# How to troll for kings?



## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Can you all give me some advice in regards to setting up for king fishing? It seems to me that big spoons and dead(?) cigar minnows at normal kayak speed is the best approach. What size hook do you use and how do you hook a cigar minnow to make it troll naturally in the water? It seems to me that it would be twirling around and look completely unnatural. Any advice is helpful, I've only fished for spanish with gotchas.

James


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## PAWGhunter (Feb 3, 2010)

Everyone has their own techniques, but I'll share what I do. I troll two lines. 

Line one has a artificial bait. I use a stretch 25+, Rapala redhead Countdown 18 Magnums(my favorite), big silver spoons, and other various king specific lures. I put 30" or so, of 45lb single strand leader in front...the kings I catch seem to smash the head of the lure.

Line two is either a frozen cigar minnow or a live cigar(whatever I have at the time). Trolling a frozen cig can be tricky, but once you set it up right and tweak it, the cig will look naturalish and not roll. Just make sure before you let out your line that it is swimming right. A live cig is a little easier, I just hook the stinger through the mouth of the minnow and let the two trailing trebles run free. The king will hook themselves all up in the trebles once hooked. I make king rigs with heavy pointed jigheads as stingers, so that helps the bait stay straight.

Troll as slow as you can, but stay moving. I let my lines about 25yds out and peddle ssslllloooowwww. Loosen drag if you aren't using a reel with a auto bait feeding switch, cause the first run they make is unreal! Good luck.

Jake


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## eodsteve (Mar 7, 2011)

I just go out and sabiki up a few cigars then use #4 trolling wire about 18" in length give or take and a small treble hook . I throw out the bait and start paddling and counting to about 80 then flip over the bail and just paddle around until I hear that zing!


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## Texas9 (Feb 1, 2012)

I like a number 2 treble hook through his eyes. An artificial that works well is a bomber super pogy.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks for the info. I hope to give it a try on Sunday


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

What other fish do you unintentionally catch on the frozen cigar? Sharks? Big spanish? Bobos?


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## PAWGhunter (Feb 3, 2010)

I usually just catch sharks unintentionally.


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## nathan70 (Jul 12, 2011)

Big spanish for sure can be caught on cigs. Watch out for small kings, just look at the lat. lines.


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