Big Kingfish Landbased

[Fishing_Maniac]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been seeing a fair few kings over the metre mark in the past couple of weeks. I am fishing land based, off wharfs in Sydney harbour.  

What pound line would be needed to stop these kings and how much drag will I need to be using? Keep in mind I am fishing a fair bit of structure, so will need to be fishing heavy. Is 80lb overkill?

 

Thanks in Advance,

James

Edited December 20, 2016 by Fishing_Maniac

[blackfish angler]

Hi James 30lb- 50lb would be my guess .

[timk]

if your around structure as you say and since your limited to land based, i wouldn't fish lighter than 80lb leader if your chasing that 1M+ king. I would even contemplate going higher depending on where your fishing. its personal preference really, some will tell you to fish lighter while others will tell you heavier... i fish 80lb generally when chasing bigger kings and it doesn't take much to shred that over a reef.

[mitchie18092]

I'd stick to around 50lb main line, and 50-60lb fluro carbon trace on a locked drag. Use big livies to try and deter the smaller fish they might be hanging around with. (even just legal trevs, tailor, bonnies etc.) 

 

 

[krause]

Unless you're running top end gear (someone correct me on this because im always interested in the mechanics of it) you're not going to get more than 10kg of effective drag. A line weight above you're drag is excessive imo because it's pointless. Yes you gain abrassion resistance but to a kingie its still not much, especially if like me you run braid.  If a kingie wants to bust you, it will haha. But beast up that leader and learn good knots.

Ive been busted on 20lb leader and said 'f#$@ it' have some 80lb leader, and they've busted me even faster. Kingfish plus rock equals snap. Id go 30lb main with a long (8-10m?) 40/50lb leader. Make sure you can get the knot through the rod guides though. Everyone will have their own view, but the thing you need most with landbased/kayak kings is luck. Just hope the bugger plays fair

[dirvin21]

I would avoid locking up on a metre plus kingie landbased, the harder you pull the harder they pull back try and slow their runs so they come up short of the structure thay usually take 2 good runs, unfortunetly if they want to brick you they will

[Jocler]

Yes...bricked with 80lb braid in BB the other day. The end looked like dental floss when it was pulled up.

J

[Guest Guest123456789]

Ive yet to stop a legal one land based. I've been busted off on 50lbs braid and 80lbs leader with really tight drag.

i watched a show recently where a guy was catching big kings on surface lures in Pittwater. He basically said the harder you pull them the harder they pull back. Don't go too hard or you'll just anger the fish and they will bust you off. He was catching some good legal ones on bream gear. I'm going to try it.

[macca02]

Are you livebaiting? If so go mono over braid!

Off the rocks i use 24kg mono main line, but run 10+metres of 80-100lb joined using an albright (for abrasion resistance) + when it comes to getting it up a high ledge you can pull it up with a bit more confidence!
 

[krause]

Macca02 why the mono for livebaiting? Not looking to argue 'braid vs mono' but genuinely interested in the other side of the story  cheers

[Fishing_Maniac]

Thanks for the replies, yes I will be mainly livebaiting

[tilt]

On 21/12/2016 at 1:43 PM, krause said:

Unless you're running top end gear (someone correct me on this because im always interested in the mechanics of it) you're not going to get more than 10kg of effective drag. A line weight above you're drag is excessive imo because it's pointless. Yes you gain abrassion resistance but to a kingie its still not much, especially if like me you run braid.  If a kingie wants to bust you, it will haha. But beast up that leader and learn good knots.

Ive been busted on 20lb leader and said 'f#$@ it' have some 80lb leader, and they've busted me even faster. Kingfish plus rock equals snap. Id go 30lb main with a long (8-10m?) 40/50lb leader. Make sure you can get the knot through the rod guides though. Everyone will have their own view, but the thing you need most with landbased/kayak kings is luck. Just hope the bugger plays fair

I use a PennSSV 8500 puts out 30LB of drag. only spooled with 25lb mono though.. Goes hard. Haven't had a big King on it yet. Nothing else I've caught had put up a chalange.. except the usual rays and shark bycatch..

[macca02]

On 12/23/2016 at 7:02 PM, krause said:

Macca02 why the mono for livebaiting? Not looking to argue 'braid vs mono' but genuinely interested in the other side of the story  cheers

For livebaiting kings landbased - personally i think mono is much better due to its abrasion resistance, the advantages braid has over mono just aren't really needed in this type of fishing IMO.

This type of fishing is generally the only time i use mono + overhead reel. Majority of my fishing is done with spin reels and braid.

If i were casting lures i'd be using braid as that's where its advantages come in handy (casting, sensitivity).

[nitro]

On 28/12/2016 at 11:14 AM, macca02 said:

For livebaiting kings landbased - personally i think mono is much better due to its abrasion resistance, the advantages braid has over mono just aren't really needed in this type of fishing IMO.

This type of fishing is generally the only time i use mono + overhead reel. Majority of my fishing is done with spin reels and braid.

If i were casting lures i'd be using braid as that's where its advantages come in handy (casting, sensitivity).

I agree with this thinking. Way too many times you get busted off easily on braid. I will now be trying my luck using mono and lighter drag landbased to see if the odds improve. p.s I run 80lb braid, 100lb FC leader and about 12kg of drag and it still doesn't stop them