# Need advice on fishing for kings



## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

I am going out Friday and going to try and troll for kings for the first time. Besides a duster rig what other sure fire ways can I land kings?


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## FLWhaler (Oct 1, 2007)

*Kings*

Dont discount drifting a live bait thrugh the pass on a balloon or even near the turning basin in the bay.


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## MOJOE15 (Sep 5, 2013)

Stretch 25s, planer boards or down rigger if u have one, speed between 5-7 mph, bump down to 4mph every once and while and speed back up


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

FLWhaler said:


> Dont discount drifting a live bait thrugh the pass on a balloon or even near the turning basin in the bay.


Ok now this might sound ignorant but where is the turning basin in the bay?


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

MOJOE15 said:


> Stretch 25s, planer boards or down rigger if u have one, speed between 5-7 mph, bump down to 4mph every once and while and speed back up


I do have a stretch 25 no planer boards or down rigger though. Thanks for the advice.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

We catch most of ours on natural baits drifting. Haven't been in a few weeks- not since the rain flushed all that fresh water into the gulf. Are they moving much close to shore now? I really need to get my wife hooked up with one (everyone else I've taken out has hooked one).


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

badonskybuccaneers said:


> We catch most of ours on natural baits drifting. Haven't been in a few weeks- not since the rain flushed all that fresh water into the gulf. Are they moving much close to shore now? I really need to get my wife hooked up with one (everyone else I've taken out has hooked one).


On that how far out should I go? I was planning on going to the last buoy out of the pass and head west. Is that a good plan or no?


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## TailRazor (Apr 25, 2011)

That's as good a plan as any or just anchor up just outside the pass and freeline if you want to save some gas. They were back at it last Saturday Mike and we haven't had rain since so it should be on.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

TailRazor said:


> That's as good a plan as any or just anchor up just outside the pass and freeline if you want to save some gas. They were back at it last Saturday Mike and we haven't had rain since so it should be on.


Sounds like a winner- thought about trying to get out Sat, might need to hook the wife up on one...


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

Should I even use the duster rig while freelining? Or just put some live bait out? I always like gas saving ideas with my gas hog.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

stunningham said:


> Should I even use the duster rig while freelining? Or just put some live bait out? I always like gas saving ideas with my gas hog.


i would try both


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

Definitely!


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## c_stowers (Jan 10, 2012)

I've had good luck free lining live baits just outside the pass. Use a balloon and set the bait 2-3 feet below the surface so ot looks good for the taking. It's important to make the balloon only the size of a softball though. I've had problems with kings dropping the bait if they feel too much resistance from the balloon.


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## TailRazor (Apr 25, 2011)

I'd throw a stinger/duster on either way as I've reeled in halves and heads on more then one occasion because is didn't.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Make you some king rings out of 40# 7 strand, a single size 1/0 live bait hook and two size 4 4x treble hooks (no duster). Catch some threadfins, spanish sardines and or cigs. Slow troll or drift. Id head east and troll over structure like the three barges, maybe bump on out to Paradise hole. Theyve been steady for me just about all summer from the yak.

If you dont have a down rigger pick you up some trolling weights and run about 7-8ft of fluro behind the weight. Since Im in a yak and cant go that fast and I couldnt find small enough trolling weights I took a few inches of fluro, a 2oz egg sinker and tied a swivel on either end and it works perfectly. Troll some baits deep and up top. This week Ive caught all of my good fish including todays blackfin on threadfin.


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## Disco (Aug 21, 2013)

JD7.62 said:


> Make you some king rings out of 40# 7 strand, a single size 1/0 live bait hook and two size 4 4x treble hooks (no duster). Catch some threadfins, spanish sardines and or cigs. Slow troll or drift. Id head east and troll over structure like the three barges, maybe bump on out to Paradise hole. Theyve been steady for me just about all summer from the yak.
> 
> If you dont have a down rigger pick you up some trolling weights and run about 7-8ft of fluro behind the weight. Since Im in a yak and cant go that fast and I couldnt find small enough trolling weights I took a few inches of fluro, a 2oz egg sinker and tied a swivel on either end and it works perfectly. Troll some baits deep and up top. This week Ive caught all of my good fish including todays blackfin on threadfin.



Man I cant picture the rig your describing. I too fish from a yak in the gulf and would love to hook up more often.

I did a google search and cant seem to get a definite pic of a "threadfin" do you have a pic?


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## Butler879 (Jun 18, 2012)

Can you share the numbers on the paradise hole? Seen it mentioned several times, but never seen the numbers. 

I have caught kings the past two weekends on free lined minheaden (no balloon). 6-7/O hooks no treble hooks. One near 3 barges and the other near the Russian freighter.


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## BlaineAtk (Jun 8, 2010)

Wirelessly posted

I may try free lining something when I go out. Never done it. How about live mullet?


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## flukedaddy (Apr 11, 2009)

stunningham said:


> On that how far out should I go? I was planning on going to the last buoy out of the pass and head west. Is that a good plan or no?


 
I say goto #1 buoy and drift in between with a good live bait one on a flyline and one down deeper with a weight in front of leader. Has always worked for me.


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## flukedaddy (Apr 11, 2009)

BlaineAtk said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> I may try free lining something when I go out. Never done it. How about live mullet?


Live mullet works good, but I found them a lil to quick sometimes, so I would trim the fins a lil to slowem down. I always liked menhaden and cigs


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## BlaineAtk (Jun 8, 2010)

Wirelessly posted

I'll try the cigs and stuff then. I don't need the extra trouble lol


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

We use a wire leader king set up. With a stinger treble hook- more times than not, the king gets hooked on the stinger- Cigar minnows work well for us. I'll even deploy one to drift while we are working a reef for bottom fish- no weights - just cast it out down current and let it sit there while you are working out the AJs-


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Last Kings I caught were by catch while jigging for AJs.


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

I think I am going to try freelining along with some trolling and maybe even a balloon rig. All great advice! Thanks to all!


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## stunningham (May 20, 2012)

Well today's trip was canceled so going to try monday morning for a little.


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