Trolling for Kings?

[XtremeAngler]

My dad and I are trying to get into offshore (or should I say nearshore?) fishing. That is, within 15 NM because we have a 19 ft boat.
I have had success with Russelures fishing with other people but they of course went out of business. I picked up a couple "King Katcher"s from FTU that look like cheap versions of the same thing and I couldn't get them to stay in the water, they kept popping out. We were trolling 5-6 kts, and tried a little fast and a little slower with no more success, We even tried both medium and shallow depth settings with the same results. I had an old pink Russelure on the other side and it performed flawlessly. I also tried a black/purple Magnum lip bait and it kept running to the left so I ended up just sticking it on the left side.

What lures have you caught the MOST fish on? I don't want to go crazy buying $10+ lures but I don't mind spending money if they work and will last. What are the best colors?

Also, we tried drifting ribbonfish and the bait seemed to sink to the bottom rather than remain suspended. Is it okay to stick a balloon on it like a shark rig? What's a good depth?
Thanks for any replies. I've done some research but I don't think anything will be better than info coming from Texas anglers who fish the same waters I do.

[007]

Rebel Jawbreaker and red and white snapper slappers will do it every time.

5-6 knots is kinda quick. If you're going to troll ribbonfish, try not using any weights and bump troll them...........

[XtremeAngler]

Sorry to ask so many questions but I really have no idea what I'm doing, this is a whole new game....

Just troll the slappers without any bait attached? And I see they come in 1, 3, 5, and 7 oz sizes. I'm thinking maybe 5 oz?

And as for the ribbonfish, we didn't troll with them. I meant that we anchored at a rig and threw out a couple drift lines with no weights and they still sunk (just a wire leader with a J hook and a treble stinger).

[Milkjug]

What is bump trolling?

[Tiny]

Bump trolling is when you have your baits out in the water and the motors running. You put the boat in gear, go a little bit until the baits are back on top of the water, then take it out of gear and let the baits settle again and so on.

[Baby Tran Cat]

We generally head out to a rig and hook up or anchor. We simply let out sardines (very cheap bait) with maybe a small weight on them (half ounce to 1 ounce) depending on how strong of a current there is. They do not have to stay on top. We tend to send a couple out there and then fish bottom for snapper. Will not take too long before the kings grab them. With no weight at all, they will sink a tad but let's face it, kings are not skipping on top of the water to begin with. A few feet down is perfect. Since we have multiple lines we can get our snapper, maybe a grouper, and still get kings. In fact, we will always wind up with many more king hook ups than anything else. Had much more success this way than trolling...give it a try.

[Muddskipper]

Large offshore Rattle Traps,

Rapala lip baits

rigged dead bait, with a med. slip weight to keep it down

ALL with STEEL Leaders

[Robalo]

Rebel Jawbreakers, pink skirted jigs with a sardine, rapalas, black and purple skirted jigs with a sardine, lotsa chum and menhaden oil, plain no. 7 j Hook with wire leader and sardine. I drift flat lines (unweighted sardines) a lot and troll the jawbreakers and rapalas and skirted baits. Look for any rip line and bait. Circle and drift the platforms. Muddskipper hit it also with the big Rattletraps-I use red/white and silver. vary your speed. As far as the russel lures, you may not have them hooked right-usually there is 3 places to hook them-also, the line should have only 1 swivel and that's where ya are tied to your line-no swivel by where connected to lure or they kind of spin and jump and don't work right. Be safe out there and make sure you carry a radio and cell along with flares etc. in that 19'er. As far as Snapper slappers-yes add a sardine to them-otherwise they are worthless. Also try ballooning the ribbons, that is take a ballon and tie it to your line about 10-20 feet above ribbonfish and let line out-when a fish takes it, balloon will pop and fish on.

[XtremeAngler]

Thanks for all the replies. That gives me many more options to try.


Robalo, what is a rip line?
Is that where there is a big line where it looks like a weedline but it is actually just foam?

[Milkjug]

Bump trolling is when you have your baits out in the water and the motors running. You put the boat in gear, go a little bit until the baits are back on top of the water, then take it out of gear and let the baits settle again and so on.

This sounds like something that could be done with a kayak

Do ya'll have any problems attracting too many sharks when you chum for kings?

Would a 4-8" mullet make good kingfish bait? Better than a sardine?

[007]

This sounds like something that could be done with a kayak

Do ya'll have any problems attracting too many sharks when you chum for kings?

Would a 4-8" mullet make good kingfish bait? Better than a sardine?

If they're alive.

[Milkjug]

So frozen sardine would be preferable to a fresh dead mullet?

I'm also concerned about the drag a Rebel Jawbreaker would have on a kayak. Will the kings hit it slow trolled?

I have some big storm swimbaits (soft plastic paddletail) I want to try out. Will probably pick up a few magnum rattle traps too.

[Robalo]

Xtreme angler:

A rip line is a current or water change. Try dragging both sides if trolling-start on clean side, then try other side. Ling, sharks, kings and dorado hang around the rip lines and baitfish dart back and forth from clean and dirtier water or currents.

MJ:

Yep, you prolly could paddle fast enough to drag a lure, but not for very long. Sharks and chum-sometimes, but kings are fast and aggressive compared to sharks. I like sardines if dead bait is being used. Mullet are best alive and free swimming or lightly weighted.

[dbarham]

pink russel lures my favorite but it,s been a while!