Where Do Kingfish Go?

[domza]

I know like others i can't wait to specificaly target the botany bay kings in summer again.

I know the odd winter king is caught, but where do the rest go?

I am guessing they go north chasing warmer water. But does anyone have a answer as to where they go once they leave Botany Bay/Sydney ?

[netic]

As you suggested they go north in search of warmer waters with the exception of a few residents

[Guest Reely]

Just a thought about warmer water to you guys. Think of N.Z and South Australia where big Kings get caught, all year round, there is no warm water down there is there? I believe they move to the in and offshore reefs to find more sustainable food. They are hardy fish and can withstand vast temp changes, so the need to search for hotter water is out of the question when you look at these places?

[Guest lbgking]

I used to think they went north for winter.

However after seeing the monster kings in N.Zealand I think that they go across the Tasman.

[Aero]

The kings haven't left the bay.

This season I've nailed more kings on rubber in winter than I did in summer. The fish encountered in summer were usually 60cms or less, and these winter fish I've encountered have been on average slightly bigger at 70cm's.

On my last 4 outings in the bay I've found kings, the highest temp I've gotten them in is 15.2 degrees, and the lowest was the last fish at 13.8 degree's.

My theory is that all the summer Baitfish have thinned out, as i'm not marking bait any where near as much as I was in summer. I think this has made them easier to tempt with lures.

Chris

[tuffy]

The kings haven't left the bay.

This season I've nailed more kings on rubber in winter than I did in summer. The fish encountered in summer were usually 60cms or less, and these winter fish I've encountered have been on average slightly bigger at 70cm's.

On my last 4 outings in the bay I've found kings, the highest temp I've gotten them in is 15.2 degrees, and the lowest was the last fish at 13.8 degree's.

My theory is that all the summer Baitfish have thinned out, as i'm not marking bait any where near as much as I was in summer. I think this has made them easier to tempt with lures.

Chris

Hey, Aero, what sort of rubber do you use and what size? Do you anchor and burley or do you drift or troll?

I normally fish the Harbour and have caught a few in Little Manly bay when we've been anchored catching Yakkas, but they've been a bit quiet in there lately. The usual spots have gone off in the harbour and I have been thinking about a session in the Pittwater this weekend.

[baited]

i have been told the majority move outside into deeper water 100m or so to spawn and feed . has been good jigging up until a week or so ago out there.

[Penguin]

You have all got it totaly wrong,

the Kingys have indeed left the bay,

They are in my fridge

penguin

[Bashir]

with the kingfish traps gone, you will now start to see kingfish as an all year proposition. There are definately bigger ones to be caught and those using livebaits will normally score the better fish. The deep reefs in 40-60 fathoms will hold good numbers as will the headlands.

[Rob Barrett]

I think there is still alot to learn about the migration of kingfish and i highly doubt anyone here will have the answers including myself. Fact is that they do frequent our waters year round with summer seeing more fish than winter. In winter the kingfish seem to hang on deeper and more distant reefs where as in summer they are everywhere from beaches and bombies to the shelf at times. I do know kingfish have been caught in the middle of nowhere half way to newzealand wich shows they do cross mass ocean areas. Larger kingfish will school up in winter and will often take over inshore reefs. I personaly recon the larger fish ( over 18kg) will stay on the coast and move from north nsw too south australia and some even flee to NZ. With summer seeing the the smaller rats moving down from the north. Another thing to consider is bait migration as the kings will surely follow bait migration patterns. There is alot more bait inshore in summer and thats when most kings are present inshore..... Just my thoughts.

[squidgie]

Taken from another site about the travels of tagged kingies. Some really do swim pretty far.

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A yellowtail kingfish was recaptured after traveling 400nm in 256 days, in a north easterly direction. The kingfish was tagged on 24 November 2004 at Mowarry Point, NSW, and recaptured on 6 August 2004 at Coffs Harbour.

A Yellowtail Kingfish was recaptured after travelling 347nm in 1,040 days in a north easterly direction.The Kingfish was tagged on 12 December 2001 at Batemans Bay Canyons NSW and recaptured on 17 October 2004 at Black Rock (South Solitary Island).

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But studies from NZ show that most tagged kingies are captured from the same areas. Not sure how that applies here. But , seems that most kings go further offshore during the winter, and the little guys bugger off to where there are more bait fish(northwards?). Still kingies around around, probably less active, and the bigs guys are just damned hard to get.

[squidgie]

oops, well they are big and strong like superman so i guess if they can get a good whirlpool going

missed that,good pick up. I think they (obviously) mixed the dates up.

What would also be good , is if we had kingfish stocking programs like we do for jewies. Was reading that in NZ, a few thousand extra were released.

Edited July 18, 2006 by squidgie

[netic]

interesting stuff...

kingfish really are amazing,

so amazing in fact that studies now show that they can go back in time

still...

it makes you wonder

CFD

[Guest Reely]

Squidgie, just a question, you say it was tagged the first one that is, in Nov then recaptured in August??? Is this an error? Kingfish are caught all around the world, just another thought.