🌊 Best on the flood💨 Likes calm wind📅 Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov
- Water temp
- 68–84°F
- Depth
- 16–49 ft
- Max weight
- 44.1lb
- Day vs night
- ☀️ 🌙
King mackerel, or kingfish, are fast, toothy pelagic predators that pass close enough to Florida's long fishing piers to be a prime land-based target during their spring and fall migrations, and they hold off South Florida through the winter. Pier fishing for kings is its own discipline: anglers fish from the end of piers on both coasts when clean, green water and schools of bait push in close. The classic method is the trolley or anchor rig, where a heavy sinker is cast out on one rod and a live bait on a stinger rig is sent down the anchor line on a release clip, so the bait swims near the surface away from the pier. Live menhaden, threadfin herring, blue runners and pilchards are the best baits. Use 20 to 30 lb line with plenty of capacity, a light wire stinger rig with a single hook and a treble, and a long-handled pier gaff or net. Kings bite through mono instantly, and the teeth are razor sharp, so handle with care. Check current FWC rules before keeping one.
Best bait for king mackerel
- 1 Menhaden (Pogy)
- 2 Threadfin Herring
- 3 Pilchards (Scaled Sardines)
- 4 Sabiki Rig
- 5 Silver Casting Spoon
- 6 Diving Plug
Rigs that work
- 1 King Mackerel Stinger Rig
- 2 Trolley Rig
- 3 Freeline Live Bait
