Burley and Kings

[fragmeister]

Hi All,

Interesting experience today which fueled my ongoing quest to understand the Sydney Harbour Kingies.

Was fishing in the harbour today. It was heading towards midday and I was burleying with pilchards and catching some yakkas to freeze and keep for emergency bait and just to enyoy another day on the water really.

There were a gazillion yakkas in the burley trail and then, all of a sudden, two or three rat kingies came into the trail and were picking up little pieces of pilchard. Now I have seen kingies in my burley trail before but the surprising thing is that the yakkas were hardly spooked at all. The moved out of the way of the kingies but not in a way that you would suggest they were panicked.

It doesnt surprise me that the Kingies would be more interested in the burley than anything else because it fits with my exerience of fish being single minded when they get on the scent of food but how did the Yakka's know they weren't in any real danger?

Any ideas anyone?

[Bald one]

Typically, Berly will end up ruining a good kingy spot. Yes it will work some days, however i find that people find kingy haunts, and berly the crap out of it. Pretty soon you will have the yakka's bream, trevally, sweep you name it, take up residence, every sort of fish that puts a very quick end to your live squid or cuttle.

So for me, no berly, and patience in a known haunt.

I was lucky enough to actually be paid by fisheries to assist them in a tagging kings of all sizes.

We had 17 under water recievers placed in various places around the harbour, these recievers picked up the fish as they passed. Most fish passed all 17 recievers in one day, so yes, they continually move.

To answer your question as to why they didnt bother the Yakkers at all ??

This is a bit of a stab in the dark but I have found Kings to be a very focused feeder. they are either onto yakkers or squid, or cuttle or garfish etc. They will bite on one, and not the other. I have noticed that particularly late in the season like now, that Pillies do do the damage. This is perhaps why they didnt bother the yakka. PErhaps they knew they were safe ??

Baldy

[Blood Knot]

Are you sure they were Kingys cruising through ?

[Nolongeramember]

My guess is the Yakkas were mindful of the kings. If one of the kings were to come for them they know they can just zip off and the king would give up chasing.

When the Yakka is pinned on the end of your line that's when they crap themselves as they can't get away.

[Krispy !]

If the kings were in an aggressive mood they would probably release different pulses through the water from their lateral line. The yakkas probably sensed that they weren't on the menu and so didn't feel the need to disapear

[fragmeister]

Typically, Berly will end up ruining a good kingy spot. Yes it will work some days, however i find that people find kingy haunts, and berly the crap out of it. Pretty soon you will have the yakka's bream, trevally, sweep you name it, take up residence, every sort of fish that puts a very quick end to your live squid or cuttle.

So for me, no berly, and patience in a known haunt.

I was lucky enough to actually be paid by fisheries to assist them in a tagging kings of all sizes.

We had 17 under water recievers placed in various places around the harbour, these recievers picked up the fish as they passed. Most fish passed all 17 recievers in one day, so yes, they continually move.

To answer your question as to why they didnt bother the Yakkers at all ??

This is a bit of a stab in the dark but I have found Kings to be a very focused feeder. they are either onto yakkers or squid, or cuttle or garfish etc. They will bite on one, and not the other. I have noticed that particularly late in the season like now, that Pillies do do the damage. This is perhaps why they didnt bother the yakka. PErhaps they knew they were safe ??

Baldy

Hey Baldy,

Interesting information about the movements of the kings.

Can't agree more on the burley. I never burley for kings myself. I just find them on the sounder and drop either a live yakka or squid near them and because I am generally fishing the peak times they are already on the chew. My only problem is getting busted off by the ones that take me by surprise!

Focussed feeding... again, I think you are spot on. I have a few posts about this as I a firm believer in the "match the hatch" principle of burleying.

[fragmeister]

If the kings were in an aggressive mood they would probably release different pulses through the water from their lateral line. The yakkas probably sensed that they weren't on the menu and so didn't feel the need to disapear

Interesting theory! I am sure something like this is happening. You see this sort in the wild all the time. The prey seem to know somehow whether they are in signifcant danger or not.

Bit like me when the wife comes home after a rough day!

[Dredog]

Had the exact same thing the other day , but once the yakkas were hooked, the Kings changed and I was amazed to see a king chase my yakka on the end of the handline , where as before they were not interrested at all. I watched as a yakka came aboard the boat and i nearly copped a rat king straight on the chin.

[fragmeister]

Had the exact same thing the other day , but once the yakkas were hooked, the Kings changed and I was amazed to see a king chase my yakka on the end of the handline , where as before they were not interrested at all. I watched as a yakka came aboard the boat and i nearly copped a rat king straight on the chin.

Hi Dredog,

Thats a great piece of info.

I am very interested in what turns fish on the bite and often I think its not so much that you throw a yakka in as a live bait but more that its doing smething a little strange or panicky.

It swims funny with a hook through its back when its live bait so the Kings figure its injured and an easy meal.

If its hooked on a hand line or bait rod it gets all panicked and the Kings get very interested.

Cheers