Jimmy Lee Armel
Senior Member
You've been trolling for well over an hour. You three Spanish in the box well over five pounds and a twenty pound Cuda. But, that's not what you're here for. There have been a few knock downs (fish hits your bait or lure with no hookup) but there is a void in your soul. As you look back to assure your crickets (term I use for all live bait) are still swimming properly you see a huge top water explosion, your rod bends over and your TLD is screaming, dumping over 200 yds of live as you start turning the boat. Once you have the rod in your hand he now has 400 yds of line as you ease the boat in his direction trying to gain back the line this smoker just took from you. You see him on the surface 50 ft from the boat then he takes another 200 yd run. He gets just out of gaf range and takes another 150 yds. He does this, four times teasing you, but each run shorter than the last. Finally, you get him circling. He is two feet below the surface when you attack like a Spartan with your gaf. Violent, swift yet with the precision and confidence of someone that has done this countless times. The forty five pound king comes over the rail and into the box as you let out a battle cry that would strike fear into the heart of the most fierce of enemies. You thank the good Lord for blessing you with this fish, check your tackle and set it up for another pass as you're sweating, breathing heavily and covered in scales in blood. But, you're grinning ear to ear because you are king fishing and there is nothing like it in Southeast waters.
First and foremost is you have to have the proper gear for chasing kings. I like a 7 ft, 8-25 lb rated trolling rod matched with a TLD 15 spolled with 20 lb test mono. You want as thin as line as possible for two reasons. One, so you can pack a pile of it on there, and two, so the live bait can swim easier without the resistance of a larger diameter line. When fishing live bait I use #4 size wire leader with size 2 treble hooks attached to the mainline with any high quality (small as possible) swivel.
Bait is key when chasing kings. I read, heard and saw all summer long guys trolling with spoons, lures and jigs trying to catch kings. When there are acres of live bait to be found, they will not eat the metal or plastics as quickly. During the summer months and into the early fall, throw the net on schools of pogeys on the way out. Once you're at the killing fields keep a sabiki handy at all times. I catch every type of live bait i can. Greenies, horn bellys, sardines, anything that these joker might eat I put in the live well. I troll my live baits on the surface no faster than 2.3 kn as to ensure the bait stays alive as long as possible. When the live bait dissipates is when I take to the lures. I tie them with the same wire leader that I use for my stinger rigs. I fish one 110 ft behind the boat at 25-35 ft then the other in the prop wash at a depth of 15-20 ft. When trolling lures I have found that the speed range of 2.8-3.2 kn is what they seem to like although I have caught them of speeds up to 4.6 kn.
When fishing for kings I check the sonar constantly for bait balls or potential schools of smokers and of course, structure. Be careful fishing high relief structure when fishing diving lures so you don't snag the wreck and lose a twenty dollar lure. Don't get tunnel vision and isolate yourself to an isolated section of the reef or to the reef itself. I will go a mile or more off of the reef sometimes looking for them if I see birds working or bait on the surface. Have a trolling plan and adhere to it. Always be courteous of other fisherman and remember when hooked up that fish could be 1/4 mile from the boat so give the Captain plenty of room to maneuver his/her boat and stay clear of his line.
Hope this answers a few questions I've gotten. Please feel free to ask more. I'll refine this article as necessary. Have a great Christmas.
First and foremost is you have to have the proper gear for chasing kings. I like a 7 ft, 8-25 lb rated trolling rod matched with a TLD 15 spolled with 20 lb test mono. You want as thin as line as possible for two reasons. One, so you can pack a pile of it on there, and two, so the live bait can swim easier without the resistance of a larger diameter line. When fishing live bait I use #4 size wire leader with size 2 treble hooks attached to the mainline with any high quality (small as possible) swivel.
Bait is key when chasing kings. I read, heard and saw all summer long guys trolling with spoons, lures and jigs trying to catch kings. When there are acres of live bait to be found, they will not eat the metal or plastics as quickly. During the summer months and into the early fall, throw the net on schools of pogeys on the way out. Once you're at the killing fields keep a sabiki handy at all times. I catch every type of live bait i can. Greenies, horn bellys, sardines, anything that these joker might eat I put in the live well. I troll my live baits on the surface no faster than 2.3 kn as to ensure the bait stays alive as long as possible. When the live bait dissipates is when I take to the lures. I tie them with the same wire leader that I use for my stinger rigs. I fish one 110 ft behind the boat at 25-35 ft then the other in the prop wash at a depth of 15-20 ft. When trolling lures I have found that the speed range of 2.8-3.2 kn is what they seem to like although I have caught them of speeds up to 4.6 kn.
When fishing for kings I check the sonar constantly for bait balls or potential schools of smokers and of course, structure. Be careful fishing high relief structure when fishing diving lures so you don't snag the wreck and lose a twenty dollar lure. Don't get tunnel vision and isolate yourself to an isolated section of the reef or to the reef itself. I will go a mile or more off of the reef sometimes looking for them if I see birds working or bait on the surface. Have a trolling plan and adhere to it. Always be courteous of other fisherman and remember when hooked up that fish could be 1/4 mile from the boat so give the Captain plenty of room to maneuver his/her boat and stay clear of his line.
Hope this answers a few questions I've gotten. Please feel free to ask more. I'll refine this article as necessary. Have a great Christmas.
