How to Catch Sydney Kingfish

By Mitchell Taylor

Everyone knows that Sydney Harbour in the warmer months becomes home for many big schools of Kingfish. The huge schools of fish can usually be found boiling and busting the surface each day. Some days these fish can be easy to catch, and others can be very finicky. So, what works? Well, I have broken down my general ways of fishing for these great sportfish whether they are finicky or not.

The first key to success when targeting surface feeding kingfish is time of day. In most cases you find the Kingfish most active in the early mornings or late afternoons. You may find them throughout the day busting up but won’t be as consistent or willing as they maybe in the early or late hours of the day.

Secondly lure choice is very important. Depending on the day, they may favour different lures as it may depend on the size of the baitfish they are chasing that day. In most cases they will be chasing small whitebait. I will always start off with a Infeet Slippery Dog 80F in any colour variation although my favourite colour for any species is clown or whitebait. I will always start on this lure as there’s nothing better than seeing a kingfish breach the surface and eat your lure. I will persist with this until I have had several casts on top of them without interest. I usually use a fast erratic twitching action.

My second choice in lure would have to be the new Bait Junkie Flick Bait 295 in Red Herring, matched with a 1/12 or 1/16 jighead size #2 in the heavier gauge unless I am using super light gear in which I will use the light gauge jigheads. I will generally work the flickbait very similar to the slippery dog with a fast twitching erratic motion. If the fish are being finicky then in most cases, you will have to drop everything down in size. So, an Infeet Slippery Dog 65F, lighter leader and lighter jigheads. The trade of is getting more bites over the potential to being busted off. Sometimes you may need to change several times until you find the happy medium.

Thirdly, take your time and do not rush your casts. In most cases the fish will continue to bust the surface and timing is everything. If you have an electric motor then use this to move around the schools, this will ensure you put yourself in the best position without spooking the fish. Always take note of which way the fish are chasing the bait and try and replicate the retrieve the best you can in the direction they are being chased. Some fish will follow your lure and not commit. In this case try a quick pause then a quick retrieve. This will sometimes get the fish worked up enough to take the lure.

My favourite combo for chasing these fish:

* Rod - 22 Tatula XT 701MLFS

* Reel – 23 Aird LT 2500

* Braid – J-Braid Grand 10lb (Island Blue)

* Leader – J-Thread X-Link Fluro 10lb