Community Corner
Kingfish Making Early Fall Run
Kingfish already have been scattered through the Tampa Bay area, and this weekend's cold front could officially trigger the fall run of the king smoker.
King me.
Rather, king us.
Just off your area beaches, there have been reports of kingfish being caught.
Find out what's happening in Gulfportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The fish out there are an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mix – a ton of bait mixed in with Spanish mackerel, bonito, sharks, a few tarpon and, yes, king mackerel.
This weekend’s cold front could drop the water temperatures just enough to allow anglers to declare open season on the fall king mackerel run. The first week of October is a bit earlier than usual to usher in the kingfish. The run typically continues until the first major cold front around Thanksgiving.
Find out what's happening in Gulfportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In addition to nearshore waters, kings are at north Sunshine Skyway fishing piers.
“We’ve been getting kings for five, six days now,” said Jeff Medley on Thursday at the South pier bait shop. “They’re getting them on blue runners and small jacks.”
Ever hear people say, “Fishing’s not what it used to be”?
They’ll point to a black-and-white picture of a stringer of snook on the wall just to show you what you’re missing out on.
“Look at all them snook,” they say.
Sickening, really. Because it’s true.
Unless we look off the beaches.
In the mid-1970s, netters nearly wiped kingfish out. For about 15 years after, kings were sparse. But kings once again are spearing their way through our waters, thanks in part to better species management.
Anglers can head off the beaches and look for diving birds and pods of bait.
One setup is slow-trolling pods or reefs with about 500 yards of 30-pound braided line, plus 50 yards of monofilament top-shot for shock absorbance (to compensate for a kingfish’s acceleration.)
Keep your drag loose. Many anglers will tighten up the drag as kings peel off line, which only leads to pulled hooks and line breaks.
Attach a wire leader to the leader with a 1/0 to 3/0 hook in the nose of the bait, and, of course, a treble stinger.
Be rigged and ready for the smokers.
“After this cold front, next week I’m looking forward to a bunch of customers who want me to let them know when the kings are back,” said Capt. Bruce Burkhart of Casual Lies Fishing Charters. “This cold front should turn them on pretty good.”