Squid, Slimie Mackerel and Yellowtail Scad (Yakkas) would be your most likely and readily
available baits
, though a live Bonito or Mac Tuna should not be overlooked. Where possible match the hatch! Catch the baits that the Kings are likely to feed on and present them as naturally as you can.
What is the best time to catch kingfish?
Kingfish tend to feed when there’s some current flowing. Hook-ups often occur with the first drop or two of a jig or livebait, before the fish become suspicious and the bite shuts down. Often there’s a good bite just before dusk and sometimes early in the morning, but bite times can occur any time during the day.
How deep do you catch kingfish?
Common from North Carolina to Brazil, they are a popular sport fish that are the target of a number of tournaments in various countries. They are found both inshore and offshore, out to a depth of about 600 feet (but more commonly in 50-150 feet).
How do you target kingfish?
Lures, live baits and well-presented dead baits are the most popular techniques employed to target kingfish. Fishers need to respect this powerful fish and use suitably heavy tackle as they have a well-known reputation for breaking gear, cutting lines on underwater obstacles and quickly escaping.
Do kingfish like
dirty water
?
Kingfish absolutely adore a bit of current, especially when the water temperature is up above 20C. Clean blue water is also important, but by no means essential, as they will still feed in dirty green water , but water movement is essential.
What Colour lures do kingfish like?
The bleeding mullet, fusilier, sardine and Holo Ghost Shad colours have proven themselves as kingfish favourites.
How much drag do you need for kingfish?
The reels also need to have
good drags
, offering at least 10-12kg of drag to help put the hurt on big kingfish. Again, you will need to tie an 80lb-120lb
mono leader
of approximately 10-15ft which is then connected straight to the solid,
hook ring
on the jig.
How do you catch kingfish from shore?
Sometimes, kingfish will swim closer to shore so you can catch them from a pier. When you’re setting up, attach a light hooked anchor to the end of another heavy fishing rod. Cast the anchor about 50–100 yards (46–91 m) out into the water and slowly reel it back toward you until the hooks catch on something.
How long should a kingfish leader be?
The length of the main leader is usually around 24 inches , just long enough to prevent a cut-off should the fish strike the head of the bait.
How fast do you troll for kingfish?
When targeting kingfish, we always troll a little bit slower than usual. For many species, 6-8 knots is fine. For kings, 3-5 knots seems to be the sweet spot.
What hooks to use for kingfish?
Rigging for kingfish requires wire leaders, as the fish sport formidable teeth, and kingfish rigs are typically simple affairs: a lead hook, often a J-hook, with one or more treble stinger hooks , which can be embedded near the bait’s tail or allowed to swing freely.
Do you need to bleed kingfish?
The heart will be situated directly behind the cut, and the blood will pump out in spectacular fashion. I suggest you place the fish upside down in a bucket as it bleeds out. A quick wash in sea water and it’s ready for the chilly bin. Trevally and kingfish will also benefit from this bleeding process.
What tides are best for kingfish?
High tide and the first two hours of the run out, early morning and late afternoon is when you will find them really feeding.
Do kingfish eat at night?
Yes they do A mate caught a nice king few night ago while fishing for tailor.
What bait do king mackerel eat?
Live bait fish work extremely well when fishing for king mackerel. Blue runners, sardines, herring, cigar minnows, and mullet are the top live bait fish. These bait fish are difficult to keep alive. Therefore, most anglers catch their bait fish the morning of the fishing trip using either a cast net or a Sibiki rig.
What water temperature do kingfish like?
“Kings prefer a temperature range of 68 to 73 degrees ,” he says. “But we always try to find the spots where warm water jams up against cooler water to form a temperature change of several degrees.
Do kingfish like cold water?
Water temperature is a big factor affecting the activity of kingfish. While they can commonly be caught in water temperatures around 16 degrees Celsius, often kings are sluggish in cool water Once the water warms to around 20 degrees or more the fish tend to fire up.
Who is the pound leader for kingfish?
Around 24-37kg gear is recommended, connected to around 3-5 metres of 37-45kg (80-100lb) trace This is a long leader, but it needs to be.
What is the best reel for kingfish?
Spinning reels from medium to large 4000-10000 are suitable for catching snapper and kingfish. A medium 4000 size reel is great for inshore lure fishing, while a large 10000 size spinning reel is better suited to fishing with bait for bigger kingfish and northern species like red emperor and coral trout.
Is 10kg drag enough for kingfish?
The BG range of reels are incredibly strong and robust. The 5000 BG has a drag capability up to 10kg so I recommend up to 8.5 to 9kg drag pressure max and 30 to 50lb braid.
Where do you gaff kingfish?
When you’re gaffing a fish, you want to bring the hook over the fish and pull it towards you. You also want to gaff them right behind the gills , which gives you more control over them. Also, be sure to keep the line and the gaff far away from each other if you don’t want to break the line and lose the fish.
Citations
https://www.fishing.net.nz/how-to-catch/kingfish/
https://www.reelcoquinafishing.com/blogs/florida-fishing-blog/fishing-for-kingfish-in-florida