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Florida East Coast Spearfishing Let's talk here about spearing on Florida's Atlantic coast. Reports and other issues about this region belong here.

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Old 04-13-2012, 10:08 AM   #1
French
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Tips on spearing Kings?

Hi guys, i've never tried specifically targeting kings, and i want to give it a try. (ive only speared 2 when i see them over the reef). Fishing i can limit on kings easy, but i'm not sure if the credentials are the same.. here is what i think i would do, let me know if anything i'm thinking is not a good idea.

first i would go out to 140ft (preferably with a drift that brings me north/north west towards shore) when out there i would have a bag of chum in the water with a buddy chunking sardines off of the boat. i would drop a flasher down about 30-40 feet then jump in w/ a buddy (or 2) and wait for them to come.

again if anything that i'm planning wont work, or somethings work better please tell me!

Thanks

EDIT: Also, i will be freediving
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Old 04-13-2012, 10:22 AM   #2
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

They were thick on the deep ledge yesterday. We shot a few nice ones.. including one that spooled my reel and ripped it off my gun...

I don't know if they come up to flashers like the hoos and such... but definitely worth a try.
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Old 04-13-2012, 11:13 AM   #3
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Flasher bring kings in. But if your out there doing everything you list you should be good to go. Not sure of the deep ledges depth where you are but don't only focus on the deep stuff. King tournaments are often won but boats fishing in less than 40ft of water. They prefer bait rich areas with a slight off green color to the water. Just find the conditions and then get in. We never use a traditional block of chum(messy and not needed IMO). Just slow chunk sardine and wait. Kingfish move around a lot so of they don't show up try movin to another spot or wait till reports put them in an area to target them. Goodluck. Shoot and let them play the line Ans float because they tear off very easy.
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Old 04-13-2012, 11:24 AM   #4
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

thanks guys, thats some good advice!, do you think it would be better to use a slip tip? (i have a few sea stingers from my pole spear) so all i would need to get is a threaded shaft.. ive been considering anyways since i tore off a 10lb mutton

the only downside to the sea stinger slip tips is the hydrodynamics kind of suck..
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Old 04-13-2012, 11:31 AM   #5
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Get a high quality slip tip like a mori with spectra. It is real accurate and won't rip out. Use a float line I shot a small king about 20lbs few days ago on the reef with my real gun and it almost spoolled a 300ft line reel.

Use frozen sardines in a pinch with the flasher if you can shoot some blue runners or other bait fish fresh is always better for chum.
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Old 04-13-2012, 11:38 AM   #6
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

seastinger is not suited for long range shots with a gun(great tip for most reef fish)

get a mori, mako, wong, or something designed for the exact shaft it will be shot from(mori is the best period) aim to kill and dont pressure the fish, wait till it tires then drag it up for a kill shot. flopper shaft in a soft kingfish will require a shot that passses thru the entire fish at a point close to center mass to reduce the risk of a tear off. kings can be snuck up on from directly above if you can get that drop on them.

not mentioned above(super great tip!!!) if you are diving on a chum line dont dive down and pursue this fish until it has eaten a piece of chum, they dont always eat the chum but if you wait until you see them eat or refuse the bait that is best because IF they eat the chum you can feed him some more to make him much easier to approach. a fed fish is a happy fish. this works for most all fish that respond to chum(all of them
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Old 04-13-2012, 11:43 AM   #7
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

hmm i like the sound of getting my own fresh chum anyways! the slip tip is definitely going to be my next purchase, Cant wait to shoot em up!

Also, if any of you guys ever wanna go out of pompano on the boat let me know!



EDIT: So the more it eats, the easier it is to approach?? thats is very interesting! cant wait to try it out!!

Last edited by French; 04-13-2012 at 11:54 AM.
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Old 04-13-2012, 11:51 AM   #8
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Hit them in the head, the don't rip off and I always use a flopper shaft..
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Old 04-13-2012, 12:45 PM   #9
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Dive off the outflow pipe right out front. Chum the kings and bonitas up. That will give you an excellent chance to shoot a blackfin in the next two months. Keep an eye out for bull sharks and stupid boaters though.
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Old 04-13-2012, 08:36 PM   #10
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

One tip I got from an aussie spearo years ago is if you are down on level with the king and it swims away from you, swim hard straight for its tail. They are VERY curious and will often start to snake back and forth to get a look at you. Eventually they might do a big 90 degree turn broadside adn if you've closed the distance you get your shot. This works great with smaller spanish/cero as well. I shot a 50lb smoker off the beach a few years back in the murk with this technique. Of course occasionally they will bolt, but they were swimming away anyway right! This doesn't work as well for wahoo unfortunately....
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Old 04-14-2012, 10:58 AM   #11
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Interesting, i never put it into thought, but i've noticed that with other species of mackerel! ill be sure to keep that on my mind
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Old 04-14-2012, 06:51 PM   #12
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

this stud came to check me out when i was on the bottom trying to find a grouper last year. she had my reel stripped to the knot before i could reach the surface in 75ft and almost had to ditch my gun because i was getting pulled down 30ft below the surface. thanks to my spotter/buddy i was able to hand off my gun and get to the surface. i usually try to go for shots towards the mid body inbetween the analfin and dorsal. theres alot of bone and solidness in there that seems to never let the fish pull off.
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Old 04-14-2012, 07:28 PM   #13
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Thats a huge kingie... nice fish.
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Old 04-14-2012, 08:42 PM   #14
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Check out the Ulusub website Gallery. There's a couple videos.

14Oft is a bit deep. I'd stay in @ 80ft of water, then yo can intersect them, otherwise they can stay below you.

Flashers work well especially noise producers, like Rattlers. Chum works well. These guys are predators, so they are brought in with sound and smell. Personally, I like to use a Flasher system hanging from a Buoy, a Big Reel ie 75-100yds, and sometimes I'll use a Gun flasher, which is a single, rattling lure which I dangle about 6ft below my gun. Sometimes if a fish is leaving, I can strum that gun flasher and turn them. Don't crowd your Flasher Rope. Give @ 25ft between your dives and the Flasher. Be ready as soon as that Flasher drops..

Proper weighting is very important with kings. You really want to be neutral at depth.. this is usually possible because it's warm water. You don't want to be overweighted and sinking because you often want to hover when you see them @ 40ft.

I like to use a longer gun, a Big Reel with 2.5mm Dyneema, and a Flopper. Te best shot on a big King is Centermass behind the Stomach Cavity. That's your best chance at stoning them.

Usually a King will give you a shot. Some guys will chase them down. I don't I just wait and Hover and eventually, most of the time, they'll come around and give the shot.

We don't have heaps of Bull Sharks chasing our fish around. My technique is to let a King play itself out until it literally gives me the tail. I've pulled in more than one fish by a hair of skin because I was gentle with it. They're not going to wrap on the bottom, so let them run. I've been spooled on 5Oyd reels, but never had to let go of a gun. I've never been spooled on 75-100yd reels.

The one problem with Kings is they're a High Mercury Fish.. so, as much fun as they are, and even though they are great eating, I often will try to take the smallest one, or pass and go for something else. Once you make the decision to pass.. it's amazing to watch them swim around you in circles inches from your spear tip..
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Old 04-15-2012, 12:24 AM   #15
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Re: Tips on spearing Kings?

Make friends with commercial guys and find out where they are running. Go there and shoot 'em up. Only thing I can say other than that is just keep putting in your time in the water. I am not a great freediver when it comes to depth and time but I get out whenever I can....(which lately has been very little because of work). I have shot many kings but not very many very large ones....then one day it happened....hit a PB and wrote a story that HSD was kind enough to publish. Still very pleased with this fish...one of my favorite spearfishing memories. Good luck

PS one tip...keep a few baitfish tucked in your wetsuit sleeve. If you see kings about yet out of range pull one out and tear it up and toss out in front of you. This draws them in and helps get you a better shot opportunity.
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