# Depressing report, frustrated, need help, etc, etc....



## willjal (Jul 6, 2011)

First a little background. 

Finally talked my father into buying a boat for us to use when we visit Gulf Shores. After several months of shopping, negotiating, back and forth, yes, no, maybe, he finally settled on an 18' Frontier center console w/115 Yamaha and was ready to buy it ...under one condition. I had to be the one to find the fish and learn how to catch them in the gulf so all he had to do was get in and go and eat fresh fish for diner that night. Good problem to have, right! Ive been fishing for freshwater fish all my life. This should be no problem I told myself. We even splurged a little and bought an 898 CI Humminbird bottom machine with side imaging. Needless to say, I was pumped. 

I immediatley took it to the lake where we live to run it and test out the electronics. Amazing. Spent a lot of hours playing with the GPS and learning how to use and read the side imaging sonar which was totally different than anything Ive ever used. After a couple of trips to the lake, I had worked all the kinks out and felt pretty good about the electronics. Now it was time for the hard part. I had to plan out our first trip to the gulf which was this past weekend.

We had taken the old aluminum boat to the bay several times before and had caught some redfish and speckled trout here and there and it was great. But I had never been past the beach and I was ready to get past the jetties and catch some big fish. After hours and hours and days of research on this website and just about every other website on the internet I had it all figured out. We were going to troll for King Mackerel. 

I probably read every thread on this forum that even mentioned the word king mackerel. I watched You Tube videos, I learned new fishing knots that Id never heard of before, I pre-rigged live bait rigs, I practiced tying the haywire twist so many times I can do it in my sleep. I bought trolling lures, new rods and reels, leaders, sabiki rigs, navionics card, VHF radio, a Sea Tow membership, and a new fillet knife. We were ready.

The Report

Friday morning we got to the Fort Morgan ramp at daylight. Put the boat in and ran around the point of Fort Morgan, across Dixie Bar, and we were in the gulf. Awesome!! Turned on the sonar and ran over what looked like balls of baitfish. Dropped the Sabiki down and immediatley pulled up 5 fish. Dont know what they were. Looked like a big shad. About 5 inches long. After we caught about 20 of these, I rigged one of them on a live bait rig, 30# ss wire leader with a stinger, dropped it back and began to troll at about 3 mph. Took the other rod and dropped back a Stretch 25. We trolled back and forth right off the 2nd sand bar for about an hour. Nothing. Decided the water was calm enough to troll out to the first couple of rigs about 2 miles out. Around and around, back and forth, one rig after the other, and nothing. Finally saw some fish just boiling the top of the water. From what I had read, this had to be spanish mackerel. Awesome. Where there are spanish, there should be Kings nearby trying to eat them. Trolled around this school of spanish for a while and nothing. The weather started looking bad so we decided to head back to the ramp. Made it back about 5 minutes late. Got soaked and skunked the first time out. 

Saturday was basically the same as Friday except a lot windier. I did go to Walmart and bought some cigar minnows thinking that may help.
Nada. Got caught in the storm again about 10:00, soaked and skunked. 

Sunday we decided to go to Orange beach. Put in at Perdido Bay and ran to a pier we had caught good redfish off of before with live shrimp. Caught one small red, 4 croakers about 4 inches long, and a pinfish about 4 inches long. Put these in the livewell for bait and decided to give the trolling a shot again. Just out of the jetties, the spanish were boiling again and this time there were several boats trolling around them. I hooked the pinfish and one of the croakers in the lips and jumped in with the other boats. Nothing. Even drifted for a while and freelined the bait. Nothing. Storms came again about 10, got soaked again, and went home. 

Was this just one of those trips where the fish wouldnt cooperate? Am I doing something wrong? Wrong bait, location, leader, speed? Anybody else catch fish these mornings. I understand that thats why they call it fishing instead of catching, but I feel like I did everything right. What say you?


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## ClemsonTiger11 (Aug 12, 2010)

I haven't had good luck trolling for kings this year either, but have tore them up free lining while bottom fishing. I think you need to be trolling a bit faster like 4-5 mph range as well. Everyone says you can catch them around the channel marker buoys in the Pensacola pass and around the Massachusetts, and I always troll them as I come back in from bottom fishing but have never had a knockdown. If you want to have some fun and catch some fish head out to some of the public numbers and catch some mingos, triggers, etc. While fishing for those on the bottom hook a cigar minnow on a hook with a metal leader and either a big AJ or king will hit it sooner or later. I like chunking as well. Just keep some ruby red lips or other trash fish you catch while bottom fishing and cut little pieces off them and drop 5-6 pieces in every few minutes. The fish will find you. If you are on a spot with a lot of fish you should be able to look down and actually see the AJ's, Black/Mangrove snapper, and schools of spade fish about 10-20 feet under the boat. The kings usually show up. You can also free line a live ruby red lip as well as a cigar minnow. The more lines you have in the water the better. I try to keep two out the back about 50 yards or more just drifting.


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## Mullit (Jun 6, 2011)

Sounds like your on the right track. Kingfish can be tough to catch sometimes. You might try drifting/bump trolling your live baits right where you catch them. And the less wire the more bites.


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## Brandonshobie (Aug 10, 2009)

When you said ''Finally saw some fish just boiling the top of the water'' those could have been bonita. Kings close in like the water rough or if the water is calm a strong current will do it. I took a customer and his son out today and they caught four big kings so they are out there you just need the right conditions for them. A south or south east wind are the best for them.


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## Bullshark (Mar 19, 2009)

Spend the money and take out an inshore/near shore guide. Tell them you don't want to bottom fish at all. I say that because a lot of guides have private spots and you won't have access to them on your own. It works for me.


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## Ajerv (Oct 3, 2007)

After reading your post. you have more knowledge and skills than 90% of the salt water fishermen out there. You have conquered "fishing" not "catching" yet. That will come. From most of the "talk" out there, king fishing this year has been slow for some reason. It is said that when the water temperature is at its peak(like now), kings stay deep and farther out. Try using a trolling weight in 50+ feet of water around buoys.


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## eddiem84 (Nov 3, 2010)

When live baiting for kings, you need to just bump the boat in and out of gear. Even at 3 kts your baits won't last very long. Also, try fishing baits at multiple depths by using a trolling weight in front of a 10'-20' leader that you then attach your wire to. Don't mix live baits and artificials, they both require different speeds to be effective, and you want every line you have in the water to give you a chance at fish. Good luck!


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## Trophy05 (Nov 12, 2008)

Tthe slower the better for live bait. We usually just put the motor in gear keeps us at .3 knts. If it trolls to fast then bump it in/out of gear.


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## SHunter (Jun 19, 2009)

It looks like you have already been given some good advice. I just wanted to add that the knowledge that you have gained is quite impressive.


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## Surfcaster (Jul 22, 2011)

Good morning.....there is a lot of good advice here...and between us all.....many hours of fishing and caught fish! One thing to remember....when the norm doesn't work, don't be scared to go outside the norm. I personally have caught kings on slow days using cigs with dusters on them at the 5-6 range on planers. If you can outlast the squalls, fishing is really strong right before and after!

Tight lines!


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## willjal (Jul 6, 2011)

Wow. Thanks for all the replies/comments/advice. Will keep these things in mind next time we get a chance to come down. 

Ajerv/Shunter, thanks for the kind remarks on the knowledge that I have gained. Its easy to learn when there is so much info out there and all you have to do is go and get it. Thanks to all you guys for sharing your knowledge in the past so that I had a starting point. 

Gonna try to come down again in a couple or three weeks. I ll let you know how it goes.


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## FishHard2009 (Dec 3, 2009)

All I can say is Don't be discouraged, your not always going to catch fish everytime out. If trolling is your thing, then do it for a few hours and if nothing is happening reel them in and just start scouting the area for birds and any surface activity. Have a few spinning reels rigged and ready with spoons, plugs and jigs, approach the feeding frenzy with a little bit of stealth (if needed) and cast the artificials in there and prepare to get bit (usually) bonitas, spanish, jacks, they are all a blast!

When I fish for kings I drift live baits, but I dont like trolling very much so thats just my preference.
Hope that helps, just dont be turned off after a few trips of being skunked, when the bite is on its freaking amazing, and its often times ON!


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## TURTLE (May 22, 2008)

Decided the water was calm enough to troll out to the first couple of rigs about 2 miles out.


*You gotta tell me where you can get to a rig around here thats 2 miles out. Please.*


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## willjal (Jul 6, 2011)

10-4 Fishhard. I cant say that I wasnt discouraged afterwards but I definatley am not a quitter. After all, I still was on the water having a good time and am very blessed to even have the opportunity. Beats work anyday.


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## willjal (Jul 6, 2011)

Turtle,

Right off Dixie Bar at the tip of Fort Morgan, AL. Im guessing on the two mile thing but I think I am pretty close.


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

King fishing has been the best in the last three weeks that I have seen in a long time. We are catching lots of fish in the 25 to 40# range in the Pensacola area. 

First and foremost... and this is the most important thing, you have to do your mackerel trolling around some sort of structure. Wrecks, bouys, ect.... all hold kings. If your just trolling out past the sandbar in open water you won't get as many bites. The rigs in close hold more specks and reds than they do kings. Also, try getting your baits down in the water collum. I catch most of my fish middle way down. I usually put a 3oz trolling weight on one of my rods in order to keep at least one bait deep. I always use a small skirt when I am trolling as well. Lastly, try to get live cigar minnows or herring. Having live cigs will improve the number of strikes you get. I would also slow your trolling speed down a little. I like to barely bump my boat in gear, go about 20 yds and stop for 20 seconds or so and let my baits sink. You have to keep your baits looking natural unless you have dead baits. If I have dead baits I will fast troll and try to get a reaction strike.

Keep trying...There are too many fish out there right now not to hook up. 

Good luck
Capt Brant


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## willjal (Jul 6, 2011)

I dont know of any wrecks or anything close to the beach around the gulf shores/orange beach area. A little hesitant about going out farther than a couple miles for now. I know that the weather plays a big role in how far out I can go but would you feel comfortable goin out far enough to hit the balwin county trolling corridor in an 18' center console? I felt very comfortable two miles out in nice weather.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

TURTLE said:


> Decided the water was calm enough to troll out to the first couple of rigs about 2 miles out.
> 
> 
> *You gotta tell me where you can get to a rig around here thats 2 miles out. Please.*


Off of DI and Ft. Morgan. Natural gas.


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## Mullit (Jun 6, 2011)

If you have all your ducks in a row, your equipment is in good working order and the forcast is right, 10 miles out should be fine on a weekend when there are plenty of other boats around. Always use cation and be aware of whats happening around you.


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

Theres lots of structure within 5 miles of the beach between OB and Ft Morgan, you just gotta locate it, mark it and then come back to it. Try the 3 mile barge out of perdido pass, chum with drifted live baits will catch kings but spanish are plentiful too. Ive had better luck catching spanish on small spoons or casting jigs than live bait. Remember that most salt water fish are used to hitting fast moving baits as opposed to fresh water fish hitting slow moving baits. Keep trying, it'll come. And weve seen boats shorter than yours 30 miles out, just gotta have the desire and dont be skeerd!


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## devinsdad (Mar 31, 2010)

Although I have never fished with Capt Brant Peacher- I have read almost every posting he has made. Follow his tips and you will catch fish...


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

*Kings have been tough for me this year too...*

Unusually tough... haven't put a legal one in the boat yet but haven't tried too hard.

You are doing the right stuff, but one weekend doesn't tell the tale, especially with the weather we've been having. 

Catch a good day and hit the 6 mile trolling corridor off Orange Beach (pubilc numbers). Plug them in your GPS and have at it. 

Stretch 25s and planer-spoon combos at 7-8 mph will get you a king eventually.


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## snapperfan (Aug 30, 2009)

eddiem84 said:


> When live baiting for kings, you need to just bump the boat in and out of gear. Even at 3 kts your baits won't last very long. Also, try fishing baits at multiple depths by using a trolling weight in front of a 10'-20' leader that you then attach your wire to. Don't mix live baits and artificials, they both require different speeds to be effective, and you want every line you have in the water to give you a chance at fish. Good luck!


:thumbsup:


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## Izzy (May 30, 2009)

Most of the Kings I catch are on a small planer and silver spoon. I've had several lures out at the same time and they hit the spoon every time. I would troll around 5mph. I've never tried bottom bumping.


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