The Elusive King

I have been fishing the pier for years. I was fishing the old pier with a friend known as Stretch until his cancer took him a few years ago (God rest his sole ). I have been fortunate enough to catch lots of fish but I have never been able to catch a King mackrel. I believe I had one hit my line last year but unfortunaly I had my drag to tight and you know what hapens then Snap.I even brought my brother to the pier last year as a rookie and baited him and he cought a king ,go figure.I think that has something to do with me coming back but if I did catck one Im sure I would want another so We will be back. I feel I have watched every one long enough and Im doing the same as you are but if anyone has any sugestions Im open . Thanks and I will be on the pier the first week of October probably wearing my Fire Fighter shirt

Good luck to you Steve on the hunt for the king. I don't think you're alone on not having much luck with them. I didn't catch one last year and I'm not even gonna fool with them this year.

Kings are an at random species of fish in-shore.

The reason you see people catching so many is because they invest many, many days and hours on the pier and are simply there when the Kings show up more often than those visiting on occasion.

You want better success for a king? Invest in a private charter and find a NW current near an oil rig. Toss out a cig and catch all the kings you want.

Meanwhile, spend time on the rail while you're here, and hope for a chew. Just make sure to set that drag right to minimize the loss after hookup.

Good luck and feel free to ask any of us for help while you're down.

Breaking off a fish because of an incorrectly set drag is like getting a sunburn---self-inflicted wound.

good luck catch that king for the show me state, i wish i was down there while their running

Catching kings is a sport and just like all sports, participants have to be fundamentally sound. You invest your time and your money into fishing, don't cut corners on the terminal tackle. Get good, strong, sharp treble hooks. If they're not in great condition, toss 'em! I use 28 - 40 lb singlestrand wire, about a foot and a half and utilize a wire twist 8 - 10 times and cut the excess with wire cutters (what else?). I employ a black barrel swivel, again utilizing a wire twist. I'll tie that treble hook, wire leader and barrel swivel to my main line using a "Uni-Knot" If you don't know how to tie a good knot with near 100 percent strength, that should be considered a non-negotiable - you must have a good knot or you'll lose many more fish than you catch - And you'll lose ALL the big fish!
I use about 20 lb test monofilament line. New line, because, again, old line may be frayed or have a single weak place in it from contact with a pier or -- something. Test the drag regularly, certainly before you make your first cast.
Then - Fish with confidence! The fish doesn't know who's at the other end of the line! Expect a bite and watch the water. Often you can see the bite, which is a special kind of thrill! You're going to catch one. Just keep picturing the king running SOUTH with YOUR hook way down deep! Let his classic first long run wear him down and he'll be ready for the gaff when you bring him in!

Figure 8 is a good terminal knot for wire leader

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Originally Posted by eym_sirius

cut the excess with wire cutters (what else?)

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Bend the tag back and forth under pressure several times and it will break totally clean as opposed to the sharp little burr left by wire cutters.

Also I know everyone in the world wants to believe they are tying near 100% knots but trust me, it isn't happening unless you are tying perfect bimini twists. Fortunately 20# test (if it is sold as 20# its probably really 30#) and 2-5# of drag leaves you lots of margin for error. In fact I like the weak clinch knot for low drag mono situations because you can easily untie it for rig switching.

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Originally Posted by Haywire

Breaking off a fish because of an incorrectly set drag is like getting a sunburn---self-inflicted wound.

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So, are you saying you should put SPF 50 on your reel to loosen the drag?

btw (on a serious note) - what #age is proper drag for kings and how can you estimate it without a scale?

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Originally Posted by divedeep

So, are you saying you should put SPF 50 on your reel to loosen the drag?

btw (on a serious note) - what #age is proper drag for kings and how can you estimate it without a scale?

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I don't know anything about saltwater fishing, so I'll let someone else tell you about the drag setting but on my 5 gallon bucket I have the Gallons marked and since water weighs 8.32 pounds/gallon I just use that and hook it to the bail of the bucket and adjust from there. You can mark a half gallon if you want to go to 4 and a hair pounds.

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Originally Posted by Grandpa Kirk

4 and a hair pounds.

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Sounds about right to me! :cool:

It's always that dang hair that gives me problems....

Guys I went offshore with always worked the reel before setting the drag to build up heat on the drag washers, it will increase the size from the heat thus increasing the drag too.....loose is good for me till after the first run then adjust afterwards as he is coming in, sometime just a slight touch of the finger on the spool will do too.

That's kinda always been my approach after the first (and only) pop from a too tight drag. But have always been curious if there was a "standard" drag setting. I just pull line and tighten until it feels right. In other words - wing it and tighten or loosen as necessary while fighting. :-/

... or ask the guy next to you on the rail ;-)

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

... or ask the guy next to you on the rail ;-)

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Yea, assuming he's not fishing with a wally world spinning special held upside down and a bright blue leader with 4 hooks and two pounds of squid......

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Originally Posted by Pierless

Bend the tag back and forth under pressure several times and it will break totally clean as opposed to the sharp little burr left by wire cutters.

Also I know everyone in the world wants to believe they are tying near 100% knots but trust me, it isn't happening unless you are tying perfect bimini twists. Fortunately 20# test (if it is sold as 20# its probably really 30#) and 2-5# of drag leaves you lots of margin for error. In fact I like the weak clinch knot for low drag mono situations because you can easily untie it for rig switching.

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I suppose it's just the type of wire cutters that I use now, but I haven't had the "burr" problem in years. I know what you're talking about, though. I've stabbed myself a-many-a time with that itsy-bitsy piece of wire sticking up!

Regarding line size, I use "about 20" which usually means from 17 to 25, the variable being which reel I use. I don't have a line tester, but that size range works for me an allows me enough line on my reel for the king to take that first long run. I also don't have a knot tester, but I'm able to tie a uni-knot in a matter of seconds and by feel in the dark if I need to. A person's knot-choice is one of personal preference. As long as it is strong enough to haul in huge fish, it's a good one. I have seen people on the pier tie simple overhand knots where the line would surely cut into itself and break, should a big fish hit.

I retie and cut off a few feet of line after catching a king (of course) and after catching a few spanish. They're such slashers that you'll often see, or feel, nicks in your line a foot or more above the leader.

One more thing that I've had considerable luck with, is using, in high winds, a 1/4 oz egg sinker above the swivel which is about 18" of wire leader from the treble hook. It helps keep the bait just under the surface and many times, my bait will be the first one hit!

I've heard many fishermen say that they are reluctant to use an egg sinker because it will "scare off the fish". My experience is that the fish pay the sinker absolutely no mind and seem to focus only on the bait.

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Originally Posted by eym_sirius

One more thing that I've had considerable luck with, is using, in high winds, a 1/4 oz egg sinker above the swivel which is about 18" of wire leader from the treble hook. It helps keep the bait just under the surface and many times, my bait will be the first one hit!

I've heard many fishermen say that they are reluctant to use an egg sinker because it will "scare off the fish". My experience is that the fish pay the sinker absolutely no mind and seem to focus only on the bait.

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Most don't want to use a weight on the swivel because Spanish will see it and snip it off the line. I use a split shot on the knot of the hook of the treble in high winds. at least that is the best trick I have learned.

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Originally Posted by divedeep

Yea, assuming he's not fishing with a wally world spinning special held upside down and a bright blue leader with 4 hooks and two pounds of squid......

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My luck has been that HE is the one with the fish on . . .

I have a "significant" attention deficit, so I am almost never paying attention to my bait. I use a stinger hook to increase my hookup rate. I have no doubt that it decreases the number of bites I get, but most of my bites are hookups.

I would like to thank all of you that has commited on my post and will put this information to work to help me . Also I would like to say the people on this site are unique and very special people to help total strangers have the same thrill they have. I for one will be sharing this site with my frinde. Thank you Guys