Fall Southbound Kingfish run off of W. Central FL

[Attitude Adjustment]

Rumor has it that the fall kingfish run is stongest around the month of November around Tampa & Anna Maria Island.

Any tips/tricks/location suggestions would be much appreciated. I've only chased kingfish on the east coast of FL in the past, and could use the coaching.

 

[jekyl]

If your Kingfish are what we call Spanish Mackerel I can give you some hints ie. large (horse ballyhoo) or else ribbon fish (wolf herring) on ganged hooks with heavy weights up front to get them down and we like to use a downrigger as well and let the baits drop onto the bait school as you troll slowly forward.
Alternatively large minnows that get down around 3-6 meters and find the bait.....usually on the pressure side of structure........trolling no faster than 5 knots.
If they are not Spanish Mackerel...........well I don't know.


Cheers from OZ

 

[Attitude Adjustment]

I appreciate the response...but Kings and Spanish are VERY different in size. Most tournament-winning Kingfish around Florida are over 35#.

Shouldn't you be shark fishing down there?

 

[jekyl]

There are some who shark fish....mostly inthe colder southern regions. Up here in the tropics it's billfish season for the next 6 months with current size around 30- 60 lbs on 12lb line in tournaments and then the heavy tackle starts with 130lb line and 300-1000=lb fish.
Our Spanish Mackeral range from 10lbs to monsters of 70 lb average is about 30lbs i guess.