Weighting For Kingy Baits

[claxton]

Raiders

First day out tmrw chasing the kings after a long winter. time to break the duck hopefully.

I was hoping you experienced kingy catchers can give me some advice... when i'm fishing from a boat using a live yakka how much added weight if any should i use or am i better leaving the bait to work its way down the water ?

i'll be giving a few big peeled prawns a go and just leaving them unweighted and if we jig up any squid putting one hook thru their heads ond using as little weight as poss. any tips please?

Hoping to be able to give a bit back to the site once i have bagged my first King. Wouldnt care if it was a baby rat!

any help really appreciated

Claxton

[Josh88]

Hi Claxton,

The amount of weight will be somewhat dependent on the amount of current, depth etc... for the yakka and squid make sure you have the sinker above the bait so it can still swim a bit or use a paternoster and have a resonalble length on the dropper. You don't need to much weight, just enough so that you don't have the yakka swimming around like an idiot tangling your other lines.

I would definitely try and give squid a go because i think they outfish yakkas and can be more effectively baited on hooks and are more durable to things like tailor.

A 2 hook rig should help if you encounter tailor that have tendencies to take chunks out of yakkas and de-bait your hooks without you realising which is a pain in the ass and happens all to often, so regular checking of your baits is necessary.

The squid guts make an awesome bait and whilst are pretty bad to handle pay off with the kings attraction to them.

Have a look early for fish hitting the surface and have some lures rigged up to throw or troll around them then you'll have some good tidal flow from about 8am onwards which is a good time to find the kings on the bite.

Good luck, let us know how you do.

Josh

Edited October 10, 2008 by Josh88

[Danielsan]

Hi Claxton,

to answer your questions:

1) Yakkas

Fish them at a variety of depths ->> some a few feet off the bottom (using paternoster with the weight on the bottom). create the paternoster by using a dropper loop (see knot section). ->> some floated out the back (bridle rigged or a simple hook throught the nose) >>> this should cover all bases

2) Squid

If you're not downrigging, then you can twin or single hook the squid, and dump it over the side. if the current is light, then you'll be fine without weight. they tend to find the bottom, so let out as much or little line so as to keep them in the FDLDLLFL. I only ever weight them if there's a current.

if you're using squid heads, same rule applies, but twin hook rig them. snell the top hook and uni the bottom.

there are no right or wrong techniques. just try to keep your baits spread through the column. if the kings are there you'll be in with a good chance.

I have a spearfisho mate who says that whenever he sees the kings underwater, they are no more than 2m from the bottom!

Good luck!

dan

[claxton]

Cheers Josh/Dan

All your help is really appreciated. fingers crossed I can actually post a pic on sunday.

have a great weekend

Claxton

[tide'n'knots]

hi claxton, if your fishing in a known kingie spot and there isnt much current get yourself a heap of bread and crunch it up in the berley pot every couple of minutes this tends to create exitment amoung the smaller fish (yellowtail, sweep etc) and this in turn seems to stir up the kings. a mate and myself have used this method on numerus occasions off botany bay and in the harbour and usually ends up being quiet successful. we just use squid and we find that they love it. if you buy frozen squid make sure that it is nice and white once it turns pink they wont touch it however frozen squid works well if it is in very good condition.

good luck! look forward to some photos.

t'n'k.

[claxton]

hi claxton, if your fishing in a known kingie spot and there isnt much current get yourself a heap of bread and crunch it up in the berley pot every couple of minutes this tends to create exitment amoung the smaller fish (yellowtail, sweep etc) and this in turn seems to stir up the kings. a mate and myself have used this method on numerus occasions off botany bay and in the harbour and usually ends up being quiet successful. we just use squid and we find that they love it. if you buy frozen squid make sure that it is nice and white once it turns pink they wont touch it however frozen squid works well if it is in very good condition.

good luck! look forward to some photos.

t'n'k.

Cheers T'nK

Top Jewies by the way!

Claxton

[tide'n'knots]

hi claxton, if you use the method i told you about with the bread the best advice i can give you is be patient as sometimes it takes an hour or so before the kings come around but if you keep the bread going eventually they come around to find out what all the exitement is about with the smaller fish. If there are any kings in the general vicinity you should get some inquiries. we use either a full small squid or a chunk of squid (if they are large) on about a 3/0 or 4/0 hook with no sinker and make sure the gear your using is up to it! at least 30lb braid and extra strong hooks or they will straighten.

do you mind if i ask where you are chasing them?

cherrs T'n'K

[claxton]

tnk

Going to try around the heads and MH. hopefully jig up some live squid early doors and go from there

Claxton

[tide'n'knots]

try drifting past the channel markers and bouys and cast lightly weighted squid next to them as you drift past. if they are not there after a couple of drifts move to the next one and try again, you will get the right up as far as the entranceto darling harbour start at the entrance to the harbour and work your way up if there are kins about you should get at least 1.

good luck.

t'n'k