BigBendFishing.Net

Hi fellas,

My brother-in-law's coming in from Nebraska next week, and I was hoping that I could take him somewhere to catch a kingfish. Does anyone know where I can find some, close to Tallahassee and close to shore? I have a small boat and don't want to venture too far out. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Algaegator

P.S. I recently purchased a newer jon boat and my wife and I took it on its maiden voyage today on the Ochlochnee River, where we saw a five-foot algaegator. It was beautiful, having vivid yellow and black stripes, and it was the first one I've seen on the Ochlochnee.

Don't know about the kings in close. They're usually found in deeper water.

Cruise the creeks on the river and you'll see all the water lizards you want, most much bigger than what yu saw today. There are tons of them .

Tin Can's right. Occasionally you will catch a King in sort of close, but most of the time you are going to have to get out further than it sounds like you want to go.

You'd probably be better off trying to put him on a cobia or shark on the flats.

Thanks for the info Guys, but let me clarify. I don't mind going a few miles offshore to catch some kings. For instance, I know I can catch them trolling the buoy line at Mexico Beach. I was just hoping that there would be some place a little closer to Tally.

Thanks

What kind of boat do you have? You mentioned a jonboat, so I think that is why you got the previous responses.

If you have a bigger boat, I suggest you check, on this site, the "Area Charts" button, then "Area Reefs", then scroll to the Franklin County List, and consider the "One More Time" and "Carrabelle 3 mile Reef" locations. They are from 3-5 miles south of Dog Island, and you can put your boat in at the "Tiki Hut" ramp in Carrabelle, then motor to East Pass (which is the pass between St. George and Dog Islands), and offshore. If you don't have one, get the Navigation Chart for this area.

You might do O.K. trolling those with either a duster/cigar minnow combo or a stretch 30, but I recommend you catch some live bait behind the islands and use that after you anchor up. You will also do better if you chum at the site along with the live bait. You can buy a chum block in Carrabelle, and leave it off the stern in a mesh bag. Put one live bait out free lined, another about 10 feet off the bottom, and one on a balloon, if you can handle that many lines. Blue runners are best, followed by any pilchard type bait, then pins. Use about 18-24" of wire leader, with a stinger hook for the midsection or toward the tail. You can buy those rigs pre-made for kings at the bait and tackle.

If you want to go farther, head south from the pass, to about 50' of water (this will be about 5-7 miles off), and look for bait pods. Either troll those areas or catch some live baits off the pods with sabiki rigs and live bait drift that area where you see the pods.

Luck,

EJ

Thank You,
Now we're getting somewhere. I do have a jonboat, but I'm planning to fish for kings out of my 17 1/2 ft Grady White.

Thanks

Good trolling on Ochlocknee Shoals, and it's easy to find. Didn't catch any kings yerterday, but some of the biggest spanish I have ever seen. Good luck.