KING MACKEREL
KING MACKEREL
🌊 CONDITIONS
📍 WHERE TO FIND THEM
🐟 BEST BAITS
- Cigar minnows
- Blue runners
- Pogies
- Hardtails
- Ribbonfish
🎣 BEST LURES
- Casting spoons
- Diving plugs
- Trolling plugs
- Ribbonfish rigs
- Fast-moving jigs
🔥 INSHORE INTEL PROVEN RIG
🎯 HOW TO FISH IT
Find concentrated bait first — cigar minnows, blue runners, pogies and feeding birds.
Present live bait naturally around the outside edge of the bait school.
Keep the drag moderate and let a fresh king run.
Expect another hard run near the pier, kayak, gaff or net.
Kings follow bait. When bait stacks around Gulf Coast piers, passes and nearshore structure, kings usually aren’t far behind.
SHEEPSHEAD
SHEEPSHEAD
🌊 CONDITIONS
📍 WHERE TO FIND THEM
🔥 BEST BAITS
- Fiddler crabs
- Sometimes 2 fiddlers beat 1
- Live shrimp
- Barnacles
- Oysters
🎣 PRESENTATION
- Small split shot
- Natural drift
- Sweeper Jig
- Small jig head
- Match weight to current
🔥 INSHORE INTEL PROVEN RIG
🎯 HOW TO FISH IT
When Gulf Coast water starts dropping into the low-to-mid 60s, start looking for sheepshead around structure.
Fish tight to bridge pilings, docks, rocks, jetties and passes.
Go as light as conditions allow. Use a small split shot to naturally drift a fiddler crab or live shrimp alongside the pilings.
Increase weight as current or depth requires. A Sweeper Jig gives you more control when fishing tight to structure.
The bite can be extremely light. Stay in contact with the bait and let the rod load instead of making a huge hookset.
After a cold front, don’t overlook live shrimp. Fiddler crabs are a favorite — and sometimes two fiddlers are better than one. Match your weight to the current and feeding depth.