# Kings



## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

Anyone see any kings near shore yet? If not I'll let you know after Saturday. Just wondering if they've moved in yet with the warm water. 


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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

They've been catching some off Chokaloosa pier.


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

kingfish501 said:


> They've been catching some off Chokaloosa pier.




What do you recommend for rod/reel. I've been looking at either the TLD15 or penn squal 40. Anything else out there?


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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

Sorry, but my trolling rigs are old like me. I still use a Mitchell 624 and an old Daiwa Sealine on 30# rods . Normally, I use spinning gear for kings and from a boat, we do gun and runs to schools of bait or anchor on someting like the Massachusetts to fish kings.


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## Diggety (Dec 31, 2016)

I went out looking for them about a week ago but only got myself skunked. Hopefully any day now...

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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

MillerLight21 said:


> What do you recommend for rod/reel. I've been looking at either the TLD15 or penn squal 40. Anything else out there?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Shimano Saragosa 6000 loaded with 30lb braid.... no need for conventional reel unless you plan on trolling, even then its not needed. The Outcast bait and tackle Cobia Rods makes for a great free line King Rod/setup*

Although if you really want a conventional reel look into the Speedmasters 

I have yet to catch a King this year.... wont be long though.

Good luck

Edit: nothing wrong witha squall or TLD..... if you really want a king look for clean water at the edge some folks are catching them**


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

They've landed two at the Gulf Shores state pier.... one over 30.

I'm so ready to troll....


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

Stoker1 said:


> They've landed two at the Gulf Shores state pier.... one over 30.
> 
> I'm so ready to troll....




I'm debating on a new penn 6000 or a tld15 as we speak. See you out there! 


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

Stoker1 said:


> They've landed two at the Gulf Shores state pier.... one over 30.
> 
> I'm so ready to troll....







I'm debating on a new penn 6000 or a tld15 as we speak. See you out there! 


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

MillerLight21 said:


> I'm debating on a new penn 6000 or a tld15 as we speak. See you out there!


I'm one year experienced with trolling and use everything from Senators to Battle 6000s. All work well but I think the spinning reels are little more versatile in that you can cast if needed (which I prefer).


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

go with the tld 15


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

cody&ryand said:


> go with the tld 15




Thoughts on why?


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

conventionals to me are way easier to use while trolling and have less line twist. and the lever drag makes it easier to adjust drag while fighting a fish. there is a reason why people that tournament fish for kings use conventional reels over spinning and the tld line is the choice of many.


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

cody&ryand said:


> conventionals to me are way easier to use while trolling and have less line twist. and the lever drag makes it easier to adjust drag while fighting a fish. there is a reason why people that tournament fish for kings use conventional reels over spinning and the tld line is the choice of many.




So why the smaller 15 and not a 20 or 25?


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

you can use a bigger size not a must just personal preference. I was just commenting on the 15 because that is what you were looking at. the 15 should hold plenty of line but if you are worried about that go up a size or back the reel with braid that's all up to you. the drag on the 15 is more then enough for kings


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## Jgatorman (Jun 8, 2013)

I use Penn 4500LL's with 300 yds of 20lb braid however the Penn Live liners can be difficult on corrosion protection. kings are so much more fun on light tackle , and with 300yds of 20lb not much you can't catch on a kayak while trolling . This was April of 2016 PS Sorry for pic repost but damn at least it is a good one : )


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

Jgatorman said:


> I use Penn 4500LL's with 300 yds of 20lb braid however the Penn Live liners can be difficult on corrosion protection. kings are so much more fun on light tackle , and with 300yds of 20lb not much you can't catch on a kayak while trolling . This was April of 2016 PS Sorry for pic repost but damn at least it is a good one : )


X2 ...... it's hard to beat a 40"+ king on light tackle!!


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## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

I like the Speedmasters. They're relatively cheap, hold a mile of line and most importantly have a 6:1 ratio that hauls in those fast moving fish.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

iJabo said:


> I like the Speedmasters. They're relatively cheap, hold a mile of line and most importantly have a 6:1 ratio that hauls in those fast moving fish.


reel is similar to the tld series but star drag and a little faster retrieve if I am not mistaken. and I agree excellent reels for kinds


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

"The Twins!" By Penn- 
I know where to get my kings. :whistling:


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

I'm going out tomorrow for a few hours with my little one. Probably troll the mass and stroll the beach real quick. If anyone's interested let me know. 


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

MillerLight21 said:


> I'm going out tomorrow for a few hours with my little one. Probably troll the mass and stroll the beach real quick. If anyone's interested let me know.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Well?? How'd it go?


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

EricVF said:


> Well?? How'd it go?




Ended up going out Friday. Went to the Mass and trolled around for about 30 min before heading back inside the pass. No wind but had a pretty good swell out there. No bites outside. In big lagoon I lost 2 Spanish. 1 cleaned me of a nice jig, barely even felt him. Second one broke off my Clark spoon. I wasn't using any wire leader inside the pass. 


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

Hit Orange Beach yesterday morning and a single Spanish. Water temp got up to almost 73 degrees when we left at 11 o’clock. Trolled over the pyramids south of the pier and then worked our way in closer. Still learning this game and any help is appreciated. My typical spread includes the following:

Two rods - high/low to cover various depths (stretch lures and a bomber for the upper column)

18-24 inches of 40lb single strand leader to lure, barrel swivel to line

Speed - between 4 and 6 mph. 
I keep an eye on the rod tips to make sure they’re throbbing from the lure action and try to keep the speed in that range.

Help....


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

Stoker1 said:


> Hit Orange Beach yesterday morning and a single Spanish. Water temp got up to almost 73 degrees when we left at 11 o’clock. Trolled over the pyramids south of the pier and then worked our way in closer. Still learning this game and any help is appreciated. My typical spread includes the following:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I hear under 3 knots is best... but hey I got skunked too so... definitely didn't see any bait off the beach so that may be an issue as well


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

Under 3 knots = 3.5 mph. which is just a tick over what my boat idles at.

Before deploying the lures, I like to see them run off the side for a second or two. That speed just seems terribly slow for lipped trolling lures such as a Stretch or X-Rap. I could see it for running a cigar minnow behind a skirt?????????

Yes, loads of ???? not intended to be a smart azz, just overly anxious to become proficient at this up to about 6 miles out.


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## MillerLight21 (Aug 9, 2010)

I'm right there with you. New boat = new to the game


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## sabanist (Mar 28, 2015)

Went trolling for kings while looking for cobia. No joy. Did find this massive school of rays about 2 miles east of pensacola pass. We chased it and cast to it for a bit thinking some cobia HAVE to be under it. Nope. 

Anyway, eventually we just hit a bottom fishing wreck and caught a HUGE snapper. But no keepers.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

I imagine they'll be showing up at the 12 mile buoy soon!


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## Fotiounce (Mar 21, 2017)

Been trolling for kings for years off the Carolina coast. Always used speedmaters ( don't believe they sell them anymore) with 20lb camo mono. Live Pogies for bait. The slower the better( just put the boat in gear) just moved to Alabama a few years back and we have updated our reels to torium 30's and one left over speedmaster we have. Using pink ande mono now because the water is clearer and cleaner than where I was previously. The torium 30 has the same drag as the 20 just more line capacity. If you can't use live bait I would go with a dead cigar still trolling very slow. Sorry if I'm rambling I'm sitting in the doctors office.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Fotiounce said:


> Been trolling for kings for years off the Carolina coast. Always used speedmaters ( don't believe they sell them anymore) with 20lb camo mono. Live Pogies for bait. The slower the better( just put the boat in gear) just moved to Alabama a few years back and we have updated our reels to torium 30's and one left over speedmaster we have. Using pink ande mono now because the water is clearer and cleaner than where I was previously. The torium 30 has the same drag as the 20 just more line capacity. If you can't use live bait I would go with a dead cigar still trolling very slow. Sorry if I'm rambling I'm sitting in the doctors office.


Don worry- ramble on... I do the same on my slow days (which are few and far between- lol).


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Fotiounce said:


> Been trolling for kings for years off the Carolina coast. Always used speedmaters ( don't believe they sell them anymore) with 20lb camo mono. Live Pogies for bait. The slower the better( just put the boat in gear) just moved to Alabama a few years back and we have updated our reels to torium 30's and one left over speedmaster we have. Using pink ande mono now because the water is clearer and cleaner than where I was previously. The torium 30 has the same drag as the 20 just more line capacity. If you can't use live bait I would go with a dead cigar still trolling very slow. Sorry if I'm rambling I'm sitting in the doctors office.




This. Live bait, live bait, live bait. And when you can't find live bait, look harder. You'd be surprised what a king will crush. Obviously they love threadfins, cigar minnows, hardtails and such but will crush a ruby, Mingo, porgy, and other reef fish just as quick. A big king has been around a few years. He has seen some lures and rigs. Light wire, small trebles, light drag. Get the hook in him and run him down. Highly recommend mono, braid will result
In more pulled hooks than mono. Often you will catch one that is barely hooked, if you are doing it right.


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## Fotiounce (Mar 21, 2017)

sniperpeeps said:


> This. Live bait, live bait, live bait. And when you can't find live bait, look harder. You'd be surprised what a king will crush. Obviously they love threadfins, cigar minnows, hardtails and such but will crush a ruby, Mingo, porgy, and other reef fish just as quick. A big king has been around a few years. He has seen some lures and rigs. Light wire, small trebles, light drag. Get the hook in him and run him down. Highly recommend mono, braid will result
> In more pulled hooks than mono. Often you will catch one that is barely hooked, if you are doing it right.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agreed! Mono Is the only way to go. Plenty of forgiveness and yes chase the big ones down! Throw a pin fish on a flat line with a balloon while bottom fishing about 60-70 yards off the boat. If they're around and biting you'll surely get a strike on that. I've always been big on a good chum slick as well. Keep some bait from the trip before and freeze it. Throw it in the back corner of your transom when your headed out so it can thaw. When it does have the newest guy on the boat start cutting it up or preferably use a grinder if you have one and toss it in.


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