UTERKing mackerel fishing in Mississippi & Alabama Coast
In Mississippi & Alabama Coast, king mackerel peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Slow-troll cigar minnows on the nearshore reefs and the Chandeleur rigs.
No note for October — see the months around it.
King mackerel in Mississippi & Alabama Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArrivingKings arrive on the reef zone and the gas rigs.
- JunePeakSnapper on the reefs, trout on the islands. Cigar minnows on the reefs; live shrimp on the island grass beds.
- JulyPeakSlow-troll cigar minnows on the nearshore reefs and the Chandeleur rigs.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish king mackerel near Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi
The Mississippi Sound behind Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois islands, the Biloxi Marsh to the west, Mobile Bay and the Mobile–Tensaw Delta, the Dauphin Island bridge and causeway, Perdido Bay and the Alabama beaches — with the world's biggest artificial-reef zone just offshore of Orange Beach.
Fish Scouter charts 1,918 artificial reef, 502 wreck, 44 ledge / hard bottom spots in the Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay map area — the kinds king mackerel hold on.
What to use for king mackerel
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Spanish sardinesNose-hooked and free-lined in a chum slick, or slow-trolled on a stinger rig.
- Speedos (redtail scad)Bridled through the nose on a kite or slow-trolled for sailfish, kingfish and blackfin.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–6/0
- Braid30–50 lb
Feeds in 66–82°F water, best at 68–76°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch king mackerel in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Peak season is June–September. King mackerel are in Mississippi & Alabama Coast May–October. July: Slow-troll cigar minnows on the nearshore reefs and the Chandeleur rigs.
Where do king mackerel hold in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Dauphin Island.
What is the best bait for king mackerel in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), threadfin herring (greenbacks), cigar minnows, menhaden (pogies). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–6/0, braid 30–50 lb.
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