Before all the rain we received last week, the king mackerel fishing had been great. We were getting our limit within a couple hours of fishing, then going on to catch other things; after the rain, they seem to have scattered out a little so we are in the process of searching again. We are still catching fish but it's not as easy as it was. While trolling for the kingfish, we are also picking up Spanish mackerel, an occasional cobia, amberjack, Bonita, barracuda, sharks, and jumping a sailfish occasionally.
Bottom fishing for red snapper is at an all-time high so hopefully we will get the fall season we've been hearing about. There are some grouper, but not too many; the further offshore you go (30-60 miles) the better your chances on finding a grouper to keep, along with vermilion snapper, triggerfish, red porgy, amberjack, and an occasional dolphin. Bait of choice for the kings have been pogies, cigar minnows, and Spanish sardines. You have to cast net the pogies along the beach and jig up the cigars and sardines around ledges and artificial wrecks offshore with sabikis.
