December has brought Cooler weather
and that means the King Mackerel are here! King Mackerel as we call them, Also known as Kingfish, are pushed South as the water gets colder. They are fished commercially by both net and Hook and line fishermen. Their numbers have dwindled over the 35+ years I have been fishing, but we still get some when the weather turns cold,(for us). The name “Kingfish” and “King Mackerel” are interchangeable. It’s the same fish.
Kingfish can get quite large.
The world record kingfish was 93 lbs and I believe it was caught in the Florida Keys. The largest Kingfish I have ever brought in on the Southbound was 56 lbs. That one was a beast. I still remember where were fishing when we caught it even though it was over 20 years ago. Back then 20+lb fish were common and a 30+ fish wasn’t unusual. But even then, anything 40 or better was exceptional.
We don’t catch nearly as many
these days and most are smaller. While the smaller ones are not as challenging to catch, Kingfish is one of the few fish that are better eating when they are small. As most mackerel are, the meat of a Kingfish can be a little oily. It’s actually better for you than Snapper or Grouper because of the Omega oils. They sell “fish oil” capsules in the Pharmacy to promote Heart Health. The smaller ones are less oily and most people consider better table fare. They do make great Smoked Fish or fish dip.
Kingfish are known to “Skyrocket” a bait
That is where they strike the bait by attacking from below at a high rate of speed and shoot up into the air with the bait in their mouth. It is impressive to see even a small one come flying out of the water like a “missile”. They can go 10-15 feet in the air.
King Mackerel