Tackle Tactics Surfcasting Message Board

Tackle Tactics Surfcasting Message Board
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Targeting Kingfish

Posted by ABU Man on 29/4/2018, 3:56 pm

Good afternoon all.
Can anyone out there suggest a good surf-casting rig to target Kingfish? I currently fish with a clip-down pulley rig for Snapper etc. and have hooked a couple of Kingis on this setup over the last couple of years. I would like to have a rod/reel rigged specifically for targeting Kingfish and am hoping some of you can point me in the right direction.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by jeep on 29/4/2018, 10:19 pm, in reply to "Targeting Kingfish"

Have had good results this year with an ABU 7000 locked onto a Veritas/surfline rod. Admittedly using 20kg line, and slide baiting, still get good distance when casting sinker only and line weight give plenty of pull without fear of line breakage. Probably more important is the No. 2 rig - small rod to catch the bait with.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by ABU Man on 30/4/2018, 11:28 am, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

Gidday jeep, the two Kingfish I have caught over the past 2yrs were both landed using ABU 6500 reels with 8kg mainline attached to a clip down pulley rig. I have 3rd rod that I wish to set up with a rig (other than sliding bait setup) that will, hopefully, attract Kingi's. I have been advised to use a rig that would float the bait near the surface and have been looking for a design for a clip down floating bait rig, or similar.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by jeep on 1/5/2018, 12:27 am, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

Hmmm, interesting. Kingis will prefer live baits to dead baits. How about replacing sinker with a suitably attached tennis ball. Still give you enough casting weight plus it will float. Tide and current will have to be right though otherwise it will just float back to shore. Hence advantage of slide baiting.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by ABU Man on 1/5/2018, 8:23 am, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

I will still use slide baiting as well. It is interesting to note that while I accept that Kingis prefer live baits, both the Kingis I have caught recently have taken salted Bonito. I have always found experimentation one of the fun aspects of surf casting, this is another step.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by Hoolie on 2/5/2018, 2:26 pm, in reply to "Targeting Kingfish"

Hi there I would put a live Kahawai with a hook threw in front of the dorsal fin with 3m of 80 lb trace a good swivel under a ballon . I use cotton to tie the ballon to the main line side of the swivel this works well when you have a offshore breeze. I also trim part of the tail & other fins & this makes the kahawai easier to eat for the kingi. this rig can be attached to any rod & reel set up suitable. you just let the fish swim off & feed out line until its out far enough. Tight Lines Hoolie.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by ABU Man on 2/5/2018, 3:33 pm, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

Hi Hoolie, I have seen similar setups to what you describe and am sure they all work well. What I am trying to come up with is a method where a dead bait can be cast and will end up floating about a metre under the surface. I appreciate that livies are more attractive to Kingies but they will also take dead baits. The challenge is to have a floating rig setup aerodynamic enough to work well in a Clip down setup so that it can be cast a reasonable distance.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by jeep on 3/5/2018, 12:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

I'll be watching with baited/bated breath for the answer to this one!

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by ABU Man on 3/5/2018, 5:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

If I come up with something that works successfully, I shall post it on here, but don't hold your breath

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by headless chook on 26/6/2018, 6:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

How about live 1 kg kahawai on one way slider clip with (say) 3 m x 80lb trace and live bait hook in the nose plus balloon on (say) 1 m x 5 lb trace to keep the little blighter elevated. 1/0 in front of pectoral.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by DeanHB on 30/6/2018, 11:00 am, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

When I target kingfish , I use 2 rods , on one I set up a bait under a hi vis float and lob it just past the first wave, on the other rod a will deploy a livey , normally a YEM around 8-10" (thats ideal).Results have been quite interesting, I have caught 5 on the floating baits and just the 1 on the livey.Dead baits have included YEM ,skippy, octopus , and pilchard. The last kingfish i caught had a live snapper stuck down its gob and it still took my dead bait , these fish arent fussy ,if its food they will eat it.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by ABU Man on 1/7/2018, 11:00 am, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

Over the years I have been told on several occasions that Kingi's will only take a live bait. I have caught my last two on salted Bonito, so I agree that they will take whatever looks and smells good.

Re: Targeting Kingfish

Posted by jeep on 6/10/2018, 5:23 pm, in reply to "Re: Targeting Kingfish"

New season is all go. First Kingie for the year.

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