Surf fishing for kingfish

[Thos_BFT]

[unsure] I'm planning to surf fish on the jersey coast next weekend. My target fish is northern kingfish. What's the best way to go at it.
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[Tarpon4me]

When you say "kingfish," do you mean the Mackerel or do you mean the small bottom feeder also known as a "whiting." Remember, the further down the coast you go, the more different the names of fish are, for the same fish. You say Pogey, we say Menhaden. etc.. etc..

Break it down for us, and i'll shoot you so tips.[cool]
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[kingsinthaSC]

i think me means whiting but hey have u ever heard of some one catchin king macks off the surf
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[Thos_BFT]

Sorry for the confusion. I meant surf fishing for whiting. In Jersey alot of people call them northern kingfish, but i meant whiting.
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[kingsinthaSC]

i catch them on shrimp and squid or cut bait thats all i know to tell ya
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[Tarpon4me]

Whiting, that sounds a little better.

However, I have landed King Mackerel from the surf. I don't know how many times i've gotten funny looks sending a float rig into the wind off of a pier. But, when the Menhaden are running just beyond the breakers, so are the larger preditory fish that prey on them. It's a basic concept that alot of your old "salty" anglers from back in the day can't grasp, until they see me steaking a big King out at the cleaning table. [cool] Funny how that will change someone's attitude. There are many large fish wandering the breakers that many people don't realize. Spanish and King mackeral, Sharks to include Tiger and Bull sharks, large bluefish and 250lb stingrays. You see, everyone thinks that the things that are scarey are offshore, when in reality, the worst of the worst can be found right under your toes in knee deep water.

As far as your whiting, you've got the basic idea. Shrimp is good bait, I also like fresh cut mullet or menhaden for the big "bulls." They seem to congrigate along sandbars and around depth breaks. I've noticed that they like sand, and not so much structure. I've noticed that no matter what pier I go down, when the whiting are running, you'll always see fifty polls packed in tight on the end corners of the pier. It's actually comical to see it. 6 or 7 old men packing 3 rods a piece in a tiny little corner of the pier. Why is that? LOL I dunno, but those old guys smoke everyones tail and catch some serious fish. [cool]
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[kingsinthaSC]

oo yea when the whiting and the specs are running I go out on the piers at night and fish for them and I get alot like that so
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