# Rapid Bay - Kingfish SA style



## Crazy_Horse

Well it's time us SA folk got serious....

Not sure who is on holidays at the moment, but the weather appears to be fining up late next week with Thursday looking very calm for a serious attempt at some big SA kingfish and whatever other fodder can be raised around Rapid Bay. Hopefully I will be OK by then myself.

My suggestion:
Leave Adelaide bloody early (or stay at Rapid Bay or Carrickalinga the night before for those with shacks down that way) so that we can launch off the beach at Rapid Bay pre-dawn - say 5am at the latest. We could organise some car pooling amongst ourselves for those requiring it. We need to get into some live bait early but this should be achieved by getting to the end of the jetty and burleying for garfish / tommies etc to bring them around as there are apparently plenty there at present. Between them and squid, we should get enough, but bring the pillies and frozen baits as back up. We proceed to livebait for kingfish - and I'm not talking about the rats from the east coast, these can be 20kg plus - so we need to be properly equipped!

This will be a big all day effort so we need to be prepared. Also, these can be dangerous waters if we are not careful with a mean current and swell at times. We need to make sure that between us there are ample flares, UHF radio, etc as we may end up drifting between the jetty end and Rapid Head. Also, if anyone has a shark repellent, now would be a great time to bring it!

So who is in? Obviously dependent on the weather, so I'll be watching that carefully. Bring it on!


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## water_baby

im working all but the official public holidays. booooo... hissssss...

ill make up a berley tonight and freeze it up for the kingies. the missus is working late friday night and early saturday morning, so i might head down friday night after work for a saturday session if you guys will still be down there, otherwise ill have to say i cant make it.

ive got the trip planned out - 
-first thing, get down to rapids and paddle out to end of jetty. then tie off onion sack full of bread based burley to bring in gar/ ST's etc for livies. hopefully no toothies.
-paddle back to shore, make rigs up and sleep in car in camping area (im a bogan, i know). 
-then get out before dawn to end of jetty, catch ample squid and gar, then live bait a couple - squid down deep and gar under a float. then paddle/drift slowly towards rapid head and wait for impact!! yeeehaaa... im on.

and then i wake up. its all a dream!!

good luck to you guys if you head down there before me, let me know how the launch goes. i havent been down there since the jetty was closed, so hopefully it is still good down there.


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## L3GACY

I'm in. I'm also open to spending longer down there so we are able to try there 2 days in a row or one day there one day off carickalinga etc (free any time before the west lakes bream comp). Anyone wishing to sleep in a real bed or get some motorbiking in while your down here can crash at the 'rentals farm about 20 minutes drive from Rapid bay I reckon. I would go with Aaron's idea. We discussed it a bit the other night and i really like the sound of it.

I'm also gonna organise a rope and chuck some stainless steel clips on it so in an emergency or if conditions suddenly deteriorate i can clip on to someone else and get a free ride back to shore (you already know the "serious" potential uses for that sort of thing lol).

I've got two of these:

Uniden Aquamax UH054A
Lightweight palm sized radio for go anywhere convenience. Waterproof at 30cm for 30 minutes. 40 channel UHF transmitter, 1 watt RF power output, rechargeable NiCad battery pack, backlit LCD display, normal and priority scan, duplex and keylock.

Features List: * Handheld
* Waterproof at 30cm for 30 minutes
* 40 Channel UHF Transceiver
* 1 Watt RF Power Output
* High/Low Power
* Rechargeable NiCad battery pack
* Normal and Priority Scan
* Duplex
* Keylock
* Designed to meet JIS Class 4 (Japanese Industry Standard
* Standby Time 6-8 Hours

Are they useful and if so does anyone want use of the second one? (note i never use them, dont care if they die from the saltwater lol).


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## Crazy_Horse

Heck - weather pending, let's just make it next Friday night / Saturday instead. I'm sure waiting an extra 2 days won't hurt.


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## L3GACY

Crazy_Horse said:


> Heck - weather pending, let's just make it next Friday night / Saturday instead. I'm sure waiting an extra 2 days won't hurt.


Would certainly be good if we could make it accessible (spelling?) to Aaron, especially since he has two of my carp, little bastards cost me a whole sao biscuit so i would like to see my investment pay off in the form of burley.


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## Gator

I would very much like to be in this too. Keep an update posting here


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## waldo

bad timing on my behalf, ill be fishing yorke peninsula. Good luck to the rest of youse ( weve all got a bit of bogan in us arron )


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## Gator

Hey - Just had a discussion with the Sgt at Arms and I'm in. I will probably go down to Carrickalinga on Thursday morning. As Im too old for motor bikes I will stay at my caravan at Carrickalinga - Have room for one more if anyone needs accommodation.


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## fishnfreak

bugger, ill be at pt hughes, keep us updated


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## Astro

being an ex SA boy myself i know that rapid bay has some biggies...used to fish off the jetty and the beach....


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## fishnfreak

what tackle are you boys using?

watch out kingfish competition!


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## L3GACY

I'll be using a 4000 reel on an 8-10kg outfit and a Tld20 on a 20ish kilo outfit.


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## fishnfreak

hey L3GACY i reckon i just found you on another website http://www.aussiepythons.com i also have a bearded dragon


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## L3GACY

You certainly would have. There's another member here that is also on APS his username is abitfishy on here.


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## Crazy_Horse

The weather for next Saturday at this stage looks great, although I must say that Thurs and Fri also look sublime! Saturday it is!

I'll be loading some 20lb on the trusty Abu 7000, going with a 60lb leader, and playing around with some sort of livebaiting rig off a baloon - and praying she stays together! I'll also be prepared to put some baits on the bottom for some nice snapper which can come through on occasion. On top of that, I'll have the light rod singing with tommies, gar and squid, and perhaps also whiting. Fingers crossed.


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## L3GACY

I hear ya, i'm gonna have a balloon running on my tld 20, snapper / small kingie on my 4000 and a light rod for anything else running.


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## paddlepop

i'll be in the caravan park on wed. and thur. with rellies so i should catch up with you blokes sometime although i might be a bit under gunned with my 2kg bass outfit!

pete


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## L3GACY

You can count me in now guys, Crazy_horse has generously lent me one of his paddles.


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## water_baby

sounds like a plan guys. ill head down after work Friday and be ready for a fish satdy morning.

im running 50lb braid to 80lb jinkai on my upgraded spheros 14000 and my Calstar GF700 rated PE 5-8, and a smaller ugly stick/abu 6500 40lb and 60lb leader. also take out a bait/whiting/squid stick for a flick around the pylons.

ill have the berley ready Thursday so it should keep ok til friday night. just need to get some onion sacks or similar.. and a couple heavy duty rod leashes just in case..


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## L3GACY

I've learnt a few things from a friend that fished rapid bay a lot before it was closed. Number one, there will most likely be a large number of toothies in the area and he thinks we will be in a reasonable amount of danger (i think fishnfreak has heard the same thing). Number two, if you're too close to the jetty kingies will run straight for the pylons and apparantly a 40lb kingie's first run will take a long time to stop with a tld20 so this could be an issue for some if we manage to find big kingies. Snapper will be unlikely, however they are very prolific a bit further out apparently. He also gave me some very good tips for fishing port stanvac :lol:. Today has made me rethink some of my tactics and i think most rigs will have wire running as i would rather have the toothies out of the water than in it and the chances of getting onto toothies is higher than getting onto kingies :wink:. Dont take my word as fact, this is just one fisher's opinion.


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## Gator

Wish you guys the best O-Luck. I have to defer due to a kind employer who has offered me part time employment  Got to support the Inspector Gadget gear somehow.


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## Crazy_Horse

Hence my first up suggestion for a shark shield. Lots of BIG sharks down that way. I'm serious.... although it won't stop me.

However, I know that the kingies are still in that area this time of year. A friend of mine saw a massive school of big bastards casually swimming along side the SeaLink this time last year. We will have to be bloody lucky, but you have to have a go anyway don't you? Plenty of smaller species to keep us busy if they don't turn up though.


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## fishnfreak

hey good luck you guys at the kings, im headed off to the yorke now but ill check how you guys have gone when i get back


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## L3GACY

Cheers mate. Good luck on yorkes.


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## L3GACY

Got some tackle for kingies this morning:










I'm pumped.


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## waldo

headed off for yorke peninsula tommorrow morning for some RELAXING fishing, whiting, gar etc... etc...

Best of luck guys, be safe, take photos.


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## Astro

go get em boys........work the big gear and look out......look out for those pylons.....lost a heap on them......used to fish 80lb handlines....and still had no hope

hope you get a few hook ups......


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## L3GACY

Astro said:


> look out for those pylons.....lost a heap on them......used to fish 80lb handlines....and still had no hope


Heard the same thing mate, a friend kept getting broken off, came back the next day in his boat with an international, that's the only way he was able to drag them away as they were sticking real tight against the pylons at the time. I'm praying i can almost lock up the drag and use the kayak as buffer but we'll see, might snap the line.


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## Astro

i have been trying to work out how you will get out into the open and one way would be to cast into the fray and immediately started paddling away so at least you are going in the right direction....well until you hook up.....but could give you a chance to wank them away...

really good luck to you........

btw how long has the wharf been closed????


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## L3GACY

Jetty has been out of action for the last 2 or 3 years i think, its had a good chance to regenerate. I'm not sure what i will do yet, but it will involve me being away from the jetty with the bait closer to the jetty with the reel in free spool then i will just lay on the drag as hard as i can. Should really find the scales and set the drag correctly before i leave.


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## Crazy_Horse

And I trust that someone amongst us has some flares, etc? (I dom't)

By the way, who is actually coming?


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## L3GACY

I may or may not, depends on water_baby and then if he cant take me down then i'll have to go down for 4 days which i'd need to be in a good mood to do since i dont like the idea of being out there on my own. I do not have flares .

Edit: I do have radios though.


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## water_baby

hi fellas

yep, im taking legacy down with me friday night after work. should get down there by 8-8:30pm, so just enough light left to get the burley out for the night.

i figure its only the three of us.

Crazy, are you coming down saturday morning or friday night? we will probably launch as soon as it is a little light, so 5:00-5:30, which means a 3:30 departure from Adelaide - now thats crazy!up to you though..

we will be running a very basic camp overnight, and prep everything to go for the morning.


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## Crazy_Horse

Yep - 3.30am start for me.... I'll be down there by 5am Sat morning. Where will you be?

My mate Dan might also come along and if so, will head down Fri night so see you down there. He'll find you if he goes down, so don't bother looking for him.

Had a funny dream last night about this trip. There were seals, it was bloody hot, and someone crabbing from the jetty dropped a net on my head.... I won't mention the marauding polar bears though....


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## L3GACY

Crazy_Horse said:


> I won't mention the marauding polar bears though....


Right, i'm out. It's an omen! I will NOT be eaten by no damn bear!

On a side note, what bait are we all taking?

I'm thinking of:

Cockles
then a combination of whole squid, squid heads, pilchards and tommies (not all four).


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## Peril

Interesting thread guys. Good luck to you in trying to land a hoodlum


L3GACY said:


> Jetty has been out of action for the last 2 or 3 years i think, its had a good chance to regenerate. I'm not sure what i will do yet, but it will involve me being away from the jetty with the bait closer to the jetty with the reel in free spool then i will just lay on the drag as hard as i can. Should really find the scales and set the drag correctly before i leave.


Don't know anyone who hunts for kings with the reel in freespool or light drag. The fish will have found structure before you know you've hooked it. Only way I know of is to fight as hard as you can/dare from the instant you hook up


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## Crazy_Horse

I've only got squid and cockles, but we'll catch some live bait, for sure. I might even grab some gents tomorrow, you never know....

Oh - and Dan's out.


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## L3GACY

Peril said:


> Interesting thread guys. Good luck to you in trying to land a hoodlum
> 
> 
> L3GACY said:
> 
> 
> 
> Jetty has been out of action for the last 2 or 3 years i think, its had a good chance to regenerate. I'm not sure what i will do yet, but it will involve me being away from the jetty with the bait closer to the jetty with the reel in free spool then i will just lay on the drag as hard as i can. Should really find the scales and set the drag correctly before i leave.
> 
> 
> 
> Don't know anyone who hunts for kings with the reel in freespool or light drag. The fish will have found structure before you know you've hooked it. Only way I know of is to fight as hard as you can/dare from the instant you hook up
Click to expand...

I was told that when fishing for hoodlums with live squid you need to free spool it first, let them swallow the bait so you get a strong hookup then strike, otherwise you risk them spitting the bait and then u lose the fish anyway. Conflicting opinions, would be interesting to see what everyone thinks? What do you think of my theory Peril?


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## paffoh

Good luck, I want some CRAZY PHOTOS!

Pull a face, were a gimp suit, I dont care... Just capture the action!

Oh and stay safe, aiiiigghhhttt?


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## L3GACY

paffoh said:


> Oh and stay safe, aiiiigghhhttt?


Unfortunately that's now unlikely, we'll be burleying up overnight and we may end up being near a nice seal colony too. Yay for white pointers! :shock: :shock:. We'll see, i honestly don't see us running into any strife, just sounds incredibly dumb .

Edit: Got the Berkley SP's dvd for you Adam, remind me tomorrow.


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## water_baby

speaking of pictures, does someone have a camera?? im not allowed to play with the big kids toys (meaning the thumbprint on my head prevents me from touching multimedia devices and taking them near water.. fair enough if you know me!!)


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## L3GACY

I only have my mobile, i dont think adam has a camera either .


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## water_baby

ill get a disposable on the way, when i get the water.

too easy.

all i can think of now is paddling and fishing. work sucks!

see y'all on the big, blue wobbly 8) 8)


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## L3GACY

water_baby said:


> ill get a disposable on the way, when i get the water.


Good thinking, i'm not getting a camera yet because if i do... well lets just say it will get a one way ticket to the bottom of the big blue. See ya tonight.

Attention: Next time you see us all on the forum we'll hopefully be trying to palm off a LOT of flake on friends and family! I wont mention kingies, dont want to jynx it...


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## Stealthfisha

Does anyone know what happened on this trip?


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## RobC

It's obvious that they were eaten :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## solatree

My recollection is that nothing of significance was caught - the current was stronger than expected and they had to fight against the tide to get back - and they got a bit spooked when they came across the half eaten carcass of a seal ! Might have been a different crew - but certainly the outcome of a rapid bay trip.

Yep - here's the trip report viewtopic.php?f=17&t=12806&hilit=rapid


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