Downrigging For Kingies

[riggem]

good report. better luck next time on the kings

[cruisecraft]

I use wire most of the time and I have a pair of side cutters on my bait board just in case. These things are pretty cheap so you should have one. The crimper with a cutter is ok but side cutters will let you get at the wire faster if you need to cut it.

Some people use braid mainly to stop the humming. There are other ways to stop humming than using braid but I do have a downrigger with braid on it. I use 50lb braid as I have lots of it but Pete recommends 130lb. But as you are only handling weights of about 10lbs 50 braid shouldn't be stretched. Cheers Kelvin

Kelvin

Thanks for the reply,hope I can post similar reports soon (when Sundays are not so windy as I work Mon-Sat).So how does one stop humming and does it put the fish off?

Regards Kit

[Martin]

Kelvin you are a great guy in sharing your experience, taking the time to explain and to add pics. Many people become protective of there success and I guess enjoy the accolades, however are not as willing as you to pass on the good news and help out.

An idea that may also help is if the kings are not biting but you can see them is to use a burley bomb. They can be purchased at most tackle stores or large Department stores. Usually red in colour they allow you to pack some burley in a tube lower over the side and at the depth of your choice you pull on the cord and it opens up releasing the burley.

I have fished Pittwater, (not down rigging), but had success with the kings when chasing them. I find some pilchards, squid pieces and bread chopped up gets their taste buds going.

I float bait down and may add some lead to get there.

Just anchoring and burley will also get results in Pittwater in the usual haunts like Stokes Point and Long, Nose Point as well as the points off the bays on the Western Shore line.

Cheers

[CR@ZY OS@M@]

very well done namesay, the main thing is that u can still come up with the goodies especially when its a very hard day to get onto them.

top report dude.

what sounder is it that you are using on your boat.

im using the raymarine a65

Edited November 2, 2006 by Crazy John

[namesay]

Kelvin

Thanks for the reply,hope I can post similar reports soon (when Sundays are not so windy as I work Mon-Sat).So how does one stop humming and does it put the fish off?

Regards Kit

TO tell you the truth I don't worry too much about humming as I have caught fish when the wire was humming like crazy. The humming I find gets worse at certain depths and if you have your rod really "loaded tight". I guess it is a bit like tuning your guitar strings and if a particular depth gives you a lot of humming, just change it a little by 1-2 foot.

THere are other ways are putting a cork or styrofoam on the wire like a float. You can also tie an elastic band to the wire and string it tight against something solid. But even if you can't hear the humming, it doesn't mean that there is no humming in frequencies beyond our hearing....mostly I ignore the hum.CHeers Kelvin

very well done namesay, the main thing is that u can still come up with the goodies especially when its a very hard day to get onto them.

top report dude.

what sounder is it that you are using on your boat.

im using the raymarine a65

I am using a Garmin gps/sounder unit. I am not too happy with it as my humming bird is a better unit for shallow water. The Black and white hummer gives me a broader cone 60 degrees!! and you can see sideways but it doesn't come out in photos. The hummingbird goes bad when the water is over 20meters so I use my garmin a lot more in middle harbour as it is deep.

I am looking at getting a Furuno 7000f for my new boat but I have heard from the pro leadliners and drop liners that they think some sounder put the kingies off!

The Raymarine is a TOP unit but sometimes as I have said to Netic, it is difficult to determine the type of bottom with the digital processor. But I guess kingies are not too fussed if they are on reef, sand or mud!!! Just need to go out and twiddle the controls until you are happy......but it take hours of staring at a sounder. Cheers Kelvin

[bojulabah]

Kelvin,

I have also used the rig witht he tubing snodded onto the fron hook (I use a cricle) followed by trebble, however only ever with a sinker - have you or do you use this with a sinker? - I guesed by the "sluggo" action that you must? - if so , what size sinker do you use?

Regards,

Pickles.

[SEAFEARER]

This is how my sounder looks when kingies are around. As you can see the downrigger bomb hitting the heads of the kingies! The thick line is the bomb, the thin line is the quick release clip. They look wavy due the boat wake I was travelling in. Cheers Kelvin

hi kelvin,

thanks for your informative post,i'm sure it has helped out a lot of people in number of ways.That photo of your sounder was great,when you see that you must be thinking 'here we go only a matter of time',anyway thanks again

[namesay]

Kelvin,

I have also used the rig witht he tubing snodded onto the fron hook (I use a cricle) followed by trebble, however only ever with a sinker - have you or do you use this with a sinker? - I guesed by the "sluggo" action that you must? - if so , what size sinker do you use?

Regards,

Pickles.

No sinker needed. You get the bait down on the downrigger and then bring it in with jerks and pauses like a sluggo. THe live squid will do the rest. CHeers Kelvin