Thread: Canterbury kingfish

I’m just getting my head around it here but a few things I have learnt so far.

Spend the time locating good current lines and the clumps of kelp, logs etc that you are looking for will be close by.

I’m finding that the fish are very boat shy and when you have spent the time and effort in finding them don’t blow it by being impatient and charging in range with the boat for a cast. Use the wind to drift silently into range and get that first cast spot on. Better still try and line up several objects for the same drift.

The wind yesterday morning made things hard work, but there were a few fish around. Hooked another 2 which is bloody exciting on the surface with a stick bait but am yet to boat one so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.

Keen to hear how others are getting on.

Been having a pretty good season on them so far, have been giving top water a fair nudge this year with no luck, we catch ours on jigs around the weed. Have alot more luck when we’re in the Bluewater and the sea is flat. Never seen so many boats out chasing them as I did today normally you might see 7 or 8 boats I didn’t bother counting as there was that many.

Thats awesome to see, I have just got back from Picton and there are really good numbers of good sized fish as well. I only caught them on Rapalas but the guys who had the stick baits did 10x better than me. Just wondering what size stick bait are you throwing at them?

Does anyone know if there’s still some kingfish around at the moment?

Originally Posted by Mr300WSM

Does anyone know if there’s still some kingfish around at the moment?

Yes there are.

Originally Posted by Matt2308

Yes there are.

Thanks

Some fella caught a good kingy on a livie from Black Rock a few weeks back. That's the holy grail! I think he got a kahawai at lyttelton and transported it (lugged it) in a chilly bin. Hard earned and well deserved IMHO

Originally Posted by Strummer

Some fella caught a good kingy on a livie from Black Rock a few weeks back. That's the holy grail! I think he got a kahawai at lyttelton and transported it (lugged it) in a chilly bin. Hard earned and well deserved IMHO

Haha. We used to do the same thing up East Cape. Go down to Hicks Bay and catch small Kahawai in the surf and then carry a chilly bin full of them around the cape to Midway point. Usually 4 of us so we could share the load. It was well worth it if there were kingies about but the hooking to landing rate was never that flash.

Originally Posted by Strummer

Some fella caught a good kingy on a livie from Black Rock a few weeks back. That's the holy grail! I think he got a kahawai at lyttelton and transported it (lugged it) in a chilly bin. Hard earned and well deserved IMHO

Interesting. I saw some one fishing with a live bait there a month ago.

Refreshing this thread as it's that time of year again. I'm super keen to try this topwater jazz for kingies.
I've got a boat (3.5m smart wave). It a bit small but thays the budget. I havent tried it yet and so before I drop $ on a rod ect I'm hoping to give it a go with someone one to get an ids of what to do, how ect, and 2 too learn about gear.
Taking my boat is fine, but it's small.

Also hoping for gear recommendations, anyone have any used gear.
Im timaru based so don't need a PE 8 set up. Thinking a P3-4 ish. Likely end up used for kahawai mostly here.

Cheers

watched our son catching bait fish really quickly last year...no not on sabakis...using one of them cast nets off wharf....thought was in burley trail it would be just too simple to replenish bait while out and about.

Got a decent one

Well done, a nice fish!


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Originally Posted by Hayden C

I’m just getting my head around it here but a few things I have learnt so far.

Spend the time locating good current lines and the clumps of kelp, logs etc that you are looking for will be close by.

I’m finding that the fish are very boat shy and when you have spent the time and effort in finding them don’t blow it by being impatient and charging in range with the boat for a cast. Use the wind to drift silently into range and get that first cast spot on. Better still try and line up several objects for the same drift.

The wind yesterday morning made things hard work, but there were a few fish around. Hooked another 2 which is bloody exciting on the surface with a stick bait but am yet to boat one so I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.

Keen to hear how others are getting on.

I may be teaching you how to suck egss but make sure your hooks are really sharp --small engineers files - and razor them - regularly inspect to make sure tip has not rolled on hook - some jigs can do with the hooks being given a little more gap if the hook is not to hard and can be bent out a little with pliers- I have spent a good 25 years targeting big kings land based and really the real big boys and I mean over 30kg we have really only ever caught them on live kahawai - they seem really fussy - I have tried small snapper - koheru - mackrel -even blue cod -all bloody sorts of live bait but kahawai seems to be it for the big ones - have had monsters rush a surface popper but not hook up - they can be frustrating - but I do know of real big kings caught on marlin lures when trolling for striped marlin and out at places like White Island they do go the right jig -but that is reasonable deep jigging

Caught one up at Motunau on a bit of squid while fishing for blue cod a few weeks back.