Close Encounter with a Kingfish in the harbour

[devoker]

I was in the harbour again very early this morning, chasing pelagics and casting micro jigs to the bottom once in a while. As soon as I started casting I saw 2 big splashes near the surface and sent a popper kept casting around that area but had no bites. Then, I switched to stickbaits first and metals afterwards as the wind was strong and wanted to cast further. The first 1.5 hour there was no action.

I was losing hope with 40g metals and switched to the light rod with 15g micro jig hoping to catch some flathead. Soon after I caught this fish which looks like a grinner (or lizardfish I don't know) but I had no idea they grew this big.

I casted a few more times but no other hits, so I switched back to 40g metals. After casting for another half an hour, I was reeling it back and stopped when it was right next to the jetty to avoid it jumping towards me. Right when I stopped, I saw a decent rat king (probably between 50-65) chasing my lure but it made a u-turn right after I stopped reeling. It was 1 metre away from me!

To my luck! ferry was also 10 metres away and coming right towards me. I couldn't think of what to do with full of adrenaline as I was seeing a kingfish chasing my lure the first time. Maybe I could have dropped the metal under the jetty and try vertical jigging but the ferry would be big problem if I hooked it. I waited for 5 minutes for ferry to leave, and kept casting towards the same area. Then I saw fish busting up 100-150 metres away from me with seagulls diving to the same area. I tried casting to the area but it was out of reach. The wind was on my back but even with my best cast I couldn't get close enough. I was casting and reeling so fast my left arm started feeling fatigue (I reel with the left hand). The fish busted up 2 more times and got closer on the last one. I thought about switching to a 60g metal but I didn't want to risk losing timeand I knew that one was chasing the lure I was casting. I casted very close to the bust up 2-3 times but didn't get any follow up. They were gone after a few minutes but I casted non-stop for at least 20 minutes that my arm couldn't reel fast any more. To castch a break I tried jigging for quid but it wasn't succesful either, and decided to go home start working.

Edited November 15 by devoker

[faker]

3 hours ago, devoker said:

I was in the harbour again very early this morning, chasing pelagics and casting micro jigs to the bottom once in a while. As soon as I started casting I saw 2 big splashes near the surface and sent a popper kept casting around that area but had no bites. Then, I switched to stickbaits first and metals afterwards as the wind was strong and wanted to cast further. The first 1.5 hour there was no action.

I was losing hope with 40g metals and switched to the light rod with 15g micro jig hoping to catch some flathead. Soon after I caught this fish which looks like a grinner (or lizardfish I don't know) but I had no idea they grew this big.

I casted a few more times but no other hits, so I switched back to 40g metals. After casting for another half an hour, I was reeling it back and stopped when it was right next to the jetty to avoid it jumping towards me. Right when I stopped, I saw a decent rat king (probably between 50-65) chasing my lure but it made a u-turn right after I stopped reeling. It was 1 metre away from me!

To my luck! ferry was also 10 metres away and coming right towards me. I couldn't think of what to do with full of adrenaline as I was seeing a kingfish chasing my lure the first time. Maybe I could have dropped the metal under the jetty and try vertical jigging but the ferry would be big problem if I hooked it. I waited for 5 minutes for ferry to leave, and kept casting towards the same area. Then I saw fish busting up 100-150 metres away from me with seagulls diving to the same area. I tried casting to the area but it was out of reach. The wind was on my back but even with my best cast I couldn't get close enough. I was casting and reeling so fast my left arm started feeling fatigue (I reel with the left hand). The fish busted up 2 more times and got closer on the last one. I thought about switching to a 60g metal but I didn't want to risk losing timeand I knew that one was chasing the lure I was casting. I casted very close to the bust up 2-3 times but didn't get any follow up. They were gone after a few minutes but I casted non-stop for at least 20 minutes that my arm couldn't reel fast any more. To castch a break I tried jigging for quid but it wasn't succesful either, and decided to go home start working.

What was your jigging set up?

[Yowie]

 

A species of Lizardfish (there are a few)

[devoker]

4 hours ago, faker said:

What was your jigging set up?

6-10 kg 9'2" veritas tournament, miravel 5000 with 200~metres j-braid grand 20 lbs (which is 40lb in reality), 40 lb mono leader