How to Catch King Mackerel on Spoons

King mackerel are suckers for spoons.

Slow-trolling for king mackerel with live baits or rigged dead baits is incredibly effective, but these tactics require advanced planning and effort. You need to catch or buy the live baits, and/or buy and pre-rig the dead baits. What if you’re already out on the water with a different fishing plan, when king mackerel suddenly make their presence known? It’s time to reach for the trolling spoons.

King mackerel are suckers for spoons.

While pulling spoons may not be quite as good as trolling with the real thing, they’re still extremely effective. Plus, once you have the right gear on your boat using them requires zero advance planning. Here’s everything you need to know to be ready to troll for king mackerel with spoons at any time.

SPOONS – Get a selection of a half dozen or so wobbling spoons in the four- to six-inch range. Silver, gold, red, and “firetiger” color patterns are often the best bets, and some anglers swear by spoons dressed with reflective prismatic tape.

PLANERS – You’ll want to carry a selection of #1 and #2 planers, and some anglers also like to put a #3 into the mix. Be careful how you stow these, because if they get bent they won’t run correctly.

LEADERS – Leaders generally range in the 15- to 20-foot length, in 40-pound to 80-pound test. Some anglers will also add a foot or so wire trace in front of the spoon to prevent bite-offs. Yes, a king’s teeth will go right through monofilament, but unless your spoons are on the small side and the fish in the area are on the large side this usually isn’t too much of a problem because the spoon itself is bite-proof.

SWIVELS – These are a critical part of the rigging, and regular old barrel swivels won’t do the trick. Ball bearing swivels are an absolute must to prevent line twist generated by the spinning spoon. You should have one inline halfway back on the leader, plus another at the leader-to-planer attachment point.

Set these rigs up and have them ready for action, and the next time you discover king mackerel are around you’ll be ready for ‘em with no additional preparation required.