# Kingin' from the surf



## RaleighKing (Mar 25, 2008)

Hey guys, somewhat new to fishing the surf. I have learned alot from lurking the boards, but I couldn't find any info on trying to target kings from the surf. I usually hit up oak island, specifically the point accross from Holden beach. How far out should I look to get my bait? I usually wade in the water to about upper chest, heave like hell and walk all the way back in, getting about 200-250 yds from the beach, on the other side of the sand bar. Is that sufficient for possibly landing a king or do I need to bite the bullet and go the yakkin route? Some locals I talked to said they landed some kings here and there down there but I didn't get any specifics on what they did. Thanks for helpin a weekend warrior from the city 

P.S. I do know about pin rigging from the pier which is fun, but I love being on the beach and nothing is quite like surf fishing, so I'm hopin to land one in the sand!


----------



## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

never heard of kings caught from the surf. yakking is probably more successful. however if u really wanted to try i guess u can but a live bunker on a balloon and let the current take it out far to sea.
or launch a heavy sinker on a 12 foot surf rod and slide a live bait down(but u are really going to have to cast super far.
remember predator fish follow baitfish. so they will get near shore


----------



## RaleighKing (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks for the reply! Yeah it is definitely unconventional targeting from the surf, but somethign I'm going to attempt. I've heard of the balloons, but I thought I had read where that is illegal now? Could be wrong. Also, i was thinking of using a fish finder with a float to put out there to keep my anchored down but allow the bait to slide to the surface with the float and swim about near the top, using a king rig. I guess I'll just start experimenting and see what happens.


----------



## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

I have seen a bunch of kings caught here, but never one from the surf. That being said, I've never seen anyone target kings from the beach either. If you can get a live bait on top of the water 300 yds or so from the beach you should have a pretty good chance.


----------



## ReelKingin (Aug 3, 2009)

ive been kingin from the beach for yrs...caught several, many different ways.....goodluck and let us know how it goes for ya


----------



## pogeymoe (May 5, 2009)

put your rod in a sandspike, loosen drag a little yak out a float rig and a small bait bucket with a blue or pogey. when you get way out hook up the bait and drop it over. paddle back to the hill and chill. one bit of advice....a long rod works best to keep line out of breakers.also a taller than normal sandspike. try that in october or june at longbeach. down at the end is fine........id love to do that !! let us know


----------



## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

RK,

If you can get warm clean clear water and bait in the swells breaking on the beach, you can target Spanish and Kings there, and have a reasonable chance of success. 

The leeward side of the inlet will most likely be sharky, the windward side will have the fish you are looking for. This means a SE wind will be your best choice, from Oak Island fishing Lockwood Folly Inlet. Use a wire leader or heavy monofilament leader, you will get cutoff in a hurry otherwise.

I've seen them caught and/or caught them on squid, cut bait, live bait fish, and live shrimp, in and around the inlet. Fish the inlet around high tide.

Catching a King with your feet in the sand is not likely to happen often, They have issues when their bellies touch the sand, they don't like it, at all......

West of the inlet 200-300 yards there is sometimes a horseshoe shaped bar, BTW, great for shelling at low tide. If you can wade out on the bar. to where you can reach the dredged channel with a long cast, your chances are much better of picking off a Spanish or smaller King with a Hopkins or other long casting lure, if you want to use lures. Fish this at low tide. Watch the tide if you do this, it can fill fast, don't take unnecessary chances. 

Good luck,

Blaine


----------



## RaleighKing (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks for all the replys guys, I will definitely try some of the things you guys mentioned. Blaine, I like the hopkins idea from the sand bar, I know exactly what your talking about. I've been out there before and casted bait and your absolutely right about the tide coming in quick. I caugt a 4LB croaker from out there. I'll be heading down in 2 weeks so I'll give you guys a report after I crank in that Smoker


----------



## kingfish (Feb 28, 2004)

Probably not a better stretch of beach to fish kings from, south of cape fear. I will say middle sept to middle oct, to be prime, follow the bait and cast hopkins or sea hawks, jerk jigger, I've caught many kings in less than 6 feet of water. I would suggest a silver eel for dead bait on a float or slider rig. good luck, elusive target.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*One more option*

Get a day when it is blowing offshore.. Get a kite.. Rig a clip and set your livebait under the kite.. Other than a yak,or maybe lucking into one on a lure with wire leader,you're definatly going against the odds..
I've only heard of maybe 3 or 4 kings from the beach all but one were on lures.. It was caught while drumfishing with cutbait.. Believe me,from the surf you are against a stacked deck....jmho


----------



## RaleighKing (Mar 25, 2008)

Drumdum said:


> Get a day when it is blowing offshore.. Get a kite.. Rig a clip and set your livebait under the kite.. Other than a yak,or maybe lucking into one on a lure with wire leader,you're definatly going against the odds..
> I've only heard of maybe 3 or 4 kings from the beach all but one were on lures.. It was caught while drumfishing with cutbait.. Believe me,from the surf you are against a stacked deck....jmho


I hear you. Yeah the odds aren't great, but I like a challenge. My father has landed a couple from the surf, all around 15lbs or less, but that has been over the span of about 20 years and his were more of random hookups. He was not targeting them by any means.From some people I have talked to however I don't think targeting them from the inlet is that far fetched. I've seen kite fishing before but never tried it, I definitely want to look into that more. My buddy and I usually have about 5-6 bigger game setups out and any given time depending on our bait, setups for drums to blues to sharks, and now hopefully for kings. All that mixed with tossing out a hopkins should put me in position to maybe hookup with one. Keep the ideas coming boys!


----------



## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

if somebody tried using pencil popper like they do up north for stripers when bunker schools along the surf or other large poppers. other lure ideas include slinging metals large a large 3 oz hopkins. i guess u would want to modify it by adding another set of trebs and a long wire leader.


----------



## skipjack (May 1, 2009)

Ive been king fishing all my life. Never heard of anybody fishing for them from the surf. Sounds like it would be fun to try. Let us know how it works out.


----------



## ReelKingin (Aug 3, 2009)

well i have caught several from the beach on the south end on fort fisher in the fall....its not that hard and if you use braid no need to worry with the breakers dragging your line in...also...a king no liking the sand? If you have ever kinged before? The sand wont matter cause the king will be basically floating by then..one thing i will say is once you get him in, get him in quick he might have toof marks if ya take your time


----------



## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

ReelKingin,

If you bring them in hot, to keep the sharks off of them, they won't be floating to the beach.

I agree with you, don't pussy foot with them, get them in, or the sharks will get them.

The 2nd king that I caught from the beach actually jumped three times when his belly touched the sand, and then ran back over the second bar.

No tooth marks in that one, by the way.

I have not gotten a ton of Kings from the beach, I think I have landed eight complete Kings, and 3 partials. That is why I mentioned the lee side of the inlet, the sharks are there in force. 

Most came from kite fishing, which is a tough thing to do with the boat traffic at Lockwood Folly. If you don't have experience kite fishing, I would not choose to learn there.

Blaine


----------



## RaleighKing (Mar 25, 2008)

Kite fishing is looking more and more interesting. Glad to hear guys are catching them near the surf. I've heard of barracudas and sharks nailing kings in distress, so i guess it would be no different in the surf. No messing around when brining them in!


----------

