Derny Driver Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 This post was recognized by Little_Flatty! "Well done on your first kingie. May this be the first of many." Derny Driver was awarded the badge 'Superstar' and 200 points. Went out Jervis Bay Friday in the Twinfisher with a mate ... tried middle ground, point perpendicular, long nose point, tried everything but it was very quiet. Lots of boats out and no one was getting anything that we could see. Most headed in early. We persevered and I picked up a nice bream and a leatherjacket, my mate got some wrasse which were released. Around midday we were drifting at middle ground and I hooked a kingfish which put up a hell of a fight, get him almost up and he dived back to the bottom several times. I was so excited to land it ... a 58cm "rat" which I released. Soon after I caught another 56cm rat and my mate got a 58cm one also. All released of course and the circle hooks worked a treat. As well as the fun with the kingys, I think I have finally hit upon a great single hook paternoster rig. I used a 60lb leader with a 20lb break off sinker line attached. Both times the kingys managed to somehow break the 20lb part which was easily replaced. As well as that I got snagged at Longnose and I tried for 10 minutes to snap the line but couldn't. I was pulling the boat towards the snag as hard as I could but nothing would give. I was reaching for a knife when it gave way. The knots I used were brilliant. So that was a highlight, discovering a solid rig which I caught all those fish on, without any tangles or issues. Here is my rat ... 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Way to go @Derny Driver, welcome to the “kingie Club”. Such a great fighting fish that punch above their weight. Now wait till you hook into a metre fish and you’ll think the powers of hell have been released. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenno64 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Congrats on your first king! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkin Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Well done catching your first kingy! The break away sinker on paternoster is the best method for fishing any reef. Saves the rest of your gear! It’s the only rig I use on reef. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil D Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 keep persisting, the middle grounds have given me many good kings 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Very nice, the efforts are paying off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derny Driver Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Thank you everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirvin21 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Nice mate, love ticking off a new species 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay88 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Still waiting on my first! Good catch! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlvbw Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Nothing wrong with catching rats. Great fun on lighter gear. Well done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabstar Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Well done mate. Will always remember your first. Greg. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sydney Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Well done @Derny Driver a few more in store for you before the summer ends I think! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bessell1955 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 This is just the start! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derny Driver Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 13 hours ago, Mike Sydney said: Well done @Derny Driver a few more in store for you before the summer ends I think! Im hoping so Mike ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derny Driver Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 Woke up at 4am and Willy Weather said Jervis Bay was calm so I launched at Wooloomai and headed out. It's a long way out to the heads from there but being solo, that ramp is easy to launch from. Murrays looks quicker but it's a 2 person job. The swell and wind started coming up but I decided to have another crack at these kingfish. Took a while to find my GPS mark, dropped a squid bait down and got hit by a big kingy straight away. Felt huge. He was ripping line off the reel so I had to tighten the drag a bit before he cut me off on the reef. Then the hook ripped through the line at the dropper loop and he got away. Possibly a legal size one I reckon. Suddenly the wind dropped and it was calm out there. Amazing. After that it was rats. I landed 6 in total including 2 at the same time on different rods which was interesting. All returned safely. All roughly 58cm. Apart from an Australian salmon, that was all I caught. Other people around me seemed to getting a mixture of fish , I just got kings. Single paternoster rig with squid. Not sure why. Anyway, again a learning experience.. 50lb is not enough ... slightly bigger seas than I've previously been in but no issues ... need to think about how to target snapper and other species better. Was able to stay out till 1pm and run full bore home the conditions were that good. Fisheries inspectors were out but didn't check me. Nothing to see lol. Great day out. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 7 hours ago, Derny Driver said: Woke up at 4am and Willy Weather said Jervis Bay was calm so I launched at Wooloomai and headed out. It's a long way out to the heads from there but being solo, that ramp is easy to launch from. Murrays looks quicker but it's a 2 person job. The swell and wind started coming up but I decided to have another crack at these kingfish. Took a while to find my GPS mark, dropped a squid bait down and got hit by a big kingy straight away. Felt huge. He was ripping line off the reel so I had to tighten the drag a bit before he cut me off on the reef. Then the hook ripped through the line at the dropper loop and he got away. Possibly a legal size one I reckon. Suddenly the wind dropped and it was calm out there. Amazing. After that it was rats. I landed 6 in total including 2 at the same time on different rods which was interesting. All returned safely. All roughly 58cm. Apart from an Australian salmon, that was all I caught. Other people around me seemed to getting a mixture of fish , I just got kings. Single paternoster rig with squid. Not sure why. Anyway, again a learning experience.. 50lb is not enough ... slightly bigger seas than I've previously been in but no issues ... need to think about how to target snapper and other species better. Was able to stay out till 1pm and run full bore home the conditions were that good. Fisheries inspectors were out but didn't check me. Nothing to see lol. Great day out. I have had very little experience with Kingies and am yet to catch a legal one...but I'm certainly going to keep trying when I can. They represent a challenge and learning curve to most anglers but are well worth the effort to feel how strongly they fight. Good luck with your pursuit of a legal one, I'm sure it's not far away. Cheers, bn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derny Driver Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 Woke up at 4am and Willy Weather said Jervis Bay was calm so I launched at Wooloomai and headed out. It's a long way out to the heads from there but being solo, that ramp is easy to launch from. Murrays looks quicker but it's a 2 person job. The swell and wind started coming up but I decided to have another crack at these kingfish. Took a while to find my GPS mark, dropped a squid bait down and got hit by a big kingy straight away. Felt huge. He was ripping line off the reel so I had to tighten the drag a bit before he cut me off on the reef. Then the hook ripped through the line at the dropper loop and he got away. Possibly a legal size one I reckon. Suddenly the wind dropped and it was calm out there. Amazing. After that it was rats. I landed 6 in total including 2 at the same time on different rods which was interesting. All returned safely. All roughly 58cm. Apart from an Australian salmon, that was all I caught. Other people around me seemed to getting a mixture of fish , I just got kings. Single paternoster rig with squid. Not sure why. Anyway, again a learning experience.. 50lb is not enough ... slightly bigger seas than I've previously been in but no issues ... need to think about how to target snapper and other species better. Was able to stay out till 1pm and run full bore home the conditions were that good. Fisheries inspectors were out but didn't check me. Nothing to see lol. Great day out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derny Driver Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 Mate and I landed another 6 kingfish on Thursday... largest was 63cm so getting closer. Snagged my single loop paternoster rig on the reef and tried everything to bust it ... after 15 minutes of fighting it I had to cut the braid. Lost about 50 metres. 80lb braid and 120 leader. I've got good confidence it can handle any size fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derny Driver Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 On 1/24/2024 at 4:26 AM, big Neil said: Good luck with your pursuit of a legal one, I'm sure it's not far away. Finally got my first legal kingy on Sunday ....two actually, one 66cm and one 65cm. 66 was on squid and the 65 on a livey. Lots of rats caught and returned. Lost another nice one when he took about 30 metres of line off my reel and broke the leader on the reef bottom. It was a decent sort of swell out there on Sunday but again the boat handled it quite easily. Lots of time wasted getting blown around, by the time I land the fish and unhook it, Im 300 metres away from where I hooked it. Then I have to start the motor and go back to the waypoint. Im getting a big Minn Kota fitted this week so I can anchor over the school which will be a game changer. Cant wait to use it. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo from Sydney Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 On 1/23/2024 at 9:12 PM, Derny Driver said: Woke up at 4am and Willy Weather said Jervis Bay was calm so I launched at Wooloomai and headed out. It's a long way out to the heads from there but being solo, that ramp is easy to launch from. Murrays looks quicker but it's a 2 person job. The swell and wind started coming up but I decided to have another crack at these kingfish. Took a while to find my GPS mark, dropped a squid bait down and got hit by a big kingy straight away. Felt huge. He was ripping line off the reel so I had to tighten the drag a bit before he cut me off on the reef. Then the hook ripped through the line at the dropper loop and he got away. Possibly a legal size one I reckon. Suddenly the wind dropped and it was calm out there. Amazing. After that it was rats. I landed 6 in total including 2 at the same time on different rods which was interesting. All returned safely. All roughly 58cm. Apart from an Australian salmon, that was all I caught. Other people around me seemed to getting a mixture of fish , I just got kings. Single paternoster rig with squid. Not sure why. Anyway, again a learning experience.. 50lb is not enough ... slightly bigger seas than I've previously been in but no issues ... need to think about how to target snapper and other species better. Was able to stay out till 1pm and run full bore home the conditions were that good. Fisheries inspectors were out but didn't check me. Nothing to see lol. Great day out. Well done on your kingfish - I am sure a legal fish is not far away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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