akfish
2013-09-11 22:34:39
Curious about spring/winter kings and the way they react to close together spreads. Spring Kings in SC I went every third mark on 1 1/2 wire and had decent results. Would the same Kings have eaten a more crowded line? Also do summer kings seem to bite faster trolled baits and more crowded gear since they are more accustomed to water with more fish around and therefore not as shy? Any opinions?
Abundance
2013-09-12 03:44:59
I've noticed that people tend to have different ideas about the specifics of, but you are correct. Closer together in the summer, farther apart in the winter. I usually run four fathoms apart for spring and winter kings, two fathoms in the summer. If they are filling your lines, put them closer together, if shying away spread them back out. Since I usually catch winter kings in clatters of two or three on the bottom leaders at tide change, I am thinking about running them a little closer together this winter. The one time I tried six fathoms apart everybody else doubled me, but that happens often enough anyway I guess.
akfish
2013-09-12 04:27:01
Thanks Garrett , kind of assumed that but good to hear it from another person!
Salty
2013-09-16 23:44:07
akfish,
Great question and the answer from me of course is "it depends". I have run King gear as close as 1.5 fathoms apart and as much as 10 fathoms apart. What I like in my declining years is to run 5 or six spreads a line on 3-8 fathom leaders regardless of depth I am fishing. Sometimes I will spread those out over the whole depth, or bunch em up at the bottom. Since I change the depth of wire I am running numerous times in a typical day (even if I run the same drag all day, I will change the wire depth with the tides) it makes it easier to just run the same number of spreads regardless of the depth I am fishing. I also like to string my leaders behind the boat instead of coiling them every time and 5-7 spreads work nicely without tangling.
Sometimes I will only run a lead spoon or flasher and just two spreads above it so I only have three spreads on the line. I hate hauling empty spreads, particularly coiling them all up.
Just one perspective on king spreads. Coho, chums, and pinks are a whole different story.