# kingy hardbodies



## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

I've started experimenting with trolling hardbodies including the larger rapala slashbait x raps.What lures have you had success on?


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## paulb (Nov 12, 2006)

1 x Flatratz minnow, three years ago. First and last kingie on a hardbody (jigs not counted)


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

rapala CD7/CD9 in pilchard (blue on top/silver underneath) or bleeding mullet (grey back, white under and red round neck)colours. I've only ever caught rats on hardbodies and bigger lures don't get as much success as smaller ones.

trolling soft plastics is way more effective....(and you can retrieve and cast with them as well).


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

thanks for the feedback paul b and davey g....just spent $65 on the experiment!


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Good on ya Johnny
People use to reckon you couldnt catch Snapper on hardbodies, now it seems common place around here. I know nuffin about catching Kingies, but I find slash baits work best cast and retrieve (very fast). X-raps or similar would be better for trolling. Look for lures that are suspending or even sinking (but dont let them hit the bottom), as well as the floaters and try different colours, sizes, speeds and depths. If Kingy's like a fast lure, stick to lures that have smaller bibs and tight actions. Will be intrested in how you go. I usually take out one SP rig and one HB rig and mix them around.


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## shiznic (May 14, 2008)

Had some luck with a gold bomber, a jointed one at that. Would love to drool over something other than bream lures, what was the $65 gamble.


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

Ta fellas...
4"trollcraft deep diver..qantas Pauly colours...red head,white body..gets rats apparently in syd harbour
smilin jacks k mart $12 pilchard shiny one..shallow diver..1 foot under..not much rattle as I heard it might work
storm chunky bibless metal in olive back,glisteny silver body..red gill spot...for fast cast reaction strikes
rmg 5 metre plus in green back,tiger stripe,orange belly,sparkly sides...salesman said its for post 9am when kingies go down
classic lures bluewater f18..red head/white body..dives to 14 foot..g finish[ie glossy finish]..didn't read it went that deep!

and ,
Maria duplex..realistic glossy pilchard colour..31 gram sinking japanese diver..cost $30
morethan jerkslider..red head metallic body$32..shallow diver
3 rapala slash baits..natural pilchard and a silver/olive back..9-15 ish sizes

trolled the biggest rapala last weekend...no hits but I think the lure is bootiful-I lub him..have trolled a clown coloured subsurface rapala

sorry,$65 was only my most recent trip a few days ago...it's a disease..a gambler in disguise


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## Dave73 (Dec 3, 2006)

Hey Johnny,

The Maria series are a great hardbody stickbait.
Definitely grab some Halco Roosta 105's poppers in gold.
Have also had success with CD7's.

Haven't had too much success with larger sized hardbodies, not out of a kayak at our paddle speeds and average inshore fish.

Trolling 7inch plastics for me gets more results. This spring I want to rig whole garfish on the troll, used to do this for good results but stopped for some reason.

Cheers Dave


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

Hey Johnny,
Like Davey, I've caught them on the Rapala, same colour (blue), but only once. SPs & squid have worked better for me.

This said, I think when they are around in numbers they may take HBs, particularily when they are feeding higher in the water column.


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## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

They should take lots of hardbodies that work well at speed.

You probably need to work on your paddle speed rather than your lure collection.
I picked up a rat and an unstoppable on plastics yesterday while looking for snapper in close.


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

thanks for the feedback fellas...worth an experiment...seen bigguns fall when plastics were getting rats...will have a rod rigged appropriately for this-as well as bait one,plastics one etc.


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## josho (Nov 3, 2007)

I've caught kingies on the range of Halco laser pros in the deep diving range(possibly to big dependig on the size of fish) although, they have a wide of colours and are relatively cheap. Also i might add that changing the trebles over to singles may be a wise move for strength and also action. The Rapala range is also good, i would go the small and medium x-raps and the cd-7s. These will all catch tuna,kingies,spanish mackrel etc. if trolled at the right place and right location. One other tip is when you are trolling maybe add a downrigger into the equation and run your two lures at different depths.

Hope this helps

Josho 8)


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

thanks Josho,your videos remind me of the best part of nsw!
what happened to the tackle shop in the arcade near the club carpark at macclean?


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## josho (Nov 3, 2007)

Sorry mate u have the wrong guy....

Josho 8)


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

Johnny,
I've caught a couple of kings on the x-rap slashbaits. One while the lure was dead sticking. I think the SP's and squid strips will catch you more kings though. One great thing about the HB's especially around Middle head is that they are leatherjacket proof.


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

thanks Gary...i got the slashbaits because of your results in past reports!


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## yakattack (Jan 12, 2008)

HI Johnny, i love the slashbaits ive found the slashbaits to be quite a good trolling lure for most pelagics my favouriyte and most productive colour would have to be the glass ghost colour folowed by the blue pillie colour. Rapala also make a lure called the skitter walk which is a surface lure the red head coloured one worked well for me when i was up at port stephans unfortunately a large king also liked it and decided to take it as jewelry so i will have to get another one for this summer.

Cheers Micka


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

avayak said:


> Johnny,
> One great thing about the HB's especially around Middle head is that they are leatherjacket proof.


I used to think the same Gary until I lost my favorite Qantas and a green CD9 to those little bastards back in March or April.

The plastics were being savaged within a minute of hitting the water, so I went to a livie and they bit through the leader on him after about 5 minutes, and then went to the HBs. They faired better for a while until they bit through the leader on those as well. That's when I left The Harbour and started chasin more sensible fish in Cowan Creek for a while 8)


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## johnny (Aug 12, 2007)

i lost 5 packets of plastics in a day[luckily my unfashionable ones]to pirahnas as well...i saw a fella score 80cm kings on poppers/subsurface hardbodies when everyone nearby got rats on plastics---got me thinking,,,thanks fellas


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## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

Hey Johnny,

Where abouts did you see the kingy action on poppers! Feel free to PM me mate ;-)

I've stocked up on some poppers for the kingy season, Halco Roosters and Cotton Cordell pencil poppers.

Can't wait to try em out.

Marty


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