Light-Tackle King Mackerel Techniques

It's summer and the only thing missing as you watch a fleet of small skiffs and bay boats ply through the relative safety of the jetties and into the deep-blue is Wagner's Flight of the Valkyrie and Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore leaning out of a t-top screaming, "Charlie don't surf." As blue water pushes in close to the beach and gravid female kingfish move in with it to get a little loving and propagate the species, the small boat armada is there to greet them, and as with the best of any Apocalypse Now comparison, the ensuing battle scenes are tight and filled with small arms battles that leave the combatants bruised, sore, and full of well-seasoned war stories.

As amazing as it may seem to most, the small boat flotilla is armed, most times, with the same arms they use in the bays for reds and trout--plus a few requisite wire leaders. Captain Pete Martinez of Port Mansfield adds:

"During the summer I rig two types of topwaters. My everyday treble hook Spooks and Spook jrs, but I also rig another set of the same topwaters with single 3/0 hooks and wire leaders."

Captain Pete starts the days early on the beachfront looking for tarpon, bonito, and kings before moving into the bay for trout and reds.

"The kings are easy to find," Captain Ted Springer says. "I like to look for a color change where the water goes from a chocolate brown to offshore blue."

Baitfish and temperature changes frequent these changes and gravid females and courting beau kingfish work the change looking for easy meals.

"Look for the birds working the change," Captain Bruce Shuler says. "I typically like to find the birds that are working high and moving parallel to the color line."

Captain Springer and Shuler agree with Captain Pete on the type of tackle.

Springer says, "I watch a lot of guys throwing cut ribbon fish, spoons, and jigs and they get frustrated. They start moving and repositioning looking for fish and switching bait almost every other cast: topwater--topwaters are the only way to go."

Typically, predator fishes like kings and bigger jacks, unless they have a tightly packed baitball trapped on the surface, stay low and prowl for larger baitfish in the middle or lower water column. That's the reason for the high flying birds Shuler describes: think about the visual acuity a casting or polling platforms affords anglers; it's the same for a bird--the higher the better. Anglers employing a jig or spoon and cut bait may also miss one of the key components they need to get the fish looking their direction: noise. A large topwater makes a big noise and once an opportunistic predator like a king senses and keys in on an injured prey the visuals and battles are simply breathe taking.

The best tackle for a nearshore king is a medium-heavy to heavy action rod with a larger diameter spinning or bait-casting reel: one great option is the Shakespeare Tiger Rod with a Pflueger 5600. For spooling options, 20 to 30 pound braid is your best beat with a 40 to 60 pound wire leader. The action is fast and furious and breakoffs are common place depending on the angler's ability level. To thwart rigging time, Norman fast clips are an anglers best friend when three rods are in the water and two breakoff simultaneously. It may take some searching at your local Academy, but they typically stock them with the swivels and split rings.

There are few things as rewarding as catching a 35-pound king fish on your favorite trout rod. Besides the fun, it also teaches you how to maximize the use of your reel and the rod's fighting capabilities: picture it has heavy-weight training for the upcoming trophy-trout season. The action and the fight are well worth the bouncing and soaking you'll get on the beachfront. So get out there and stamp a few kings with "Kilgore was here."