Georgiaboy

32 -- awesome fish!

I caught a 34" a couple of weeks ago that weighed 11, then next fish was 37" (3 inches longer) and weighed 16 -- 5 lbs or 45% greater. They really start getting fat once they get to that size.

Rag-Tag

I would say the guesses in the 30-32.5# range are on point. Angle is crappy to be real accurate as far as compairing certain features to other objects etc but with that length and with fish in that size range there teeth really begin to solidify and thicken esp on a female fish that is in a good solid healthy growth stage and is not super agressive and expending tons of energy/calories I assume, and I also have to look at but most importantly touch the tail and feel the diamater and actually shape at the base of the tail. As they grow larger the base actually begins to square off as the two finlets or whatever on either side of the tail thicken. However, all that BS then that is also a very typical size for a lare concentration of very agressive male fish that won't weigh out as well. They are more scraggly seeming with more "babyish" teeth and less of a belly and a firmer belly which is no good! These can fool you too and you'll catch 40 of them in 3 hours as fast as you can plop a hardtail overboard and attempt to throw the rod in a holder so someone else has to reelit in and you'll #1 swear that your catching fish in the 33-35 range after an hour probably due to the blazing runs and agressive all the way to the boat fight where the female in that range doesn't seem to be near as active. Middle school boys vs girls I guess, nature???? and #2 you'll swear that "with these really nice, quality kings here and so many hungry ones surely if we keep weeding thru them there will be a big one" like 45-50+ but not once has it ever happened to me. I think the older big breeder females don't want anything on earth to do with that swarm of testostorone filled "teenagers" in a food fight turned wrestling match.

Don't know where you caught yours but if out of Pensacola I bet its a female and she has/had roe weighing about a pound per side and with the teeth in the picture and the overall healthy look of it she would not bum you out and start with a 2 but slide in with a solid 3 in the begenning and a 2.5 or 3 to follow.

Awesome fish man, so where did you catch it, roughly, or check my post in reefs/wrecks and be exact, and when the next one comes over the rail in the midst of all the excitement ditch the gaff and hold it out horizontal straight up not leaning towards or away from the shot and also get one with it laying in the deck, if planning to kill if not don't waste this much time. Also, an afterthought that I am not sure I saw, was the 47" a fork length or a LOA? I didn't closely look at Kingscapes inches/ weight chart but I assume he is using fork length and if your not that is most likely where you are 2-3 pounds shy.

Words to live by: If shes 60" to the fork, healthy, and you gotta squeeze a bit for my fingers to touch thumb to birdy, bag her up, clean the deck, and trot 4500 no barkin'all the way back to the check book and if one dies don't stop, slam the other to the glass and hope your boys are already off their ass and on the bow hoping she won't fall off plane in a sea.

younghooker

big kings are full of mercury, release any over 20 lbs..smoke 'em or blacken on grill (fresh only).. makes good smoked fish dip/spread with crackers....:letsdrink

John B.

cobia have more mercury in them than a king...

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Jhoe

yes, big kings are definitely full of mercury. if you happen to catch any just PM me and ill come get them and put them in a better place.