# Sydney, At the Gym



## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Been using the current glut of kings to work out different tackle and techniques.

Took a dusty old despised baitcaster from its box in the shed for another try - curado 300e on a short med/heavy barra stick, with 20lb flouro strait.

Will take that out again - loved it this time. Casts 1/2 ounce jighead, and superb smooth heavy drag. Feels good in the hand when putting action on the lure. Feels more secure than a spin reel for dragging kings around.

Gave it good run too - pulled in most of the 30+ kingies, without a single reefing or busted knot.

Conditions were perfect - no wind, warm drizzle, nobody else around, constant hook-ups, rat/legal ratio still 5:1.

Here is a screen shot after the first half hour. The streaks on the sounder are kings, just off the drop off. Each track to the north on the chartplotter is a tow to deep water, and return for another. The two longer loops are double hook-ups (you have to go a bit further with two on).










The boats eventually turned up out wider (but no yaks), so paid a visit. There were so many fish, the even boaties were hooking up regularly, and landing a few. Thankfully, no "palmy" style shenanigans in the chaos - all happy.










Here's two legals from a double. Was winding in the deadstick heavy plastic after hooking up on the curado, and it was smashed within a meter of the yak. Poled it in, then fought the first one.










Thought this one was my holy grail - at least a metre. Couldn't turn its head, couldn't get it up, towed it about a km, yachties were flashing past calling out their encouragement.










New hatch esky works well.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

You could have been writing about Sunday Tom. Complete with the drizzle. Thought the rain would discourage most of the boats. Great to see everyone so well behaved and having a ball.
Quite a few small sharks about.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

Forgot to ask. Did you seal up the back of the front hatch to contain the blood?


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

A kayak full of fish and an interesting trip report. Thanks for posting the chart plotter pic, for someone who doesn't fish down there it's interesting to see how and what you're fishing.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Fun times Mr X, congrats.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Good onya Tom.

Looks like you've got 'em worked out now.


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## jbonez (Jul 9, 2013)

Nice sounder, Been thinking about a hds5 recently.


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## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

> Avayak wote:
> "Forgot to ask. Did you seal up the back of the front hatch to contain the blood?"


Squirted most of the blood into the footwell, Garry (to burly up a shark?) The hatch esky is a mad professor invention to keep the fish cool without a bag on the front deck. The blue ice stays frozen in there for more than 4 hours. Made from shaped sections of foam camping mat reinforced with silver cloth tape. The hatch/roof bits are siliconed in place. The bottom piece is large, and removable for hosing down. Hard to explain, and I'll put up some picks in DIY.

Barrabundy, I know you're a baitcaster fan. I might have just become a convert!


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

You've been dong some nice work on the kings. Hopefully find the time to get myself over there at some point.


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## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

that's just beautiful, brings a tear to my eye. And all on 20lb fluorocarbon? awesome.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Wrassemagnet said:


> that's just beautiful, brings a tear to my eye. And all on 20lb fluorocarbon? awesome.


Hey Jim - no two piece rod! :lol:


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## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

I'm taking pain-bringer next time, there may be 2 piece kingy or 2 piece Jim but no more 2 piece rod action for this puppy Trev


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Wrassemagnet said:


> I'm taking pain-bringer next time, there may be 2 piece kingy or 2 piece Jim but no more 2 piece rod action for this puppy Trev


That's the spirit! 

You _will_ get some Jim, just as a few of the other boys have. I predict (wish you) a 90 - 100 cm one. Jim never gives up, till he goes home. 

Fascinating learning curve. In that shallow water, with that power, they have to be harder by far than Spanish or Tuna.


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## Game fisher (Jul 5, 2006)

Great report, like the sounder pics.
Great to get a work out.
see you later in the month.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Wrassemagnet said:


> I'm taking pain-bringer next time, there may be 2 piece kingy or 2 piece Jim but no more 2 piece rod action for this puppy Trev


Go for it Jim P!

I hope a BIG Kingie doesn't lever you right off the yak! Might have to tether yourself to the yak, just in case! :lol:

JIm R


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Great fishing and report Tom...

Keep up the good work!

Jimbo


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## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

> "K1 wrote:
> In that shallow water, with that power, they have to be harder by far than Spanish or Tuna"


Been pondering that, Trev.

I chased the macks up on the Mid-NC over Xmas. The skill is in hooking them up - and the Palmy and Sunny Coast boys have figured that bit out (I struggled big time). Seems once you have a solid hook-set, its just a matter of time under light drag.

Kings on shallow reef are the opposite. They're not too hard to find and hook, but takes a bit of practice to figure out how to land the dirty bastards.

Keep at it Jim. Following with interest!


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

X cellent work Mr X !


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

Wrassemagnet said:


> that's just beautiful, brings a tear to my eye. And all on 20lb fluorocarbon? awesome.


20lb? No Way! I got smashed up on 30lb and 60lb on Sunday! All my +60cm fish were on the 60lb and I'm not ashamed to say I did use a thumblock on the Calcutta at mutliple stages during the fights. 
Long reef must be a tangled mess of hooks and bits of line I reckon.


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## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Spot on AJD - you can't stop a legal king on 20lb line - it will either take line or (if the drag's too tight or rough) snap the line. And you can't stop one finding the reef even locked up on 60lb if you have 20m out in 8m of water, and you stay where you are (or let it tow you). It will rub you on the reef, no matter how hard you pull.

Try this next time you hook up on the troll: leave the rod in the holder, and keep paddling - hard. See if the dirty bastard can find the reef while you are moving.

It's against all your instincts. But if all goes well, it will get sick of trying, and you can fight it on your terms.

Works for me on 15lbs too, just takes longer.


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## Darwin (Jul 25, 2008)

Thanks mate! Great report & info.

Cheers
Darwin


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## GetSharkd (Feb 1, 2012)

MrX said:


> Try this next time you hook up on the troll: leave the rod in the holder, and keep paddling - hard.


He's not joking, I've seen Mr-X's revo on the plain before he peddles that hard ;-) :lol:

Nice work Tom, keep training those legs in prep for the 1m +.

See you guys out there some time.


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## yakattack (Jan 12, 2008)

G'day Tom,

Unless you want to go heavier then the peddling away technique is spot on.
Kings love to be taken for a stroll ive pulled many a hoodlum away from the reef by gently guiding them at around 2 knots from the boat.
Around 5 kg of drag seems to work best for me ,when I put it up whilst leading them they usually give me a wink and destroy me.
Keep up the hard work also try circling them whilst winding in the line once you've dragged them out seems to throw them off when the tension constantly changes angle.
Check out you tube footage from adventure bound kingies on poppers with Scott Gray and lee rayner catching good fish on light gear.

Tight lines


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## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Thanks for the tips Micka. You've caught more meter kings off a yak than anybody else I reckon.
Watched that "kings on poppers in shallow reef from a stinker" footage - amazing, its only a few meters deep!
Happy staying light for now, but will upscale if I start getting smoked. Good exercise for the legs.

You need to get back on that yak Brent.


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