King slayer

I'm no expert on the area, but livies are normally easy around west head. A lot of guys go for pelagica off west head, barenjoey, lion island and around the pitwater moorings for kings. hope this helps

Beautiful king there. A bit of a rarity this season to get a good one like that. Looks like your mate and the kids had a great time..That's why we love it Dave

No worries, a mate has sorted me out...Phew! see you on the water

Mate, They're a bit like hens teeth lately. might have to catch some. Even he really good frozen ones are no match for freshies.

Good one Kirkby, You'll have that one on your memory forever! That spot sounds pretty good. Here's to many more Dave

Hey Raiders, It's my Saturday to go out on the water and my trailer's busted! If anyone would like company on the water, I'd love to come along. I normally chase kingies and jew in the harbour, but am open. I have all my own gear and will put in for any bait/fuel of course. If anyone is interested, please send PM or call 0425 843 194. Cheers all. Dave

Sounds like you had some big squid taking your livies. They come up there sometimes.

I was rained off today early so after a quick stop over at GoFish and a quick chat, got Pete's last bag of IQF pillies and took off to my favourite spot in upper middle harbour for a quick tide change session, via home to grab my gear. (I can handle rain when fishing, not working though). The target was a jew, but the best bait I could get was the pillies, so it was one of those out on a two hook rig and flick around a plastic at the high tide. After the tide turned my bait runner goes zzinging and so I pick up the rod, strike and reel her in. no fight though and my hopes of a jew were vanishing. But up came a good size flattie, 62cms and from memory my PB! I was happy with that and tried for a while longer before heading home with no jew. there were heaps of big mullet feeding and cruising by but as usual they won't eat anything I offer. Should be a good bait up there now though if you can get a few. Thanks for the pillies Pete! Here's the pic. Cheers, Dave

Thanks

Well done, You really know how to get onto the big ones Dogtooth. I'm assuming big bait theory is in play? That spot you're at must be a cracker! Cheers, Dave

My 30th is next week...I tried all year for a pressie like this, and while I will have hope for one more week..I'm sure it will be dashed come the 16th. Can anyone tell me what channel and time to find this show?

Hey Gary, good work there. It might be the camera angle, but that Rat looks like an Amber Jack! Dave

Oh my!!! Many people will be reading that story with jaws on the floor! Well done. What ever you did, do it again..

Hey ceph, Do you have a beige half cabin with a yellow stripe? I reported some guys that did on Sunday in MH. We approached them and asked if that was a kingie in the keeper net (we knew it was and it was obviously under), they said yeah and it's right on 65cms. They knew the law and flaunted it anyway. String em up for all to see I say. Dave

#4 Hook, not 4/0, right? wow, I'll try that...

Nice work getting some legal kings! We've been having similar issues getting the shy ones biting, but have found using less common baits and techniques to be the way to go. Kingies are definitely learners and since the recent onslaught I believe the common methods like squid strips on a running sinker rig are having less influence than say unweighted strips, Prawns or uncommon jigs that represent common food scources. Then live small squid will always be the gun if you have some. I have also found that they are super shy in one location and ravenous around the corner. By the way to all raiders out there.. If you see someone keeping illegal fish, please call the Water Police immediately on: 02 9320 7499 . Program it into your phones, speed dial number one and don't let these bastards take away our fish! Dave

Hi Slinky, Going out into the harbour for kings tomorrow and my mate just bought one to try out, so we'll see. I believe it's a slow bounce retrieve that would give it the good action, but that's pretty general. The kings have been hammered the last month or so and many times are shying away from the common baits, so it could be a goer. I'm going to try a baby knife jig too. The other day we had our livies and stick baits etc mauled by leatheries on a wreck so I'm thinking the knife jig has more of a chance of surviving....till they bite the leader...

We bumped into a well known charter operator the other day who had been catching tailor to use as bait for kings! Looks like he was onto something!

Yeah, I reckon it's just like the theories you hear like "squid jump all over my pink jig and not so much the others", usually on closer analysis it's just that the pink jig is used more, or with more confidence and therefore more attention etc and catches more. You're brave using such light outfits. Ever tried tackling the big ones on those?

Good effort Zenman, It's great to get a jewie anytime, but two means you really did something right. That big mumma aint far off! Dave

yeah, I thought about eating one, but didn't in the end. Next time I will, they are thick as around there and pretty big too. Leatheries I'm sorry to say are big and abundant, especially deeper in 40-50m. We donated a few rigs before giving up on those spots. thanks for the tips Brickman, you know soon after we pulled away from the kingies I realised I had brought some big prawns just for that purpose, but the next lot we saw were gone in a second and no more after that.

Had a go off long today with lures and frozen baits. As we approached the kelp beds in search of squid we saw strange surface action, and eventually worked out it was sweep...every where and biggish too, not so much hitting the surface as breaching. new for me, but then we normally don't go off shore Came across lots of kings just after sunup hitting the surface around a few boats not far off and threw all we had at them. The only thing we could get hook ups on was the rooster poppers. hooked one first cast and saw he was a good size as he came to the boat and had several good runs, the final of which pulled the hooks. Hooked two more and landed them but were undersize. They would not touch stick baits, metals, rappala minnows, small minnow plastics, frozen squid or pillies. And after not too long were refusing the poppers too. Since we don't know the area live bait was a mystery and everywhere we tried was plagued with sweep. Some other guys seemed to be getting solid consistent hookups on livies near by. Tried a few wrecks for nothing but sweep and jackets, and some kings made an appearance briefly but wouldn't take our offerings. Unfortunately our little vessel isn't really good for long distance so launching in the harbour, gathering livies and squid then heading out is not very easy, so we had to launch at longy. Nightmare ramp there too! We had to get rescued out of the sand by a kind Samaritan. I'm not used to off shore conditions and it always surprises me the difference in the water, swell etc. I'm keen for a nice relaxing shore fish now. Dave

Good on you, nice fish. Good work using a yakka, it'll often get you past the rats and into a better fish!

Thanks Jewgaffer for yet more great info for all of us to digest and try out. There have been a few threads lately with frustrated raiders trying to get the best out of their down riggers and having some trouble, so this will help a lot. I have a question to anyone out there, as I m fairly new to this technique as well. I have been told to use rubber bands when running braid on the down rigger clips, but after having a few issues with breaking bands etc, I just clip it on and no worries. Am i risking abrasion or are there other reasons for using rubber bands? Anyone know? Dave

A RETRO MANLY JERSEY I wanted one since I was 8 yrs old, it's from that year, 1987. Hand made port barrel, filled up!..Sooo tasty Charter with (insert well known sydney fishing icon, not allowed to mention it here)... Some other stuff, like nice perfume..er Cologne. and chocies etc Very happy slayer today! Hope you all had a great day too. I'm off fishing the beach tonight. The water's a little flat but I have beer and a beautiful sunset to look forward to and some good company to boot.. Fish can come or not. Cheers, Dave