# Kingfish Lures



## CLJB (Jan 8, 2013)

As its kingie season, I was wondering what the go-to lures are for kingfish from a kayak.

I was thinking of the three main applications being trolling, working structure such as buoys or casting for surface feeding fish.

Last weekend in Pittwater I was working a buoy with a large deep diving minnow lure, and sure enough after some prospecting a legal-looking king chased my lure, but did not strike. About an hour later I worked this same buoy having had no luck at others in the area, and after the second cast, 5 rat kings shot out after the lure, but again didn't strike.
Not long after that, 30-40cm tailor and kingfish (mostly rats) were in a frenzy surface feeding all around the bay, constantly disappearing and moving faster than my father and I could paddle the kayak - the sounder had run out of battery and we were unable to tell when the fish were underneath us. I managed to hook a king on my 2-4kg spin stick with a small minnow lure cast and retrieved through the school  - unfortunately the hook was pulled yak side  . That was the only fish hooked that day. My dad was using a 10g halco twisty and large white SP - I was also wondering how/when SPs are successful with kings. We were both curious if there was anything else we should have used?
I should add that there was a stink boat fishing the school with us after a while, but didn't manage a single touch using a Rapala popper and a white Xrap (both small lures). The bait the fish were feeding on were small, but not tiny.

Thanks

Callum


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## paulb (Nov 12, 2006)

I've found kings prefer soft plastic stick baits over hard body lures. A 6" plastic in white, or if you can get them 6" sluggos in squid colour. You do need to give the plastics some action every now and again as just trolling them won't induce the strike. Sometimes kings are fussy & will only take fresh squid.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Token glib unhelpful reply: Kezas Fecken eels


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

As paulb says, soft plastic stickbaits. Preferably white, but others will work. Try different actions till you get a hit. Soetimes just drifted works.
Small poppers and hardbody stickbaits can also draw strikes when they are on the surface or i shallower water.
Another option with very focused fish are flies. If you don't have a fly outfit rig them behind some sort of weight (eg. Dad's Halco twisty) so they can be cast.
Rob


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## CLJB (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks for the info.
We are going to hit Barrenjoey head early tomorrow morning. A bit of trolling & casting at the wash with big white SPs etc
There isn't space for the fly rod, so I have rigged a twisty with a fly as recommended, and it looks great.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

5 - 7 inch Gulp jerkshads and squidgy fickbaits work wonders. Sometimes they take them when still so don't be afraid to slow down the retrieve now and then or add some pauses.


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