Kings and Spanish Macs?

[Dyllan]

Was told to use a long light leader for these guys? 20' of 20-17lb test? Is this a norm? What do you guys use?

[FishMagnet]

Depends on the size of the fish and water clarity but generally for spanish macs I use a short trace of #3 wire (maybe 18 inches) to a small swivel. I use ten pound test and three feet of 40 lb flourocarbon tied to the swivel.

For Kings I d use a short length of #8 wire to a double hooked live bait or a lure if trollling. You dont need more than 2 or three feet of wire-It is just to keep them from biting you off. I caught 30 plus pound kings in the Keys two weeks ago with only a 4 inch wire trace to the hook and had no problems.

[ReelBad]

Now this is my kind of fishing if you are using Live bait and thats what it takes for smoker kings we use #4 or #5 wire 36 inch leader nose hook and stinger about 6' from nose hook on 20 lb mono trolled at just in idle I like to use Turbo Rattlers they drive the bait nuts keeping them active and sometimes will add a duster skirt I prefer Cape lookout lures Smokers Only skirts they are very light and have the most flash I have seen and made in the USA by a super nice guy www.capelookoutlures.com. If you are after numbers and not smoker Kings Drown spoons on a planer board with 12 ft of leader from the planer to the spoon trolled at 4 to 5 knots. Have fun hope I help some

[Capt. Lyndon]

I use 20 lb. main line with about 15 ft. of 20 lb. fluoro for abrasion resistance. My live bait rigs are either #4 or #6 4x eagle claw trebles, for both the nose hook and stinger hook, #4 single strand wire, about 36" for the leader, about 5" from the nose hook to the stinger hook, and a 50 lb. spro power swivel. The hook size depends on the bait size. As far as skirts, I don't like them with live baits, unless I have small bait, but won't hesitate to use them with dead cigar minnows or ribbon fish. Cape Lookout Smokers Only skirts are the only way to go. They have a ton of mylar in them, and the heads are made of aluminum, making for an ultralight skirt. If you want to pull drone spoons for numbers of kings, I run mine 80-100 ft. behind a #16 planer with 80 lb. mono leader, pulling them @ 5.5-7 knts.. For Spanish Mackerel, I don't use wire. Usually I am trolling clarkspoons behind planers,small trolling weights, or 4 1/2" birds. I will run the spoon 20-30 ft. behind the planer or trolling weight, but only 10 ft or so behind the bird. I will usually troll for spanish between 5.5 and 6.5 knts, but will increase my speed to 7.5-8 if I start getting eat up by bluefish.

[ReelBad]

We just released a new live bait hook called the ST-5000 Live Bait Series 50 % less visible stinger will not come out of the bait .Nose hook is a treble when installed in the bait it is 50 % less visible to gave fish then a single nose hook.


you can read about them on turborattler.com

[Capt. Lyndon]

Reelbad, what makes the hooks less visible? Smaller wire? If they are as strong as an eagle claw 774 4x treble, I would be interested in trying them. Let me know.

[ReelBad]

They are as strong they are 4 X strong what makes them less visible you really need to see the video on the web site but the third hook on a standard treble does nothing but hold the hook to the bait it is full of meat and never ends up in a game fish. The St-5000 the third hook has been changed and redesigned with a smaller wire only on the third hook the nose hook the way we redesigned it sets it back on the baits head and in the center line of the bait a treble trough the nose sets off to the side and pulls the bait to the side ours pulls it straight the hook set back on the baits head hides it from fish below the surface a standard treble or single hook are out past the baits head and can be seen. The stinger we replaced the third hook with a straight smaller wire that goes trough the bait then folds over locking it to the bait bringing the shank closer to the baits body making it less visible both hooks have US utility patents field.

[gottaflylee]

Since you did not say...lets do spoons only...
Leaders for both is 30' minum. from planer to spoon...I feel this is a must. With a Drone for Kings, we use 50 pound with the size planer we run.
Spanish...clark spoons...again 30' mimum. from planer to spoon. 30 pound leader...why, to keep the line twist down, have enough to replace it often. Another thing, same as above with trolling weights. For me shorter leaders = less bites...
Slow trolling is another story...