess of plugs He said will work.I need a pro to run with me one time.Any takers?:smiley:

i am by no means a pro but i can tell you those big lures work… i use a “bonito” lure… it is like a 10 inch rattle trap… alot of the kings i have caught this winter were on that lure

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I live bait most of the time.I did hook up with two in Ft Myers 2 years ago.We were after tarpon and Nephew was hooked up and i also hooked up but with a king.I have a mess of stretchs and some other plugs i want to try.

Stonoman

we live bait mostly also… the bigger fish tend to hit live baits but you will get plenty of action trolling spoons, lures and stirp bait behind a sea witch…

sisko kid

Marshtacky Sportfishing
843-384-7790
Capt.Zack Lynam

I have maybe 30 plugs some used that the nephew gave me.Teeth marks all over some of them.I will have to replace hooks on a lot of them.They look like he drug them down the road.:smiley:

Stonoman

I am also not a pro but have fished many many King tourny’s. The Bait-o-matic is a great lure to use. There very hard to find but if you can get your hands on it grab them up. There also great for dolphin a little farther off shore.There easy to use and great to start off with. Ballyhoo and cigar minnow pulled with skirt will catch fish. The bigger fish are always however gonna come from ur slow live bait fishing with pogies or whatever.

29 Sailfish
“catch em up”

Neill Newon

What is a good depth to catch king Mackerel in? Is 30 feet enough?

I hooked one 3 years ago right off Botney isle.7 foot of water but it got off on the first jump.I drifted some small manhaden into a small school of spanish i saw.One shot and everything hauled arse.:smiley:

Stonoman

Easiest and cheapest thing for me is a Mann’s “Stretch 25+” plug probably like the ones you were given by your nephew. They are about 8 or 9 in. long and cost 8 bucks or less on sale. Get over any good live bottom or near the reefs in the summer and just put 2 or 3 straight out the back of the bote. No downrigger or bait rigging required; they will get down to the fish on their own. Set the drags heavy, and the bote will set the hook for you. Use a small length of wire leader to keep from being cut off. I have not had any cut offs using these plugs trolled at med-high speed using fluro leader… I figure it’s only a matter of time before one overshoots and cuts one off though.
I like to use these plugs instead of skirt rigs because they are so much faster to rig up and throw out if you come across birds or see a bunch of stuff on the sonar. They pick up the fish quickly too even if they were on top and then sounded when you ran up on them.

Luke 8:22-25
“Miss Phin” Aquasport Osprey 170 w/Johnson 90

quote:
Originally posted by Pescador16

What is a good depth to catch king Mackerel in? Is 30 feet enough?


Usually 20-30 down in 70-80’ water is where we have the best luck late in the summer for the bigger ones. This is with the plugs I was talking about above and also using planers and cheapo skirts w/ cigar minnows or ballyhoo. I have not fished very close in for kings, so I don’t know if you’d need to go that deep in shallower water.

Luke 8:22-25
“Miss Phin” Aquasport Osprey 170 w/Johnson 90

Would you be able to catch a few miles off from the shore?

Yes you can catch anything… look at those guys in nc this year caught a blue fin tuna in 3 ft of water on a carolina skiff… what he is trying to say is that your chances are much better in 70-130 ft of water around structure… but you can catch them closer in when the bait is in…

quote:
Originally posted by Pescador16

Would you be able to catch a few miles off from the shore?


Yes.

I have several stretches.What color did you like?

Stonoman

quote:
Originally posted by stonoman

I have several stretches.What color did you like?

Stonoman


The silver with blue back and silver with black back.

Luke 8:22-25
“Miss Phin” Aquasport Osprey 170 w/Johnson 90

Just curious but has anyone ever tried umbrella rigs for Kings??

We use them a lot for stripers on the lakes around here and the guys that make them (Capt Mack Farr) says they are killers on kings??

1999 Sea Pro 210cc
Suzuki 225 EFI

Stono man, we always did well with drone spoons trolled over hard bottom sometimes with a split bonita belly for a trailer. We used planers or wire line. I guess I’m a little behind the times, but I don’t think the fish care. For big kings nothing beats drifting with a large Pin Fish as you probably know. I appreciate your updates and info by the way.

Tprice, I have heard the same thing. Bought a couple umbrella rigs last year and tried to run them, but didn’t have the right equipment - also kind of hard to run them in a spread behind a small CC. Seems like they should work, or at least be good as a teaser/dredge.

I fished with a guy years ago that had all the bells and whistles on board.14 hours on the water and 1 small king.The Next week a Wed I went alone to the north Jetty and caught 5 released all.One was about a 30 pounder.All hit big finger mullet.Caught them in 3 hours.Came back with two friends the next day and fished for 8 hours and got squat???:smiley::smiley:

Stonoman