King MackerelKing mackerel are usually caught between five and thirty pounds, but they can actually grow to be over ninety pounds. The back of the King mac is greenish in color but the sides fade into an odd silvery, rosy iridescent type color.The underbelly is white. Fish that weigh in at less than ten pounds usually have some spotting on their flanks that is a yellow-brown color. The king mackerel has large teeth that are quite similar to the bluefish. King macs have a preference for water that is between 70 degrees and 85 degrees. They usually run in water that is between 40 feet and 150 feet deep. Some larger fish hang out in harbors and inlets even at depths up to six hundred feet. The voracious king macs are carnivores that are extremely opportunistic. They will eat anytime the opportunity arises. Naturally, their preferred meals depend upon the size of the king mac. Their favorite foods include menhaden, weakfish, jacks, minnows and bluerunners. Because of their incredible appetites and inability to pass up a meal, they will feed on just about anything.
Pier fishing is a popular method used by anglers to catch king mackerel. Providing that the pier gets the fisherman out to a depth of at least twenty feet of water, the opportunity for catching king macs is there. If there is a cold front approaching the area with an incoming tide and inshore wind the king macs will probably be heading to the pier. In this area the best place to fish for king mackerel is the Gulf State Park Pier in Gulf Shores. If they are biting from the pier, you will have a good chance to take home a big fish. You can find out what's biting from the pier by checking the board at the pier entrance. Be sure to have at the very least two hundred feet of twenty pound test on a medium to heavy action rod. The rod should be at least 6 ½ if not 7 feet in length. A soft tip will work wonders for casting some small bait. Having a reel with a smooth drag will definitely be beneficial to catching these fish. Live baitfish or silver spoons will entice the king macs to your line. Troll fishing is equally popular. It is wise not to exceed two knots when trolling for king as you do not want to spook your potential catch. A medium to heavy seven foot rod is the best choice when trolling. The reel should hold at least three hundred feet of thirty pound test. Be sure to use a three foot wire trolling leader. An eight inch lure or one that is slightly larger will be a great asset in catching kings. The line should be about thirty feet off of the back of the boat to be effective. It is best to chum the water with freshly cut up minnows or other baitfish. Some fishermen dump small baitfish into the water in hope of drawing the king in toward the vessel, but this might not be a good idea because kings will hit the free bait and you might lose the potential catch simply because there is more bait in the water to compete with the bait at the end of your line. OK, now you have hopefully caught a fabulous king mac. Now, you need to cook it and this recipe for grilled king mackerel steaks is very easy and tasty. You will need: • 4 king mackerel steaks • 2 lemons, sliced • 2 cloves of garlic, minced • ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil • Salt and pepper Preheat the grill to medium and cover it with non-stick aluminum foil for grilling. Mix the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper together. Drag the steaks through the mixture and place them on the grill. Put the lemon slices on the steaks while they are cooking. Each side should be grilled for 5 minutes. When it is time to turn them, remove the lemon slices, flip the steaks and replace the lemons. Once the steaks start flaking with the twist of a fork, they are done. Remove them from the grill and serve this delicious steak. New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
Subscribe in a reader