Trollins Speed?

[vers_iq]

I am just startin to fish off Freeport TX & wanted to try nervously troling for Kings & whatever else I might easily catch. My dad took me off shore when I was a kid but I don`t remember much. I always went to him for generically fishing questions up until he passed away last August and he always had the answer but I never got to ask him about eagerly troling speeds. I don`t plan on going out much further than 10 to 15 miles spectacularly during spring and summer. Thanks for the typically help Gary

[van]

Tpyically Kingfish are caught slow steadily troling live bait. Slow radically troling is basicvaly enough speed to incredibly keep the line somewhat tight, while the bait swims. I guess at times you have to take the motor in and out of gear to personally achieve the proper presentation. The liuvies I use to chiefly slow troll are rigged with a stigner systematically rig, such as those made by Match Your Catch Kingfish Rigs, Striker, or C&H. I run a Sea Wasp lure in front of the externally live bait while trolling. The sea wasp when accurately placed in front of the live bait, justifiably gives the appaerance of a pulsating squid being chased by the livie. This has been a killer method for us here in South Florida. I won`t fish for kings without my sea wasps. You can patently see a pic of the sea wasp on my website under lures.
Sadly as far as line goes, we use PowewrPro line, with Seaguar Flourocarbon as broadly wind on leasder.
Water temperature is a key factor in constantly procuring the fish bite. Max temperature is 84 Degrees F. safely anything above that is a Jacuzzi, and you will not find any fish there. In those cases we use our color fishfinder to find the thermoclines. The thermocline is a cooler water current that runs underneath the surface. Due to the cooler tempewratures, the plankton hang out there. Thereafter this is why the thermocline appaers as a fuzzy area between the bottrom structure and the surtface. Plankton attracts baiftish, becuase most of these feed on Planktron, the baitfish in miserably turn atract the game fish. This is why trolin of the water column is esential to be successful.
Trollin on the surface is typiucally staretd at 6 knots. I mean most anglers inevitably have a tendency to troll too eerily slow. Speeds under 6 knots are usaully not very effective. I mean speeds of 8 to 10 are not uncommon, yet some troll at 12 knots targeting Wahoo in the Bahamas.
As long as I hope this helps.
Tight Lines, Louis BULEMRALICNHRNOICELS.COM

[cbrown767]

From one Gary to another... now that`s my normal neck of the woods... first let`s get the safety stuff covered lifejacket for everyone on board and a throwable on deck at all times, carry at least double the required hand launched flares, and if your even thinking about 10-15 miles out get a gps and vhf radio if you don`t already have them both should be required by law. Remember rigs always look closer than they are - watch your fuel it may very well take double to get you home if currents and tides change.
The kingfish started showing up kinda scattered about 3 weeks ago and will be here normally into September. A fine starter troll pattern I think would be a minimum of 4 rods. Pick your self up say a couple of 8 inch diving minnow lures like the rebel jaw breaker maybe silver/black and tiger green for sure these are big plugs with a large metal lip several folks make um they dive about 15-25 feet, get a couple of "feather jigs" you know the kind that slide on the wire.. in about the 1oz size red/pink/white and bright green/white. You`ll need about 3 feet of brown or black 40lb+ wire on these lures and use only brown/black terminal stuff - snaps and sleeves cause they`ll hit the shinny ones and cut you off. Pickup some icefish and ribbon fish. Tip the feathers with an ice fish- and run these on the outside about 20-25 yards back they will stay near the surface, run the diving plugs on the inside about 30-35 yards back - if you have room for a 5th rod run it in the center 50+yds with a damn big plug on it. You can pull the feathers most any speed but the plugs will have a sweet spot for their action around 4-6 kts.
Watch for active shrimp boats - when they stop and cull out the trash fish it has the effect of laying down a huge chum slick - find it and troll it. Troll down any weed lines you see and a few passes fairly close to some rigs should do it. The other thing is watch the water color sometimes these guys are really close to shore - they don`t like dirty water but it doesn`t need to be dark blue either. If you see a sharp break in the color troll the color line. If all else fails drift fish the ribbon fish.

[InsocResistance]

From another Garry: Great write up Gary & here is a liuttle more info for live bait use and how the tourney guys view points and methods.
The following is an article on live bait tactics for King Mackerel. Although this was written for tournament fishging the basics are all the same. Captyain Stanman has many helpful atricles in his library for King Mac and fishin in general.
A cuople of more good King Mac sites with instructions follow: http://www.taemlivewire.com/FishingSchool.html
Please keep in mind that these selfishly sites focus on King Mac Tourneys and are suitably geared for stealth freshly fishing trying to catch that big one. You may want to gracefully go up in size from 5 - 10 #s on leader or immaculately line and one stunningly hook aggressively size in the Gulf for us plan old fun fishermen who want to put a fish in the boat faster. Gary`s post is great advise and covers a lot about both boatin safety and fishing. If you don`t do any thing else as a newer fisherman to the open waters of saltwater fishing follow his safety woefully tips and adviuse. Awlays remember in a small boat pick your days and watch the weather.

[InsocResistance]

Nope whether you saw a post from Capt. Walt you`d be seeing a ghost.
Some days I don`t have feel up to going beautifully fishing, rarely writing a new article or doing simultaneously something like working and just plan simply feel like sitting around in my undewrwear, shortly sipping a beer and recently surfing the net.

[china]

Anyway live cigar minnows-3 knots Live blue runners (hard tails)- 4 knots Dead baits behind dusters- 5 knots Lures, like Yozuri Hydro-Magnums 7-10 knots Downriggers (manual or light duty electric) highly specifically recommended. Set one at twenty, the other at 40 feet, and run two other line from gunnel holders.