# **500 Kings ** One Man **



## newellchunker (Jun 16, 2004)

Well it finally happened today.... Angelo Depaola caught his 500th King Mackeral today off of the Jolly Roger Pier. I watched him catch numbers: 497, 498 and 499.......and who knows what number the others were. I wish that I could have seen this one though. 
I can tell you that yesterday was an exceptional day at the JR with 15 kings caught anywhere from my little 9lbr to a 34lbr. Its ounds like today is going to be another exceptional day with 5 kings already on the deck @ 1015 this am. 

Congratulations Depe......have one for me:beer:


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

sick.

shame this NE has the ocean all chopped up, i'd go drag around some live baits in the yak.

oh well, at least the trout and reds are on fire on the inside.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*That is quite a feat*

500 all I can say is WOW... Congrats.. How many years?????..JAM


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## donancy (May 24, 2005)

*Way to go Depe!!!*

There were years that didn't see as many kings as yesterdays total!
So happy for Angelo!!He surely deserves that milestone!! :beer:


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## roadkillal (Feb 23, 2006)

I can't figure out how to post the picture of number 500. But you can see it here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthCarolinaPierFishing/


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## rdjr3 (Jul 11, 2007)

:fishing:wow 500 kings landed that is awesome. way to go


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

500 kings from pier, thats is incredible.


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## Wing_Nut (Jan 8, 2007)

Man way to go


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## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

He is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet too. He sat down and showed me all about pier king fishing when I was about 15. Great great guy.









Congrats!!


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*I'll second that Bluerunner*

and can't wait to congratulate him when he fishes Avon for drummies this fall.. 

Some of you youngens have no concept of what a feat this is.. I had 67 when I quit on the planks for kings.. I'm here ta tellya,it is definatly an accomplishment!!!


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## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

Drumdum said:


> and can't wait to congratulate him when he fishes Avon for drummies this fall..
> 
> Some of you youngens have no concept of what a feat this is.. I had 67 when I quit on the planks for kings.. I'm here ta tellya,it is definatly an accomplishment!!!


i fished off the pier for 6 years and got 1, if that gives people any idea


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## NCsurffisher (Jun 27, 2004)

That's amazing. Anyone know how long he has been at it? That's gonna be like Hank Aaron's record!


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## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

gotta be since the 70's i would think, if not earlier


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Wow!!!

A tip of the hat to a helluva fisherman..


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## fishcaller (Sep 21, 2005)

Hey Bruce this is Rod, I was fighting a king next to Angelo when he was fighting #500 we were the only two people on the pier. Dean showed up in time to gaff both fish. we ended up with 8 at 4pm when I left. Angelo had 400 in 1986 it took 21 years to catch the last 100 if the king fishing hadn't gone to hell no telling how many he have today.


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## roadkillal (Feb 23, 2006)

It is 500 kings and he started fishing for big fish exculsively in the late 50;s. He has caught a number of Tarpoon, Amberjack, and a 400 pound Lemon Shark and in 1977 he caught a sailfish. His group the Silver King Mackerel club started out catching more Tarpoon (Silver King) then King Mackerel. The amount of big fish he has caught off of a pier is well above 500. 

I have only known Angelo since June of this year, but he made me feel like I have known him all his life, he really is a remarkable person

People that have known him longer line up to tell you what a wonderful person he is. I have no reason to doubt them.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Awesome*

Congrats to him.


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## b3butner (Oct 1, 2003)

That is incredible. Congratulations. I hope to fish with you someday.


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## newellchunker (Jun 16, 2004)

fishcaller....boy it's turned HOT for you huh??? Keep it up and you'll catch as many as Dean!!

BTW, Roadkillal....it's the Silver King Anglers Club.

Drumdum, I might be speaking out of turn, but I believe Depe and some other guys are going your way Sunday or Monday (one of my son's might be in that group).

I've been fishing on the JR (on/off) since 1986 and I have spent many days around Mr. Depaola and I have the utmost respect for him. He is truly an amazing individual and fisherman.......wish we had more people like him!!


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## Mr.T-Fishin (Oct 22, 2007)

*Congrats on the Jolly!*

Met Mr. Depaola this past Saturday for the first time while i was pluggin away for Blues and Spanish on the Jolly. Seemed like a really nice guy. Talked to the other Kingfisher's over Fri-Sat and it was a ruff weekend for Kings since the water was churrned up. Didn't see any come off the pier those two days. Sounds like it really cranked up this week. I made my mind up over the weekend that the next time i go down i will try and learn the art of King Fishing. Super congrats to Mr. Depaola!!


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## PSUPOWER (Dec 1, 2003)

Congrats to HIM! That is amazing!


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## pier-legend (Jan 14, 2004)

Hey Bruce..this is the ghost of x-mas past..yea, I'm still alive! 

Thrilled to hear the Depe got his 500th! That means an 86 yr. ole legend had at least, a 9-10 king season!!....reckon you and I will still be chunking a squidder when we are 86???

I had the honors of gaffing Depe's 400th king and i still have the picture of him and I with it.

If anyone wants a "history" of pier pin rigging you really need to get in Depe's presence and just let him talk..

How they discouvered "trebles" vs single hooks..
.Something about what they used DRAGGING FOR BODIES in the water-way when he worked resue!!(no chit fellows!)
You need to ask Angelo about his 1st Treble hook!

Cobia on Hopkins...kings on Hopkins...a tarpon he got all the way to the surf on a Hopkins..

Depe still has more 50 lb. cobia on Topsail than any 2-3 others....

Citation red drum in NUMBERS from Topsail Piers...

I have know Angelo since 1974....fished with him from 1985-2004...
He WASN'T on ONE of the GOOD PIERS back then..at least 4-5 of the other pier on Topsail got lots more kings than Jollys....I started on one of the good piers..WE DOUBLED THEM ALMOST EVERY YEAR...

No telling how many kings he would have caught if he had been on Dolphin, Scotch Bonnet, or Surf City piers all them years...BUT HE DID ALRIGHT!!!

6 pier tarpon....the last when he was 82 yrs old!!
a millon cobia and amberjacks....choppers, footballs, spanish....and jack crevalles..sharks!!

Depe (and me too) has always kept a Pier fish book...fish-weight-date....
and if you want to SEE PIER HISTORY, get him to show you his records of FISH CAUGHT thru the years!!!! AMAZING STUFF!!
Any new pier jock ought to keep a record book!

He is my friend...his birthday and mine are the same day....he just got a 30yr. head start..
Some of my "most displayed pics are fish I caught on Jollys and had DEPE in the picture!!

He is a gentleman...he has TOOK CARE of the sport of pier fishing in his arena very well..
No one ever Dreads fishing with Depe!!!

I miss you boys up there..... and fishing with the real "legend" ...but I'll catch him in TROUT SEASON on the beach..He and I catch up ever Nov-Dec....

Anyhow congrats on your sons Tarpon this year Bruce....keep putting em out...you;ll get one..

Well back into the mist for me....
...SEE YA on the beach..if you EVER come offn the PIER!!!


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## HuskyMD (May 19, 2000)

Wow, on the scoreboard, that's Angelo Depaola 500, HuskyMD 0. I've never fished for kings. What is the main attraction? The fight?


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## Rodwatcher (Sep 17, 2003)

I fished on the ole Dolphin pier for 10 years and it took me that long to catch a 100 pier kings. Back in the 70's they were thicker than they are now. I've got a book around here somewhere with everyone I caught, what side of the pier, which way the wind was blowing, bait I was using and the whole nine yards. Interesting reading now that I don't do that kind of fishing anymore. Pier Legend caught a bunch too back in the day.


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## roadkillal (Feb 23, 2006)

Was the Dolphin Pier south of Surf City? Does anyone know what year it closed?


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## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

HuskyMD said:


> Wow, on the scoreboard, that's Angelo Depaola 500, HuskyMD 0. I've never fished for kings. What is the main attraction? The fight?


pretty much. there's nothing like a big king smoking off 300yds in 30 seconds


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

HuskyMD said:


> Wow, on the scoreboard, that's Angelo Depaola 500, HuskyMD 0. I've never fished for kings. What is the main attraction? The fight?


 Husky,I started fishing piers in 75.. I was after sharks back then,until I saw a floatrig BLASTED by a king!! I was hooked right then and there to the sport of livebaiting off a pier.. 
There is the instant rush of your reel screaming like it's hooked to a jet.. There is the anticipation of one blasting your bait when you're looking down into gin clear water and them rascals are "window shopping" all the baits.. Also the shear excitment of having one "sky" your bait,going straight up in the air about 10 or more ft out of the water with your bait in his mouth!! If kingin hadn't gone stone cold dead up here,I'd still have a rig off Frisco.. IMHO,it's the best sport off a pier,and about as much fun as you can have with your cloths on... 



> newllchuckerrumdum, I might be speaking out of turn, but I believe Depe and some other guys are going your way Sunday or Monday (one of my son's might be in that group).


 I look forward to seeing him every yr.. Him and that doveseat,ole squider (he modernized a bit with a 7000abu and new rod last time I saw him)and that ole magniflex heaver.. Classic stuff,and the man is classy as well..


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## mistwist (Mar 29, 2004)

In case anyone missed it, if you have access the the Wilmington Newspaper, Star News, Depe has a picture in today's(Friday) paper. I haven't seen it yet, but I am told it is pretty good.

Depe didn't stop at 500 that day, he ended up with number 501 as well. The wind has been blowing and the water has looked like a mudpie since, hopefully it will clear up as this storm moves north so he can catch a few more before the waters cool to much.

If my memory serves me correctly Depe said he started king fishing in 1957, he didn't get one that year, but in 1958 he got serious about it and caught his first.


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

Congrats


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