Schools of Fish

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders,

Headed out on Friday for a scout around looking for kingfish. Tried a few spots but the fish weren’t on the bite. I could see a few kings on the sounder but they weren’t interested in the livies - I also tried fresh squid strips for no takers. 
Sometimes they’re like that.

Hit up a deeper spot near the cliffs, I could see schools of yakkas on the surface so I knew some kings might be below. Again they wouldn’t take a livie.
Switched to soft plastics and the first one came up. Tied on a 80g jig and another came up. Only small fish.

Decided to call it a day. As I was heading in I noticed a 100m wide black patch of water up ahead.
I also notice large patches of black water off Wanda beach the day before as I was having lunch. Thought it looked like large schools of fish.

Anyway rode up to the school and saw 50cm salmon jumping out. Spent the next half an hour trying to get one to take a lure. Tried every lure I had - Not a single taker out of 5000 or so salmon 😂

Anyway I had enough and left the school - it wasn’t moving much, just hanging around in the same spot at the mouth of the Hacking.

 

 

 

 

[Isaac Ct]

Unlucky about the Salmon, shame how finicky they can sometimes be. Still good to get out, a trip out is in order soon, has been a long time. Good to see kings around.

Well done

[bessell1955]

Some days they just refuse to play the game. 

[Restyle]

Plenty around, just not hungry… yet

atleast a kingie is something 

[big Neil]

It would be bloody annoying knowing there are plenty of target species around and not interested in feeding. It's even worse to come across a massive school of Salmon doing the same thing. 

Apparently, lots of pelagic species feed on these tiny things occasionally, and can't be tempted to take lures that would normally catch their interest. What's your opinion on that?

Good luck on the next outing Larkin.

bn

[Little_Flatty]

Sounds like a rough day Chris, though those small kingies would still put a grin on one’s face.

The follow up suggestion to @big Neil’s idea is to get yourself a fly rod and some surf candies😎

[Steve0]

I've heard Neil's story about Salmon eating tiny things, too. I have pulled out an occasional fish on those days, but never managed to find any evidence of the theory in the gut.

Sometimes you can find a strike out of aggression with a very erratic retrieve or letting a fall jig do its thing. Also, make sure you work every part of the school. Other than that, the best thing is to go elsewhere before they send you insane. Circling back later sometimes finds the mood changed.

[Yowie]

Just keep casting into the school Chris, and you will hook one eventually, well maybe, or possibly.  🤣 You just need more lure types !!!

They can be hard to tempt at times. You drag the lure past their faces and no interest at all. Sometimes splash the lure across the surface and you may get a hit.

Kingies showing up at last.

[Green Hornet]

When I used to chase frigates off the rocks for live baits and they were tuned into feeding on “eyes” and rejecting all lures, a trimmed down bait jig with only a couple of hooks, cast and retrieved around the school would often pay dividends. Instead of a sinker on the bottom of the rig, I’d just tie on a lure heavy enough to get me the distance I needed.

Would definitely be worth a try if you really want a salmon that bad.

[jenno64]

Sounds like the salmon were thick as Chris! It's a good sign to see big schools on the move and well done on conjuring up a couple of kings on different lures!

[Larkin]

On 9/22/2024 at 8:50 PM, Isaac Ct said:

Unlucky about the Salmon, shame how finicky they can sometimes be. Still good to get out, a trip out is in order soon, has been a long time. Good to see kings around.

Well done

Thanks Isaac, was hoping for a bit of fun on the way back in. Yep a few kings about outside but not taking baits/livies

 

On 9/22/2024 at 8:59 PM, bessell1955 said:

Some days they just refuse to play the game. 

Exactly right Bessel - it was one of those days 

22 hours ago, Restyle said:

Plenty around, just not hungry… yet

atleast a kingie is something 

Can’t wait for them to turn on. I’ve seen pics from out wide from a mate, they’re getting a few of them out there atm.

16 hours ago, big Neil said:

It would be bloody annoying knowing there are plenty of target species around and not interested in feeding. It's even worse to come across a massive school of Salmon doing the same thing. 

Apparently, lots of pelagic species feed on these tiny things occasionally, and can't be tempted to take lures that would normally catch their interest. What's your opinion on that?

Good luck on the next outing Larkin.

bn

They were just sitting there Neil - one of those mega schools you see online on those drone videos. 
I think your right - they would most likely have been feeding on tiny fish, just not at that time I was there
 

16 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Sounds like a rough day Chris, though those small kingies would still put a grin on one’s face.

The follow up suggestion to @big Neil’s idea is to get yourself a fly rod and some surf candies😎

Yeah Mike, it was hard to get a bite the whole day. I was on a kingy scout mission so didn’t try for anything else.
My JetSki mate that I told said exactly the same thing as you - that I needed a fly rod to get a bite

14 hours ago, Steve0 said:

I've heard Neil's story about Salmon eating tiny things, too. I have pulled out an occasional fish on those days, but never managed to find any evidence of the theory in the gut.

Sometimes you can find a strike out of aggression with a very erratic retrieve or letting a fall jig do its thing. Also, make sure you work every part of the school. Other than that, the best thing is to go elsewhere before they send you insane. Circling back later sometimes finds the mood changed.

I got a few follows on the plastics retrieved really fast, but wouldn’t commit. I tell you seeing so many fish sitting there and not taking an interest did my head in 😂 

14 hours ago, Yowie said:

Just keep casting into the school Chris, and you will hook one eventually, well maybe, or possibly.  🤣 You just need more lure types !!!

They can be hard to tempt at times. You drag the lure past their faces and no interest at all. Sometimes splash the lure across the surface and you may get a hit.

Kingies showing up at last.

haha, I cast so many times Dave.
It wasn’t one of those regular bust ups where they’re feeding on the surface. It was a mega school that just didn’t want to feed on what I had to offer 😂

was scrounging everywhere to find a small metal - but I had taken most of my gear out as only planned a king hunt on the day

13 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

When I used to chase frigates off the rocks for live baits and they were tuned into feeding on “eyes” and rejecting all lures, a trimmed down bait jig with only a couple of hooks, cast and retrieved around the school would often pay dividends. Instead of a sinker on the bottom of the rig, I’d just tie on a lure heavy enough to get me the distance I needed.

Would definitely be worth a try if you really want a salmon that bad.

Your right Green Hornet, I think a trimmed down lure, tiny metal or one of those small ajing type lures would have probably peaked some interest - but I had nothing like that on me.

All salmon would have been released - was needing some action 😂

1 hour ago, jenno64 said:

Sounds like the salmon were thick as Chris! It's a good sign to see big schools on the move and well done on conjuring up a couple of kings on different lures!

Yes Rob, I’ve never been on top of a school of fish that thick. Water from up high looked black from the volume of fish. 
Kings were only taking fast retrieved lures.

Edited September 23 by Larkin

[Yowie]

59 minutes ago, Larkin said:

haha, I cast so many times Dave.
It wasn’t one of those regular bust ups where they’re feeding on the surface. It was a mega school that just didn’t want to feed on what I had to offer 😂

 

One of those non feeding schools of salmon, they just sit almost stationary, not much movement, and not really feeding. Maybe breeding now instead of feeding.

I have a couple of small metal lures, one at 5 grams and one at 2 grams. Need a cyclone blowing behind me to throw them any distance. Might be worth a try.

[PaddyT]

when the salmon are on eyes ive done really well on 2 lures-the berkely powerbaits in "casprr crystal"-small jighead or if you can get close enough a worm hook and no weight-just dead stick the retrieve. The other lure is a an Ecogear Prawn stickbait in either white or clear-unfortunatley no longer made but i bought a few back in the day-again dead stick (barely moving) retireive. Matching the hatch is important but a lot of the bait they re eating isnt very mobile so a fast retrieve is counter productive. Using these ive often out fished the fly guys on Broken Bay-thats also an option-fly and one of those clear trout floats.

[Pickles]

Thanks for feedback Chris - soooo annoying when they just won’t bite. Fun getting any kings though, even when little ones.

[Larkin]

19 hours ago, PaddyT said:

when the salmon are on eyes ive done really well on 2 lures-the berkely powerbaits in "casprr crystal"-small jighead or if you can get close enough a worm hook and no weight-just dead stick the retrieve. The other lure is a an Ecogear Prawn stickbait in either white or clear-unfortunatley no longer made but i bought a few back in the day-again dead stick (barely moving) retireive. Matching the hatch is important but a lot of the bait they re eating isnt very mobile so a fast retrieve is counter productive. Using these ive often out fished the fly guys on Broken Bay-thats also an option-fly and one of those clear trout floats.

Great tips paddy! 

I actually have those clear tiny Berkley power baits. Bought them many years ago in crystal and another colour for that exact reason - but do no good when you leave them at home 😂

I have some tiny slugo’s too

Will have to add these to my current tackle box

 

 

13 hours ago, Pickles said:

Thanks for feedback Chris - soooo annoying when they just won’t bite. Fun getting any kings though, even when little ones.

a few kingies always fun.

one of those days mate - they weren’t having any of it.

[Bardy]

Nice work Chris... I'm yet to find a semi reliable spot for the Kings out of Port Hacking. Snapper, Squid and flatties and bream I'm absolutely dialed into but not the Kings... Hopefully this summer I can make some inroads. I haven't been out for a couple of weeks ... I'm getting withdrawal symptoms !

[Larkin]

2 hours ago, Bardy said:

Nice work Chris... I'm yet to find a semi reliable spot for the Kings out of Port Hacking. Snapper, Squid and flatties and bream I'm absolutely dialed into but not the Kings... Hopefully this summer I can make some inroads. I haven't been out for a couple of weeks ... I'm getting withdrawal symptoms !

Haha - it gets like that when you can’t get out

Fads being deployed in 4 weeks with dolly season fast approaching.

around Christmas the large schools of kingies will come in close. 

[Basil D]

nice size kingy for sushimi, as for the salmon , yuck, good fun catching them though