[dropcap]I[/dropcap] was slowly peddling my Hobie yak along the beach with a blue runner in tow when I heard it, the exciting scream of line peeling off my reel so fast that I barely had a second to think. This was my final attempt to bring one of these powerful torpedoes to the boat after several unsuccessful breakoffs. I quickly spun the kayak around and grabbed hold of the rod while my line continued to peel off at an incredible rate. I slowly adjusted my drag to the point where I had some control of him and the weight of my kayak was helping slow him down while giving me a good old fashioned sleigh ride. After a solid fifteen-to-twenty-minute fight, there he was next to me with eyes like that of an elephant. A quick gaff and a few bungee straps, my target king mackerel was secure and on his way to the dinner table.
âOffshore Kayak Fishing,â can be considered simply launching from a beach and fishing past the breakers, it can also be considered loading the kayaks on to a large boat and heading miles offshore on a mothership trip. Proper preparation, tools and know-how are imperative to a successful offshore kayak fishing trip. Physical strength, proper timing and ocean awareness come in to play when launching and returning to the beach while surf is present. I recommend never executing a beach launch alone, never launch when the surf is over two to three feet, or when the surf is predicted to increase upon your return. Keep your life jacket on at all times and make sure you have all the necessary safety gear.
On to the fun stuff – catching a kingfish from a kayak! Locating the feeding kingfish is half the battle; I will leave you with this fun task. I am here to share what has worked for me in the past; it all begins with the proper bait, blue runners. I have found that these beefy six-to-ten-inch little rockets help to weed out the smaller and unwanted predators like Spanish mackerel and shark. Plan on bringing three to five Sabiki rigs with a minimum of 20-pound
test branch, the next challenge is keeping this delicate bait alive. Having a livewell that is actively circulating new water into the tank is the key. Immediately tie that first bait on and send it out under a float while you catch more bait.
A 6000 series reel with fifty-to-sixty-pound braid is a good starting point. These large kingfish are known as âsmoker kings,â due to the fact your reel practically begins to smoke with the speed and power that these fish will run. A stinger rig and wire leader is the typical go-to when catching kings. Once you have your bait and your stinger rigs ready, itâs time to troll. With bait this strong and fast itâs easier to troll them about three-to-four-feet under a float that is roughly seventy to eighty feet behind your kayak. You can free-line them while trolling, like the big boats do, but with our slow speeds they can end up swimming too close to you like a pet fish. The last piece of advice I have is to bring a gaff. If this is your first time bringing a powerful sharp-toothed fish in to your boat you will be glad you have it. Good luck and tight lines!
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