King Fish in Key West
King Fish colloquially known as Smokers are one of the most common catches in Key Wests. These fish are quite large often weighing in the 100 pound range and are known to be incredibly strong able to burn 100 yards of line in seconds. Key West is proudly the home to some of the biggest catches on IGFS records. We have won the S.K.A tournament on several occasions and have held the record for the three largest Kingfish ever caught in the tournament at one time. We have taken several giants topping the 70 pound mark including the current I.G.F.A world record, a 73 pounder on 12 pound test line.
(tip: The fish is best cooked by smoking it due to its high oil content.)
When to Catch Kingfish
Winter is considered the ideal time to fish for Kingfish with most tournaments being held in January. The fish can be caught all year round but increase in numbers starting around April. When the season actually starts can vary depending on a couple of factors like when the first cold front is and how low the water drops in order to attract the schools of fish. King Fish tend to travel in big schools numbering into the thousands and tens of thousands.
Where to Catch Kingfish
Experienced deep sea fishing captains say that Kingfish are located deep in the water as well as near the surface and live in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In Key West they are typically caught near the coast in 30-100 feet of water on the Gulf side and 30-250 feet in the Atlantic.
How to Catch Kingfish
There are a few things that you can use to increase your chances of catching a Kingfish. Live bait has been a proven way to get them on your line by using a slow trolling blue runner, as they mainly use in the Mackeral tournaments and is often how winning fish are caught. You’ll want to have a 12-14 inch wire between the monofilament leader, with a 7/0 hook on the head and a #4 treble stinger at the tail on your hook. They are aggressive fish, however, with very sharp teeth which they expose while attacking your bait
Equipment To Catch Kingfish
Although slow trolling live baits is a proven means of taking these giants, chumming with live pilchards (a small bait fish) and casting with artificial lures and flies provides some of the most visual and exciting fishing to be found during the winter months. These Kings will skyrocket the baits and lures, sometimes reaching heights of 15 feet into the air, only to re-enter the water and run 200 or more yards. This is a real anglers adventure
You’ll need a reel that can withstand these fast swimmers by using a 30lb conventional reel or a 20lb spin class tackle. You need a line capacity large enough to ensure it can stand against the Kingfish if they decide to run up to 300 yards. Stay stocked in steel leaders and treble hook to aid in catching your fish, When it comes to a rod, a 7 foot, a soft-tipped rod is a good choice because you want to have a flexible tip so the hooks have a lesser chance of coming out while trying to reel them in.
More about the Kingfish
The Scomberomorus cavalla also called the Kingfish and the king mackerel is a fish often found in the Atlantic ocean and the gulf of Mexico. It is a migratory species and is important to both the industrial and recreational fishing industries.
- Scientific name: Scomberomorus cavalla
- Higher classification: Spanish mackerels
- Conservation status: Least Concern
- Lifespan: 20 years
- Rank: Species
What is the Kingfish called in America?
The Kingfish is often referred to as the King Mackerel in America. It also goes by the names Yellowtail and Hiramasa in Japan.
Why is the Kingfish called the Kingfish?
Kingfish is likely to get its name due to its size and its good taste.
What is the Kingfish?
The term Kingfish refers to a number of fish of the same Species including Menticirrhus americanus, M. littoralis, and M. saxatilis.
What is the Difference between a Wahoo and a Kingfish?
Although the Kingfish and the Wahoo can often look similar there are a few key differences. One is that the Wahoo usually has iridescent blue and silver stripes that run veracity along the fish. The King fish on the other hand is more of a gray green color.