This time of the year when the spanish mackerel migrate near shore you have a shot at a big kingfish like the one pictured here. We fished aboard local boat “Below Me” in the Jimmy Johnson Tournament and took first place biggest fish with this 58.8 pound kingfish. We were fishing in shallow water in an area where we had caught a few spanish mackeral earlier in the week. Giant kings love to eat the spanish as they school up. It feels so odd to be fishing so shallow where you are really not far from swimmers.

We caught the king on a goggle eye fished on an 8/0 circle hook and a 4 foot piece of 40lb titanium wire and let me tell you that the bite was awesome! The fish stripped off about 200 yards of line before turning 180° and swam back by the boat. When we saw the fish shine near the boat our hearts were in our throats because we knew it was a potential winner.

When the fish hit the deck all hell broke loose! We were so happy hugging and screaming! The fish ate the bait with seven minutes left to go in the tournament on the second day and exactly when the moon broke the horizon to the east.

Thank you Lord!

Stay tight!
RJ Boyle