what type of lure for Kingfish

[M1100S]

So i was wondering to myself while anchored up in the boat at molly point waiting for my first legal kingfish and fishing the live baits.... why not throw a lure out to pass the time instead of just sitting there.

so it begs the question.... what lure do you use?

since i have read Kings seems to stay in the middle of the water column would it best to get a metal lute and let it sink and then wind back in? or do you get one of those popper style lures to use on the surface?? I have a Rapala magnum style hardbody lure but i think this is more for trolling.... can you flick these lures and retrieve them??

 

Hardware used is :

- gomoku 7'6" spin series 6-12kg 14-40g lure

- daiwa freams 4000 with 20 l bread with 30 lb leader

 

i assume for rat kings it will be fine but anything bigger will i just get smashed ?

[DerekD]

Slapstix or similar sluggo type lures. Pink or white with a bullet head jig head rather than a worm hook as it allows you to more easily work the water column. A sub surface walk the dog type retrieve with pauses to allow them to hit it. If you feel a bump then rip it back as fast as possible to force them into a position where if they don't take it they will loose it. 6" ones are better value.

[anthman]

Depending on the size of rapala magnum, it might be too big to work like a casting lure. In addition to what DerekD suggested above, I'd add in a 3" powerbait minnow - such a versatile lure. Also there are smashbait squids.

Otherwise, slow pitch jigs of the appropriate weight for the depth youre in.

 

[Mr Squidy]

I've caught quite a few kings to about 75-80cm on that sort of gear, fun tussle but definitely very doable.

Not an expert on lures for these guys as usually fish livies. Plastics or jigs seem to be the go too and I've caught some on both. One thing I've found that can work also though if you are just having a flick while you have some livies out is to use a bigish surface lure (popper or stickbait) to really just attract their attention. They will often follow it in and not strike but it can work well if you then have your livie on hand close by which they can switch too.

 

Rich

[recurve]

Squidgy flick bait seems to be very successful for me. Cast out let it sink and pump and wind up, then let drop to bottom and do it again. Cast and repeat. 
 

works well for Salmon as well

[amulloway]

What size hook/weight would you use on a 6" slapstix to work midwater, assuming no current? I've gotta dial in the kingies this year (fish Central Coast area from rocks) after a few years break from fishing! Have historically just spun metals but have only had a few small kings amongst a million bonito, salmon, tuna etc

[DerekD]

49 minutes ago, amulloway said:

What size hook/weight would you use on a 6" slapstix to work midwater, assuming no current? I

Firstly I use TT jig heads in the bullet head. I've worked out a retrieve which gets the plastic moving between 30 and 60cm side to side. Essentially I'm creating an over correction with each bounce of the rod tip. It works from 3 inch to 9 inch plastics. I struggle with darter type jig heads but it is magic with the bullet heads.

TT does some older style tournament jig heads in the yellow packet. With these I go for a 3/0 extra strong hook. Weight of head between 3/8 and 1/2oz. These are getting harder to find. I can also use them with the TT Head lockz but the hook size seems to have changed so for these I use a 5/0 XH. In the photo below you can see the size difference between the 3/0 and 5/0 of the head lockz compared to the 3/0 older tournament style.

[amulloway]

2 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Firstly I use TT jig heads in the bullet head. I've worked out a retrieve which gets the plastic moving between 30 and 60cm side to side. Essentially I'm creating an over correction with each bounce of the rod tip. It works from 3 inch to 9 inch plastics. I struggle with darter type jig heads but it is magic with the bullet heads.

TT does some older style tournament jig heads in the yellow packet. With these I go for a 3/0 extra strong hook. Weight of head between 3/8 and 1/2oz. These are getting harder to find. I can also use them with the TT Head lockz but the hook size seems to have changed so for these I use a 5/0 XH. In the photo below you can see the size difference between the 3/0 and 5/0 of the head lockz compared to the 3/0 older tournament style.

Exactly the information I was chasing, much appreciated.

[DerekD]

Just stay away from the blue mackeral style Slapstix. They seem to use a different material for these which seems to tear relatively easily when jig head is inserted. The use of the weighted head makes it so much easier to work the full water column and helps keep the plastic subsurface when ripping it back for that reaction bite.

BTW if you got to the 9" Slapstix then a 5/0 XS in older style or 7/0 or 8/0 in Headlocks seems to work pretty well. For these I'll use weights from 3/8 all the way up to 3/4 with my favourite being the 1/2oz.

Edited October 6, 2020 by DerekD

[Pickles]

My NO1 goto Kingie SP is a white Sluggo, Slapstix, 2nd choice. I use a XS 8/0 worm (weedless) hook, not a jig head, I.e. unweighted. They sink slowly, but a slow erratic retrieve Can really get the Kingies going

[M1100S]

Has anyone ever tried tolling a soft plastic like a 9inch sluggo

 

i saw on the weekend a fishing show and they guy was trolling a 9inch soft plastic on a 2oz jighead and it was getting smashed by cobia and Spanish makeral  (was up way north in qld). that was interesting and may try it one day

[kingie chaser]

I think the rules about catching kingfish are...........................there are no rules.

You only have to read many a report or watch as many youtubes or fishing shows to see that they will take whatever they are in the mood for.

 

One day its live squid only, next day if live squid is put in their face they wont touch it but will take a squid strip bait, next day live slimey's/yakka's/aussie salmon will do the damage then the following day they wont touch them but will take a slimey slab bait.

 

Then some days people will be fishing all of the above & someone puts down a jig & cleans them up.

 

At the end of the day to me you just have to be prepared with all the arsenal at your disposal & work on the "fly" so to speak, live baits, different live baits, jigs, SP's, trolling lures like the old Christmas tree's, stickbaits floating & sinking.

  

 

[Pickles]

Spot on Kingie chaser, the only real rule with kingfish is “if you don’t have a line in the water - you don’t have a chance”.

Interestingly, one day last summer, I couldn’t elicit a response with live squid, cuttlefish, slimies, garfish or Yakkas, all they wanted or would bite on that day were prawns - and cooked ones at that.