The king mackerel is a migratory species of gamefish caught along the Atlantic coast of the Americas. It ranges from Brazil to North Carolina. This fish is a fast, hard fighting fish, with razor sharp teeth. It also makes excellent table fare. King mackerel is a popular fish to target in the fishing rich waters off Florida from November to March.
In this article, The Outdoors Guy, Noah Van Hochman, outlines tips for baiting and rigging to successfully catch this highly prized fish.
King Mackerel, also called Kingfish make there way up and down the coast of Florida and depending upon where in the state you are, you can be pretty sure about what time of year the King Fish run in your area will take place. In the summer months the northern Gulf of Mexico and areas near the panhandle will have good numbers of fish, while during the winter months South Florida and the Keys are prime King Mackerel fishing regions.
These members of the Tuna family are great fighters and I can definitely confirm from my first ever King Mackerel hook up that they will peel line off your reel at an amazing speed. Because the are usually found in good numbers and in relatively shallow water (60-250’) off South East Florida’s reefs and wrecks, (the gulf side might require a bit more running to find deeper water and structure) they are a very popular quarry. Trolling and drifting baits are the most common methods to catch King Mackerel with live bait fishing being my favorite.
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Photos: Fishing Tips and Techniques for Beginners (top); The Outdoors Guy (above)
