Kruzenvax Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Hi all, I wonder - what would be the optimal size of a yellowtails for kingfish and such (within the Bay/Harbour, not offshore)... and what you do if the yakkas you are catching are bigger than that? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Gday Kruzen, The smaller the better. I've never had a king take a big yakka. If you can't get the little jellybeans I'd work your backside off to find a couple of squid or even sit and berley and try cube baits. Maybe a long strip bait from a yakka fillet on the downrigger? Cheers, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the1murph Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 i dont even bother keeping the big yakkas i catch. the biggest yakka ive got a kingy on would be about 25cm. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forliano Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Well in contrary... I got the biggest yakka of my life one morning, it wouldn't fit in the bucket :| I never seen one that big!! But anyway, wouldn't fit in the bucket so got him out straight away... This king came from out of no where... bait was swimming out, so I seen it, he hit it and off it went I had absolutely no chance of stopping him on 30lb braid... Particularly down the coast the bigger the better, so I can't see why it'd be different to here... Big fish, big bait However I know for tuna it changes so maybe... Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 If you fish the harbour for kings the mars bar size are best. If you chasing jews the bigger the better cheers miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh88 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 I like the smaller ones in the harbour-they're easier to swallow and the fish get hooked easier. Just fillet or butterfly bigger ones, make good baits for a lot of things. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 do kingies get more aggressive in deeper water? When jigging in around 100m of water, we've found that we can catch small 1 - 1.5kg kings on 550gm jigs! the jigs are almost as big as the fish themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flightmanager Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Kings can be very mercurial as to what baits they will attack. I hooked up a nice one yesterday on a 18cm yakka , unfortunately , it hooked around the anchor rope , and caused us no end of grief !! From past reports , sometimes they go for squid , and other times (ie 24 hrs later ) yakkas are the go. As for the "ideal" size , I dunno , Mars bars are good , but we have had good strikes on larger models as well . Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbielites Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 (edited) I think this year will see a change in attitude to bait size as the kings in the harbour are bigger this year than they were last year or the years before. That's my plan any way Edited November 13, 2008 by Robbielites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongy Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I have gotten decent kingies on larger yakkas as well. We put a horse yakka out with a hook in its back just for fun not expecting anything (along side a candy sized yakka). The horse yakka got the kingie, the smaller yakka was untouched. Kingie must have been hungry..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Big-Banana Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Big baits, big fish. I've fished a good 30cm Yakka before and had it taken without a problem. Kings especially, have the ability to have a real dig at bait and extend their mouths right open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 does anyone have a clue where to find smaller yellow tail's? ive tryed botany bay at the dock wharf and clifton gardens in the harbour they all seem to be around the same large size from about 22-30cm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogtooth Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Mars bar size is good . But the larger the bait the bigger the fish . . . For the Big kingfish whole frigate mackeral or bonito live , would always take the huge fish . . . I was once told that the Kingfish they had in Manly aquarium were all caught using whole live Salmon around the heads . . . . I have had them eat 1.5kg snapper at the boat . . . Up the North coast or down south the larger fish are more common , but its all about trolling big baits on good tackle . . . Cheers Dogtooth.... John..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh88 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 does anyone have a clue where to find smaller yellow tail's? ive tryed botany bay at the dock wharf and clifton gardens in the harbour they all seem to be around the same large size from about 22-30cm Try in North Harbour-I've found small ones around some of the little beaches there near the start of the 4 knot zone. They aren't always there though. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flightmanager Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 The reef in front of the island at Balmoral will usually provide all size of yakkas , but if they aint there , they aint there. Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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