Targeting kingfish during their annual migration season off Florida’s east coast is a predictable event that coincides with the annual migration patterns of the Atlantic stock of kingfish. During the summer, anytime from mid-May through August, when the water is warm enough for the kings to stick around, we all have a great chance of catching a tournament class kingfish, at almost anyplace we decide to fish.
Kingfish can be caught anywhere from the mouth of an inlet, on out to 200 foot depths, and that means that almost any seaworthy vessel can, and does, go after these fish during the “mostly calm” summer days.
Everyone has heard about the GJKT tournament winner that Fred Morrow caught at the tips of the north rocks, or Bob Johnson on his Traveler who won the aggregate, with two nice fish, also right off the beach. What do these teams have in common? They won in small boats with very little overhead, with very short runs to their fishing grounds. But they did their homework and had a plan, and went straight to where they were going to fish. Because let’s face it, the small boater isn’t going to run all over the ocean chasing fish that have already been caught. And those are not the only examples, this same scenario takes place every year in tournaments up and down the Atlantic coast.
Another way to fish on a budget is to not get caught up in the latest and greatest gear. Sure, you need quality equipment, but one can find good used reels from friends, who are upgrading, or from yard sales or even at swap meets at your local offshore club.
As far as rods go, if you know what “feel” you like on your rods, you can find off name rods at sidewalk tent sales at your local tackle store, that perform as well as a custom rod, for a fraction of the cost!
To avoid buying that expensive bait, become proficient with a cast net! Kings get fat and happy on a steady diet of “pogies”, or menhaden found along our beaches. You need a heavy fast sinking net to have all the bait you want for a day’s fishing. No pogies, you say? Don’t worry, many kingfish over the years, have fallen to other baits than just a pogy. A pound of shrimp on tournament day could very well be a day saver. Croakers are great king baits, as well as blue runners and bluefish. Ribbonfish can also be used but are best caught a few days before and brined so they are easily trolled. If you like fishing the Party Grounds always have some sabikis on board. These are small feathers on small hooks on a special rig that will catch fresh sardines and cigar minnows on most of the offshore reefs and wrecks.
Don’t be intimidated when you sign up to fish any tournament. You have the same chance to catch a tournament winning kingfish as the next guy. And you do not have to drop big bucks to do so. Just do your homework, pre-fish as much as possible and, come tournament day, have a plan and stick to it…and we’ll see you at the weigh scales!
Capt. Steve Thompson is Chairman of Jacksonville Marine Charities / Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament and a 40-year successful veteran of competitive kingfish tournaments all over the Southeast. Contact him at (904) 251-3011 or email: gjkt@kingfishtournament.com.
