Cronulla Kings

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders,

This weeks target was squid, bonito, kings.

Headed just outside of port hacking. Water was a little choppy in the morning, but got out the sabiki and filled the bait tank with Yakkas.

Next up, was to try for some squid. Only managed one, but a good size - around a 20-25cm hood. I had noticed on the sounder some marks below that looked like kings. Tossed out a livie but they wouldn’t touch it. 

A mate arrived and we decided to troll for Bonnie’s, kings or a stray tuna. I put out a silstar skirt and a 6.5inch JB micro dingo tuna skirt.

First troll along the cliffs and I’m onto a good sized king on the micro dingo. He took the hook right down - and after a good fight I land a healthy 72cm king.

After another run, we decide to leave and try further north for snapper and then come back later.

I land a small snapper going 31cm - planned to release, but was gut hooked deep, so kept.
Next up comes a 50cm blue spot flatty. After that the bite stopped, so we headed back down for another troll - unfortunately no takers.

Hit up the squid spot where I had seen the kings, and there they were again!

This time I got out my lighter SP rod, attached a circle and pinned a 5 inch, thick salted bonito strip bait. Dropped it unweighted and let it waft down - rod starts jumping, then buckles and I’m on! Top fight as it went on half a dozen screaming reel runs. After a good fight up comes a 70cm king. 
With plenty of fish in the esky, called it a day.

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Larkin

[jenno64]

Cracking day out Chris! Bring on the warmer weather!

[bessell1955]

A great days fishing!

 

[big Neil]

An enjoyable report. I love the clarity of your photos Larkin... brilliant. Must be good to have the confidence to get the lighter gear out to tackle a few Kingies.

Cheers, bn

[Yowie]

Good catch there Chris, a variety of nice fish and squid.

[Larkin]

8 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Cracking day out Chris! Bring on the warmer weather!

Thanks Rob, summer is just around the corner.

Can’t wait to not have to wear the waterproof winter gear. 

3 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

A great days fishing!

 

Thanks Bessel

Was good fun catching a couple of kings.

3 hours ago, big Neil said:

An enjoyable report. I love the clarity of your photos Larkin... brilliant. Must be good to have the confidence to get the lighter gear out to tackle a few Kingies.

Cheers, bn

Thanks Neil - the go pro and iPhone take some nice images - especially out on the water with great light.

It was really good fun on the lighter rod. Going to do this more often!

26 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Good catch there Chris, a variety of nice fish and squid.

Thanks Dave, a few kings about locally - but they’ve been fussy not taking the yakkas.

& No Bonnie’s on the troll - starting to run low on my salted baits ☹️  

[Yowie]

3 hours ago, Larkin said:

 

Thanks Dave, a few kings about locally - but they’ve been fussy not taking the yakkas.

& No Bonnie’s on the troll - starting to run low on my salted baits ☹️  

Heading out this arvo with my fishing mate, his boat.

His neighbour pulled out a few bonnies early this week, plus a couple of legal kings. Trolling with some new lure - don't know what it was just yet.

[Larkin]

2 hours ago, Yowie said:

Heading out this arvo with my fishing mate, his boat.

His neighbour pulled out a few bonnies early this week, plus a couple of legal kings. Trolling with some new lure - don't know what it was just yet.

Sounds like he was trolling a squidtrex.

Good luck this arvo!

If still some Bonnie’s around, I might do a bait run next week. I think there’s some schools of slimies over the reefs too.

[Isaac Ct]

Good catch mate, nice few feeds there. 

[Yowie]

21 hours ago, Larkin said:

Sounds like he was trolling a squidtrex.

Good luck this arvo!

If still some Bonnie’s around, I might do a bait run next week. I think there’s some schools of slimies over the reefs too.

The neighbour is a retired pro. fisherman.

The rig is a triple plastic squid set up - a cord handline (have not used a cord line for many years) large barrel sinker, then 3 plastic squid on mono with large single hooks in each. First one a short distance from the sinker, a metre for the next and metre and a half for the last one. 

We tried but no luck. The neighbour found them earlier in the week.

[Larkin]

23 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Good catch mate, nice few feeds there. 

Thanks Isaac!

We all had sushimi at work today!

8 hours ago, Yowie said:

The neighbour is a retired pro. fisherman.

The rig is a triple plastic squid set up - a cord handline (have not used a cord line for many years) large barrel sinker, then 3 plastic squid on mono with large single hooks in each. First one a short distance from the sinker, a metre for the next and metre and a half for the last one. 

We tried but no luck. The neighbour found them earlier in the week.

I’ve seen the 3 squid lure before - but seems he’s rigging in his special way…Good to know!

you gave it a shot, I find they’re more active from 9am-1pm. I never seem to get them really early or really late in the evening.

 

[Basil D]

nice report  Larkin, as for Bonito try trawling along yellow rock of Maroubra 

[Larkin]

14 hours ago, Basil D said:

nice report  Larkin, as for Bonito try trawling along yellow rock of Maroubra 

Thanks Basil!

these last two weeks haven’t found any Bonnie’s. All winter wasn’t a problem.

My mates been getting plenty of slimies at yellow rock.

[Pickles]

Great results Chris - love your pics mate😊. Is the squid skirt baited with squid also or trolling as a lure (top water?). I’ve never really had much luck targetting kings whilst trolling lures, but certainly have trolling baits.

Also you referred to “Yellow rock”, I take it that is down south somewhere ? (about the furthest south I go is Wedding Cake Is).

[Larkin]

14 hours ago, Pickles said:

Great results Chris - love your pics mate😊. Is the squid skirt baited with squid also or trolling as a lure (top water?). I’ve never really had much luck targetting kings whilst trolling lures, but certainly have trolling baits.

Also you referred to “Yellow rock”, I take it that is down south somewhere ? (about the furthest south I go is Wedding Cake Is).

Hi Bob, 

the skirt is just being trolled at 15-18klm/h. No bait. Got to troll along the cliffs in close just like going for bonito. In the summer they’ll tend to be only rats, but winter the larger kingies will hit them. 

The cheap silstar feather skirts work really well. Me and my mates have all caught a few on them over the last few months.

Yellow rock is just south of maroubra bay

33°58.110'S  151°15.999'E