A boat length astern, the live bait quietly swimming in pace with the boat becomes very agitated, doing its best to imitate a bird. Suddenly a 4-foot long silvery shape launches itself straight up, more than six feet into the air, and lands head first on the hapless bait. A second later the starboard reel screams as line tears off at a furious pace. Pandemonium erupts, and a lucky angler shouts, "Fish on!" as he grabs the bucking rod. Meanwhile, his buddies scramble to recover the other baits. All the angler can do for now is hang on, and watch line melt off his reel, until the other lines are cleared and the boat's engine started. Then he works his way to the bow and the chase begins.
Five minutes later, with over 100 yards of line recovered, everything goes slack. With a cry of, "He's comin' at us!" the angler furiously reels in line. For what seems like forever all he recovers is slack line. Nearly all the line gets back on the spool, and it seem like the fish has won its freedom. Suddenly the line comes up tight and hums as it cuts a frothy arc through the water just in front of the bow. Again the reel screams and line melts away. Once more the fish is chased down. Then follow two more such runs, each shorter than the last.
Finally the big fish changes tactics. It hunkers down deep and swims in lazy circles. In response, the captain spins the boat -- like he's doing a waltz with the fish -- to keep the fish positioned just off the port bow. The dance continues for twenty minutes, until the fish finally comes to the surface. Now everyone can see that it's a smoker king, big and silvery. The exhausted kingfish sees someone's movement on the boat and makes one last run of 20 yards before it's finally brought to gaff. At 4 feet and 30 pounds, it's a trophy by anyone's standards, especially since it was landed on 15 pound tackle.
The king mackerel, or kingfish, is arguably the premier large gamefish in the Big Bend region north of Crystal River, and scenes like this one will be repeated hundreds of time each spring and autumn. The run of kings that passes through the Big Bend twice each year is eagerly awaited by anglers as well as by those who service the kingfish fleet with boats, gas, bait, ice, food, drink, and hotel rooms.
Kingfish are most abundant in the Big Bend during the spring and autumn runs, scarce in summer, and absent in winter. In April and May large schools of kingfish migrate northward as water temperatures warm up past 70 degrees. During summer kings are scarce, and those that are caught usually are an accidental catch made by grouper fishermen working the deeper offshore waters (55 feet or more). As the weather cools in the autumn, schools of kings appear once again, this time migrating southward between late September and early November. Kings are absent from Big Bend waters between mid November and late March, when water temperatures are below 65 degrees.
Kingfish schools cruise areas of hard bottom in offshore waters from 20 feet deep on out. Best known areas include Cedar Key's Kingfish Hole (Loran: 14386.3/45448.0; GPS: 28-59.93 N/83-08.18 W) and Suwannee's Spotty Bottom (Loran: 14410.5/45460.1; GPS: 29-14.5 N/83-19.4W), but kings can be found anywhere there is bait.
Most Big Bend anglers catch kings by slow-trolling or drifting live baits in a chum line. Slow trolling means a speed of 1 to 1.5 knots. Use a small auxiliary engine or only one of a pair of engines. Boats with a single large engine need to drag a big bucket or sea anchor, or "bump" in and out of gear, to hold their speed down. If there is a little breeze, slow troll upwind and drift downwind. Trolling dead baits at somewhat faster speeds (2-4 knots) is the second most popular method, and a few anglers catch kings by trolling artificials, including spoons and large, big-lipped plugs such as Magnum Rapalas.
The best anglers do not limit themselves to any one method. Instead, they use which ever method is best suited to current conditions. Slow trolling or drifting live baits works best when winds are light. When wind speeds exceed 10 knots, or when the schools are scattered, anglers may switch to trolling dead baits. The faster trolling speed used with dead baits gives better control the boat under windier conditions and helps find scattered schools faster by covering more ground. In the latter case a switch is made to the more productive live baits once a school of kingfish is located.
At the beginning of the spring or (end of the autumn) kingfish run, anglers may troll dead baits on flat lines and big plugs on downriggers. This gives them a good shot at catching both grouper and kings. Once they determine which species is biting best, they switch to a more appropriate method. In addition to catching grouper, anglers targeting kingfish often land large (4 to 6 pound) spanish mackerel as a bonus, especially at Spotty bottom or the Kingfish Hole. Other species less commonly encountered while trolling for kings in the Big Bend include little tunny, barracuda, cobia, sharks, amberjack, and big redfish.
Kingfish are toothy critters, so a wire leader is a must. However, kingfish are sharp-eyed critters, so light tackle leads to a lot more strikes. The favorite rig for trolling live and dead baits in the Big Bend consists of a pair of 4X strong #4 or #6 bronze treble hooks attached to single strand wire testing 30-40 lbs. Heavier wire reduces the frequency of strikes. A typical wire kingfish rig consists of a 12-18 inch leader (from eye loop to the first treble hook) with the spacing between the two hooks sized to the length of the bait. Since most Big Bend fishermen troll dead cigar minnows, live "white baits" (cigar minnows, scaled sardines, etc), blue runners, or even pinfish, hooks are spaced from 3 to 6 inches apart. The night before a trip, experienced fishermen make up several wire kingfish rigs with different hook spacings. They also sharpen every hook to a deadly point -- one that easily catches when lightly dragged across your fingernail.
Because the small hooks used in a typical kingfish rig are prone to pulling out, a problem further aggravated by the high frequency of hook-ups on the outside of a kingfish's face, smooth-running, lightly set drags (not more than 4 lbs pressure) and flexible, soft-tipped rods are a must. Seven foot, 12-25 lb class live bait rods, 2/0 or 3/0 lever drag reels, and 15-20 lb test line with 40-50 lb shock leaders are typical rigs. Few reels are better matched to Big Bend kingfish than Shimano's now-discontinued TLD-10. Fortunately this reel has been reincarnated, with the addition of a level wind, as the Shimano Charter Special. Also popular are the 3/0 sized TLD-15 and Penn GLS 25 lever drags, but any good conventional reel having a high-quality drag and holding 300 yards or more of 15-lb line will do. Spinning tackle will work, but the long runs of a freshly hooked kingfish will badly twist the line.
Live baits are caught from bait pods on the kingfish grounds, the "Hook" of Seahorse Reef, or offshore navigation markers such as the Steel Tower or Whistle Buoy. The Sabiki Aurora is the most effective, if pricy, of the various multi-hooked bait rigs. These are used with medium weight spinning or bait casting tackle. Simply unspool the rig from its package, attach the line to one end and a 1 ounce or heavier sinker to the other. Lighter sinkers may allow the active baits, such as big cigar minnows or blue runners, to make a horrible snarl of the bait rig following a hook-up. Cast into any bait pods you see on the surface or submerged pods that show up on your fish finder. When you feel a hook-up, do not retrieve the line at once. Allow it to remain with the bait pod so that more baits will hook up. A skilled bait-catcher often retrieves 4 to 6 baits with each cast. A good live well, with lots of water flow, keeps the baits frisky for an entire day of fishing. Frozen cigar minnows make the best dead baits. Other species, particularly Spanish sardines, do not troll well and are prone to spin. Some people troll ballyhoo or carefully rigged mullet, especially now that Florida's net ban has driven up the price of frozen cigar minnows threefold.
Live baits usually are trolled naked or with a very small "duster" to add a little flash. Dead baits should have larger dusters, such as a Sea Witch or Little Stubby, to add flash and help control spin. A typical spread of trolled baits consists of a short flat line run a boat-length or so back, another twice that far back, and two more outside lines staggered even farther back. The outside lines may be run from outriggers, but more and more fishermen have replaced outriggers with horizontally aimed rod holders mounted on T-tops or hard-tops. With 7-foot rods, this arrangement gives nearly as much spread as outriggers with a lot less hassle. A safety line attached to the reel is a good idea since a kingfish running straight abeam might pull a rod out of a horizontal holder.
If downriggers are available, one (and sometimes two) of the inner pair of baits are put down at various depths. A down rigger often is the difference between getting a limit and getting skunked, especially when the bright mid day sun drives the fish down deep. For those on a budget, a serviceable down rigger can be made by attaching a 5-lb down rigger ball to 75 feet of 300 lb test nylon seine line. Mark the line at 10 foot intervals with a ring of nail polish -- one ring for 10 feed, two for 20 feet, etc. To use it, simply let out the ball with attached line to the desired depth and cleat it off. Regardless of the outriggers and downriggers in use, at least one bait is always trolled at the surface close astern. Most fishermen troll a spread of 4 baits, but some put out 5 or 6 baits when they use downriggers and have plenty of help aboard to deal with multiple hook-ups.
After a kingfish strikes, it immediately takes off on a long, high-speed run, often for a 100 yards or more. The lucky angler should do nothing at this point but hold on, keeping the rod near vertical, while his buddies retrieve the other lines and any down rigger balls. Do not try to "set the hook" after the strike. The violent strike already has done that work for you, and all you are likely to do is pull the hooks out. After the first run stops, always keep some pressure on the fish, and a little bend in the rod, so that lightly set hooks won't fall out. By then your buddies should have cranked the engine and started maneuvering the boat towards the fish to help you recover line. Be ready to reel furiously if the king takes a new run towards the boat. Often it seems like the fish suddenly got off at the end of that first long run. Keep cranking and don't give up. Usually you will find that he is still there when you recover all the slack line. A big "smoker" kingfish makes several runs, each shorter than the last, whereas a small "snake" usually exhausts itself after a single run.
Once a kingfish quits running, the fight isn't over. A king's next tactic is to dive down and circle under the boat. With a big king, this may go on for 15 minutes or more. A smart captain will spin the boat with the fish, always keeping the kingfish to one side or the other until it's ready to gaff. Be very careful at this point. Resist the temptation to put more pressure on the fish and hurry it as the end approaches -- many kings are lost when the hooks pull out at boat side. To help lift a deep diving fish to the surface for gaffing, experienced kingfishermen will add a pound or so of drag by gently thumbing the line against the fore grip of the rod, but they quickly release the extra pressure at any sign of increased activity by the fish. Remember that as line is recovered, and especially when the shock leader reaches the rod tip, a lot of stretch and forgiveness is eliminated from the system. Be prepared to drop the rod tip if the fish suddenly lunges at boat side, but never, never let all the bend go out of the rod either, or the hooks may simply fall out.
Once the kingfish is exhausted, you can either gaff it or release it. If you plan to keep the fish, a gaff is the best way to boat it. Just be sure you gaff a big king forward of its middle, not behind, or you may take an unexpected swim when a big smoker takes off. If you plan to release the king, try to knock out any superficially attached hooks with the gaff while the fish is still in the water. If the king is hooked inside the mouth, you can land him unharmed if you grab him by the base of the tail. Wet your hands (and gloves) before doing this and get the hooks out quickly. Kingfish do not tolerate handling well, so speed and gentle handling are important for any that you intend to release. Finally, be sure to thoroughly ice down any that you keep since big kings quickly spoil.
Cleaning a kingfish is easy. First, rinse the fish thoroughly with a strong stream of water from a hose. This effectively scales it. The smaller "snakes" then can be filleted. Larger "smokers" are best steaked. To steak a king, slice it crosswise into 3/4 inch thick steaks with a sharp, stout knife. It helps to use a hacksaw to cut through the backbone. This results in less squashing of the meat than simply hacking your way through with a knife. The last 1/3 of the fish can be filleted once the steaks become too small.
Kingfish is not the most tasty of fish. It has an oily flesh not very suitable for frying. Kings are best broiled, grilled or smoked. Most people rate the flavor as "acceptable, but by no means great." The flavor is improved by various marinades, of which Italian salad dressing is the most popular. The meat should be eaten promptly since it does not freeze well unless smoked. It is probably best to share a big kingfish with all your friends, so they can enjoy it fresh, because you certainly won't enjoy kingfish steaks after they have been in the freezer for a couple of months. However, some people claim that kingfish steaks, or fillets, will keep for several months if frozen in a marinade of Italian salad dressing.
Frank Sargent, outdoors editor for the Tampa Tribune, has written The OMC Kingfish Book (Sun Communications, Ruskin, FL). Frank's book is focused on Florida Gulf coast fishing for both schoolies and big smokers. It even includes a great chapter on catching Spanish mackerel as well as some more kingfish recipes.
Vic Dunaway's From Hook to Table (Wickstrom Publishers, Inc., Miami) also has many recipes suitable for kings. In addition, Vic explains how to steak and smoke your catch.